Are you concerned about gaining
weight during this holiday season? I can’t blame you as temptations are
everywhere.
Every store you visit, you are tempted
with samples of sweet indulgence like gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies
or chocolate candies. Every time you step inside a coffee shop, you smell
sweet holiday beverages like hot chocolate or spiced apple cider.
Combine that with a freezing
temperature when you want to bundle up on a couch and watch a movie. Who
wants to go to the gym! Are you joking? It’s no wonder so many
people have such a challenging time NOT
to gain weight.
It doesn’t have to be that way. I’ll
show you 4 simple tips you can easily apply to prevent weight gain this holiday
season so you can still enjoy the seasonal goodies without feeling
guilty.
I have to confess,
even though it’s my job to stay fit all year around, I’m not a fan of depriving
yourself during the holidays, at least not completely. And if you’re
meeting up with family and friends, you most likely don’t want to be that one
person who turns down your mom’s ginger bread or a pie she made just for you.
I assume,
you don’t want to overdo it either. One slice of a pie will be enough.
A little discipline goes a long way. Just remember that the more you indulge
during the holidays, the more difficult it’ll be to get back in shape.
You really don’t want to set yourself up for failure during the holidays.
Here are four
easy and effective tips you can implement during this festive season, so you
can still have fun and indulge moderately without feeling guilty:
Tip #1:
Workout
This may sound a little strange, but doing a short
workout before you eat actually helps prevent fat gain. The workout helps
deplete some of the glycogen storage in your muscles. This way when you
eat, glycogen is restored in your muscles first, which helps decrease some
calories from being stored as fat.
The
fitness industry is recommending choosing an exercise that works as many as
possible muscles at once, like burpees or a combination of push ups and squats.
Keep in
mind that the idea of this workout is to do as many reps as possible in 5
minutes without resting.
Tip 2: Hydrate
Drink a glass of water before you eat. This is one
of the simplest yet effective tip you can implement, that helps prevent you
from overeating. The key point is to drink water, and not some flavored
drink, even if it has zero calories. Drink 8 - 12 oz of cold water with
lemon
10 - 15 minutes before meal. You’ll be amazed how your
hunger decreases.
Tips 3: Look for green
If it’s
green or colorful - eat it! But avoid frosting green! Most vegetables are
high in nutrients and fiber but low in carbs and calories. They will fill you
up without having to worry about going over your daily carbs intake. Eat
fresh or steamed vegetables and stay away from vegetables served in sauces.
If you’re really hungry, fill up on salad or cocktail shrimp first, so you
won’t be tempted to eat the bad stuff later on.
Tip 4: Move after a meal
This one can be a little difficult, especially during
winter, but it’s also one of the most helpful and effective methods. As
long as the weather cooperates go for a walk after a large dinner meal. Walking
after a meal helps with digestion and it also helps lower your blood sugar
level to prevent calories from being stored as fat. If it’s too cold to
go outside or it’s not safe, you can get some benefits by doing the dishes or
cleaning up the rooms.
Some of
these tips may seem a little unusual, but if you’ve had a difficult time
keeping your weight under control during the holidays, it’s definitely worth a
try.
If you liked today's article, please
forward this email on to any of your friends, family or co-workers that would
enjoy it.
Happy Holidays!!
Maria
Pawlicka
Certified and Registered
Nutritionist
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