With the 2023 holiday season quickly approaching, many of us are looking forward to spending time with loved ones, enjoying delicious food and drink, and attending festive celebrations. However, it’s also a time of year when it’s easy to gain weight. To avoid this, here are five helpful tips to shed some pounds over the next three months and stay fit through the holiday season. By doing this, you’ll be ahead of the game when the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2024, and surprise everyone with your fitter appearance.
- Set Realistic Goals: Begin by setting achievable and specific goals. Set a weight loss goal that is between 10-20 lbs. Remember, lifestyle changes are not about “never” enjoying certain food. If you have more weight to lose, create a plan that includes short-term and long-term goals to motivate yourself.
- Crowding In Colors: Let’s look at Crowding Out certain foods by Crowding In more colors. For example, load your plate with tons of non-starchy veggies, broccoli, red/yellow/orange peppers, cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, cucumber, carrots, celery, zucchini, onion, and tomato. Focus on lean protein, chicken, fish, seafood, beef, bison, lamb, and veal. If you are vegetarian, egg whites are great, however, limit your intake of whole eggs during this time. Legumes should be limited to 1/3 a cup cooked. Work on limiting, fats, oils, dairy,sugar, salt, and processed foods.
- Portion Control: Be mindful of portion sizes. Even healthy foods can contribute to weight gain if you eat them in excess. Use smaller plates and pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Eating slowly and savoring your meals can help prevent overeating. I eat everything out of a small/medium-sized bowl. Keep your lean protein to 5-6 ounces per meal.
- Let’s Get Moving: Running and jogging or other intense cardio routines can negatively impact your weight loss goals by increasing cortisol. Work on low-intensity movements such as walking, yoga, slow jogging, bike rides, and Pilates. Include some strength training. Go slow if you haven’t been exercising. Start with 10 minutes, 3x per week, and go from there.
- Water, Water, Water: This is a biggie. Drink half your body weight in ounces each day up to 100 ounces of water. This is just water, although you can add some fresh lemon to it. Black coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages do not count. This may take some getting used to. Set your phone to remind you every half hour or hour to drink another 8-10 ounces. Be mindful of drinking too much after 5 p.m. as you may find yourself getting up during the night (especially at the beginning).
- Sweet Dreams: A good night’s sleep is very important. If you have challenges falling asleep or staying asleep, find a white noise that works for you. I like to listen to the sound of rain falling. You might also look at listening to a meditation or story when you get into bed. There are lots of Apps and options available. Don’t check email, get on social media, or watch anything that is violent or negative (including the news).
Remember that sustainable weight loss takes time and is usually not a straight path. You may have ups and downs and that is totally normal and okay.
At Maynestreet Weight Loss & Wellness people reach their ideal healthy weight and stay there easily and effortlessly. We do this by naturally balancing the hormones that control fat storage. You will eat real food, get daily support, and find real lasting results.
https://maynestreet.com/.
Email us at [email protected] or Text/Call 860.322.4725.
