Tone up and torch some fat this festive season by doing these holiday fitness exercises. You can do them while at home or even if you are away on holiday. Perform four sets with a minute rest after each round of five fitness exercises.

• Keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back and relaxed, and chin up (pick a point to stare at in front of you so you don’t keep looking down).
• Always engage your core.
• Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle, not pushed out too far, and make sure your other knee doesn’t touch the floor.
• Perform 10 repetitions alternating on each leg.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Start by doing a regular squat, then engage your core and jump up explosively.
• When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Land as quietly as possible, which requires control.
• Perform 12 repetitions.

• Position your hands shoulder-width apart on a secured bench or stable chair.
• Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended out in front of you.
• Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
• Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
• Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position.
• Keep your shoulders down as you lower and raise your body. You can bend your legs to modify this exercise.
• Perform 12 repetitions.

• Start in a plank position with arms and legs long. Beginning in a solid plank is the key to proper form and good results in the Mountain Climber. At its heart, the Mountain Climber is a form of plank.
• Keep your abs pulled in and your body straight. Squeeze your glutes and pull your shoulders away from your ears.
• Pull your right knee into your chest. As the knee draws to the chest, pull your abs in even tighter to be sure your body doesn’t sag or come out of its plank position.
• Quickly switch and pull the left knee in. At the same time you push your right leg back, pull your left knee in to the chest using the same form.
• Continue to switch knees. Pull the knees in right, left, right, left. Always switching simultaneously so that you are using a ‘running’ motion.
• As you begin to move more quickly be in constant awareness of your body position and be sure to keep a straight line in your spine and don’t let your head droop. Core body stability is crucial.
• Perform 15 repetitions on each leg alternating.

• Stand with your back pressing against a wall.
• Slide downward into a squat position by moving your feet forward until your knees make a 90-degree angle and your hamstrings are parallel to the floor.
• Hold this move as long as you can. For beginners, aim for a 30 second hold.