The festive period is fast approaching, and we all know what that means: we’re going to be surrounded by hosts of food. Events and celebrations over the holidays tend to centre themselves around delicious treats, snacks, meals, and drinks. For most of us, this means piling on the pounds rapidly. While we may enjoy ourselves at the time, we generally enter the new year feeling bloated, overweight, and lacking self-confidence. So, save yourself the forced resolutions about getting that premium gym membership and surviving on celery and kale, and be a little more sensible in the lead up to January. Here are a few weight loss tips to make sure that you’re not missing out on any of the fun, but don’t necessarily gorge yourself!
Exercise
First things first: exercise . You don’t have to beat yourself up about having a heavy meal or dessert here or there if you put in the work to burn those calories off. So, if something in particular on a menu catches your eye, or you open your cupboards to find a snack that you just can’t say no to, go for it! Just make sure to head down the gym after, or take a quick jog in your local park. The thought of heading outdoors may make you flinch a little. The biting cold isn’t too appealing. But once you get moving and generating body heat you’ll be fine. Don’t let yourself slip entirely into hibernation mode.
Try Shakes
Dieting doesn’t have to be dull. You can shake that weight away! There are varied plans to accommodate your personal preferences and needs. For example, you can do a solely shake based diet, or you can do a shake and meal diet. There are also specific plans for your size and body shape, allowing you to get all of the calories and nutrients that you need without consuming excess that can see the pounds shed off a little slower.
Everything in Moderation
The holidays tend to be a time where we go over the top. We have less self-control and are likely to pick at multiple bites of food rather than stick to our three main meals. Take cheese boards as an example. Does anyone really need a choice of fifteen cheeses and ten different crackers at once? Of course not! So, instead of having a little of each, have a substantial slice of one cheese and leave it at that. It will satiate your appetite, but you’re less likely to pick over and over again.
Get Your Fruit and Veg
Rather than revolving your meals around potatoes and meat, fill your plate with more greens. There are generally plenty around at this time of year: kale, savoy cabbage, carrots, parsnips, peas, sweetcorn… the list goes on. So pile your plate up. This will fill you up but do you good. The same goes for fruit. Fruit can be a little neglected during the festive season. But a bowl of raspberries, strawberries and pomegranate seeds is refreshing and will hit your vitamin and mineral requirements.
The key to losing or maintaining weight around this time of year is really down to self-control. So follow the above tips and reap the rewards!