The shopping, the parties, the cocktails and the exposure to decadent treats that we don’t normally have access to during the rest of the year can melt your willpower faster than hot caramel fudge over my Grandma’s Tollhouse cookies!
I mean we’re only human after all.
Yet the average person gains 7 pounds over the holiday season!
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Here are my top tips to help you fit into your skinny jeans by the day after New Year’s Eve:
1. Decrease Your Glycogen Stores
On the day of the party, all of your meals should consist of very low glycemic vegetables, raw superfoods and a your required amount of lean protein.
That’s it.
This includes fresh, organic salads, dark leafy greens, ocean vegetables and cultured vegetables.
Absolutely NO sugar, starchy carbs, fruits, dairy or junk food (cookies, candies, bagels, pasta, bread or cereals). Eating this way will lower your glycogen levels during the day and allow for the consumption of a moderate amount of carbohydrates later (at your event) without the accompanying weight gain.
The beverage of choice is pure, clean, properly-filtered water. No soda (or diet), juices or chemical-laden “sports drinks”.
2. Never go to a party hungry
Be sure to keep your blood sugar stable during the day by eating the above mentioned way every three to four hours. Also, staying adequately hydrated will also help keep you feeling full and satisfied.
3. Exercise!
On the day of the event catch a super fun, fat-burning Zumba class or just do some other form of activity.
I know what you’re gonna say…YOU DON’T HAVE TIME!!!
My answer…two things…
First, just remember how much better you’re gonna feel after (and when you’re at the party stuffing your face!) and second, something is better than nothing!
So do something…anything…just GET MOVING!!!
Even if you just put on some Zumba music and dance around the house as you bake the party treats and cook the turkey- be sure to do something that gets your heart rate up and maybe even makes you break a sweat. Trust me, it will make a difference in helping to burn excess calories and increase glucose sensitivity for when you do eat at the event so less of the food will be stored as fat!
4. Outsmart the buffet
Use small plates (studies show you eat less when you do) and then choose veggies, greens and protein foods as the first items you eat so you fill up on low calorie, high water content foods. As for everything else…always take a small amount- at least at first- you can always go back for more.?
5. Watch the liquid calories (i.e. sugar!)
Juices, cocktail mixes, sodas, after-dinner drinks and particularly alcoholic beverages! They have a funny way of sneaking up on you and rack up the calories and sugars without you even realizing it….no fun!
That being said, since it is the holidays and all, and I am a HUGE proponent of “all things in moderation”…if you do chose to have a alcoholic beverage, a good rule of thumb is to also consume one full glass of clean, properly filtered water for every alcoholic beverage you consume.
6. Move away from the food!
Once you’ve eaten something and are pleasantly satisfied (read: “not stuffed”), MOVE AWAY FROM THE BUFFET TABLE and/or REMOVE YOUR PLATE from in front of you otherwise you will find yourself mindlessly picking at the remaining food in front of you while you chat with Uncle Joe or Aunt Betsy! Then you’ll end up eating much more than you wanted to and not even at least get to feel the pleasure of knowing it!
7. Get back on track the next day!
and are very damaging to your health!Well, if you tried your best but still overdid it…
…just do what the rest of us humans do and DO NOT GIVE UP. Just get back to your healthy eating and exercise plan the very next morning.
Negative emotions like guilt and regret will DO NOTHING to help the situation and only make it worse! So just go to the kitchen, through out all the junk (or give it to someone you don’t like!) and lay out your exercise cloths for the next morning and then give yourself a pass…the holidays only come once a year (thank God!) and as long as you don’t make the indulgences and discrepancies a regular habit, you will bounce back!
This will kick-start your body and mind back on the healthy track. Plus this will also help to burn off any over-indulgences from the night before and prevent the extra calories from becoming stored as body fat.
Conclusion
The holidays are a special time of year and wonderful opportunity to celebrate life and each other. I hope you can now see that you can enjoy yourself during these times without sabotaging your health and weight control goals!
