An Australian personal trainer has developed a six-step home workout she swears by for sculpting a toned physique – and it only takes 20 minutes.
Camilla Akerberg, who lives in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, has 299,000 Instagram followers that she regularly shares fitness and diet tips with.
In her latest offering the 28-year-old trialled six lower body exercises in a circuit posted to social media that targets your glutes, core, quads and calves.
Camilla Akerberg (pictured) has 299,000 Instagram followers that she regularly shares fitness and diet tips with
In her latest video offering the 28-year-old trialled six lower body exercises in a circuit posted to social media that targets your glutes, core, quads and calves
All that is required for the workout is a resistance band.
‘Start with a single leg Romanian deadlift before moving onto walking lunges, band squats, band Romanian deadlifts, squat jumps and frog squats,’ she captioned the footage.
‘Complete five rounds of 40 seconds for each exercise.’
Previously, Camilla revealed her ten best tips for staying healthy and active over the festive season, which is about to begin.
‘Start with a single leg Romanian deadlift before moving onto walking lunges, band squats, band Romanian deadlifts, squat jumps and frog squats,’ she captioned the footage
1. Come into it prepared
It might be an obvious one, but if you have a period of parties and events coming up, it pays to be prepared.
‘Be in super shape before it kicks off,’ Camilla wrote on her blog.
You can do this by trying a challenge, following an eating program and improving your healthy habits.
2. Take the car
While you might think that taking the car to events makes you lazy and means you’re not walking for public transport, in fact the car can be your saviour if you want it to.
‘Taking the car is a great excuse to stay on the waters, and your friends will love to have a designated driver,’ Camilla explained.
‘Taking the car is a great excuse to stay on the waters, and your friends will love to have a designated driver,’ Camilla (pictured) explained
3. Stick to the diet
With all of the tasty treats around at Christmas, it can be hard to resist a caramel slice or another roast potato.
But Camilla warns that if you keep your diet on track, you will reap the benefits over Christmas.
She said it’s a good idea to choose foods wisely when you go out for dinner and opt for lean proteins, healthy fats and swap fries for a side salad, with sauce on the side.
Stick to your diet as much as possible over the festive period, and up your fibre, protein and healthy fats – making sure you add them to each meal
4. Increase fibre in your diet
Though key to a diet at any time of year, fibre is especially useful at Christmas time, because it regulates your gut health.
The Sydney-based personal trainer explained that the macronutrient will help to keep you fuller for longer, which will also help to manage your food intake.
Take a fibre supplement during the holiday season to minimise the damage of gaining too much fat.
Camilla (pictured) said it’s a good idea to choose foods wisely when you go out for dinner and opt for lean proteins, healthy fats and swap fries for a side salad, with sauce on the side
5. Consume healthy fats
Like fibre, healthy fats are also key at Christmas-time.
Good fats like avocado, olive oil, almonds, walnuts and salmon will not only help you lose fat, but they will build lean muscle mass, aid with memory function and support a healthy immune system.
Camilla recommends you eat some healthy fats with each and every meal, as this might just stop you from reaching for extra helpings of pavlova.
With the extra consumption in calories comes a need to adapt your training effectively – Camilla (pictured) recommends increasing your cardio
6. Increase protein intake
Protein is the building blocks for a lean physique, and is something else to include in meals and snacks.
‘Chose lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and high protein vegetable sources,’ Camilla said, adding that you should be mindful about how food is prepared and choose grilled rather than battered or fried.
Protein supplements, shakes and BCAAs are also good to supplement training sessions.
7. Add in more cardio
With the extra consumption in calories comes a need to adapt your training effectively.
Camilla said she doesn’t often to ‘a whole lot of cardio’, but will always add in some HIIT (high intensity interval training) over the holidays.
Try doing short, sharp sets – and ‘superset’ them with other moves that also target that specific muscle.
Camilla (pictured) said you don’t have to centre every catch-up with friends around drinking and eating – instead, you can take fitness classes and go for hikes
8. Lead an active lifestyle
An active lifestyle is the key to staying healthy at Christmas.
And in Australia, we are lucky insofar as we can go on long walks, hikes, adventures and swims with our friends.
Camilla said you don’t have to centre every catch-up with friends around drinking and eating.
Instead, you can be active together.
9. Do fitness classes with friends
Aside from walking and hiking with friends, why not take a fitness class together over the Christmas period?
This will help to keep you accountable and also stop you from completely abandoning your workout regime over Christmas.
10. Realise you are minimising the damage, not avoiding it
Lastly, the PT said you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself.
Of course, over the holidays, you will eat and drink a little more, but as long as you motivate yourself come January, you can hit new fitness goals.
To read more from Camilla Akerberg, visit her website here.
