The Have Your Cake and Eat It Diet » Diet Advice » Festive Fat Loss Tips For A Healthy Holiday
Festive Fat Loss Tips For A Healthy Holiday
20 Tips to Help You Succeed
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For weeks, you have watched your food intake and exercised regularly to improve your health and better your body. More than a “diet” or a fad, you’ve created real lifestyle changes and created a plan that you can stick with for the long haul. So why is the holiday season so goddam intimidating?
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Of course, there’s the food. Unlike the other food-centric annual holidays, the winter holiday season lasts for weeks. There are more parties, more potlucks, more food gifts, more sweets and well… just MORE. And these temptations will be tormenting you for quite some time.
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Then there’s the stress. Between the gift shopping, the decorating, the cooking and those lovely family feuds to contend with, your time to cook healthy meals or hit the gym can be pretty limited. So really, it’s unsurprising we’re scared of the holiday season and the infamous weight gain it encourages.
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How can we maintain a healthy diet and fitness program- let alone achieve on-going fat loss- with all of this going on around us, day after day?
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The answer is simple: Stick with your plan. You’ve overcome temptations and slip-ups before. Every day presents challenges, yet you remain strong and continue to move closer to your goals. Why should the holidays be so different? If you want to lose weight this month, you can. You just have to choose to stay in control.
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Here are 20 tips that will help you keep off the holiday pounds and actually lose a few by the New Year.
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1. Track your food. That means all of it, from the forkful of mashed potato you tasted while cooking to the free sample of panetonne at the grocery store. These “nibbling” calories are easy to forget about but can really add up. And of course, it goes without saying that being aware of what you eat does wonders for reaching those body goals. If you do nothing else during the holidays, track your food diligently every day and KNOW what you’re eating.
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2. Plan your holiday meals. Whenever possible, plan your meals and snacks in advance so you can enjoy your favorites and still stay on track. Before you head to a party or sit down for a festive dinner, figure out your food for the day. For example, find places to cut back on calories in order to splurge a little more on your holiday meal. Decide which foods you’ll have, that will allow you to meet your nutritional requirements.
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3. Check the calories. If you know the calorie content of your favourite holiday treats, you’ll be able to minimise damage and avoid any nasty surprises. And of course, you’ll know what needs to give in order to fit them into your daily nutrition plan.
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4. Make fitness a priority. Food is only one part of the equation that determines whether you’ll lose or gain fat. Fitness is equally important, and with all the rushing about and family commitments, it can easily get pushed aside. Make time for your exercise routine and keep those body goals on track.
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5. Schedule your workout like an appointment. You wouldn’t miss a doctor’s appointment or an important meeting to bake cupcakes or go shopping, would you? Get your calendar out and schedule your sessions in advance, so they don’t get overridden by holiday madness.
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6. Bring your own food. If you’re heading to a party or potluck and don’t know what will be on offer, bring your own. Pick a yummy, healthy recipe to take along, so that no matter what kind of food is there, you’ll have at least one dish you can eat with confidence.
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7. Limit alcohol. Not only do the calories add up quickly, but your lowered inhibitions make overindulgence on food a whole lot more likely. Nurse one or two drinks throughout the event, or better, pass it up altogether.
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8. Re-gift food. Of course, your loved ones mean well when they give you delicious food and treats. But don’t fall victim to the guilt trip- just because they give them to you does not mean you have to eat them! There are plenty of opportunities to re-gift food gifts over the holiday season… Take them to parties, potlucks and other get-togethers so the temptation isn’t sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
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9. Bring your food to work. If you don’t fancy re-gifting, share the yummy gifts with your colleagues. That way, you can enjoy a taste without feeling compelled to chow down the whole lot yourself.
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10. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s easy to go over your calories one day and feel like you’ve ruined your progress. But remember that it takes much more than one day of overeating to do any lasting damage. Enjoy your moment of overindulgence and move on.
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11. Sneak in some mini-workouts. Every bit of daily activity adds up, and including just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise in addition to your usual workout routine can help counter the effects of a little holiday indulgence. Squeeze in some high intensity bodyweight circuits or interval training to keep that metabolism revving.
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12. Maintain your active lifestyle. On top of your basal metabolic rate, most calories are generally burned through day-to-day activity. So the more activity you can add to your days in addition to planned exercise, the better off you’ll be. Walk wherever you can, partake in some fun snow activities if you have it where you are and make an overall effort to move more.
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13. Keep an emergency snack on hand. Stashing some healthy and portable foods in your car, bag and desk drawer can help calm your cravings. This should prevent you from going overboard on any seasonal goodies that are doing the rounds at work, or getting caught on the go with nowhere convenient to buy a healthy snack.
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14. Watch your portions. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some once-a-year favorites if you keep your portions in check. Sometimes just a little taste is all you need. As they say, everything in moderation, including moderation!
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15. Take the focus off the food. There’s more to the holidays than eating! Enjoy the good conversation and seasonal activities rather than hovering around the buffet table. Create entertainment that doesn’t revolve around eating, and you won’t feel like you’re missing out.
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16. Drink enough water. It keeps your appetite at bay and it keeps your mouth occupied. Keep a cup of water in hand at parties, sip water between bites, and meet your daily requirements to help prevent overeating.
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17. Wake up with exercise. It’s much easier to make excuses not to exercise as the day goes on. Even if you’re not normally a morning exerciser, a.m. workouts are a great way to squeeze fitness into your days before distractions arise.
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18. Don’t treat every meal as your last. With every meal or treat that crosses your path, remind yourself that you’ll have plenty of chances later to eat. Listen to your body for true feelings of hunger and fullness, and if you’re not hungry or in the mood for a certain food, don’t feel obligated to eat it. Don’t waste calories on a treat you don’t really like or that isn’t very delicious, just to be polite. It’s your body, and you have the say as to what goes into it!
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19. Slow down. Savour your food and take your time to enjoy the taste. You’ll eat less, feel more satisfied, and recognise feelings of fullness before it’s too late.
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20. Stay focused on your goal. Before you visit the buffet for seconds or hit the shops instead of hitting the gym, remember your goals. It’s going to take effort to get there and to survive the holiday season. Before you act, ask yourself, “Will this help me get where I want to be?” If not, make another decision. And remember that YOU are in control during the holidays, and you have the say in your own success.
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Here’s to staying fit, looking amazing, and nailing those goals all season long! Happy Holidays!
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Filed under: Diet Advice
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