Weight Gain During The Holidays
Most will gain around 5 pounds during the holidays. As we know, 5 pounds is more difficult to lose than 10 pounds. Gaining 5 pounds per year adds up, and before you know it you’ve gained 25 pounds.
There are some simple ways to avoid this stubborn weight gain. By following these tips, you will be one of the very few who will not be starting a diet on January 2nd. The best part is that you get to enjoy the festivities fully without the guilt.
1. The dinners are usually around 4 or 5 at the latest. Eat to your heart’s content with family and friends but avoid late night snacks. Wait to have that 2nd slice of pumpkin pie for breakfast in the morning.
2. Keep up with ANY exercise. If your normal routine is an hour at the gym 5 days per week, be realistic and know that this may not happen during the holidays. Many see their routine as black and white and do not adapt themselves to temporary circumstances such as holidays, work hours, travel, etc. It’s important to be able to adapt your exercise routine to the circumstances, instead of quitting all together until the life change is over. You can increase your exercise intensity, while decreasing the time. By doing this, you are not losing the effectiveness of the exercise..in fact you may be increasing it’s effectiveness. Intense short bursts of exercise burn more fat…this is exactly what you need to do during the holidays. It is also great for releasing nervous energy (which is common during the holidays). Increasing the intensity means upping the level on the stair climber, skip the tread mill and elliptical, and do not rest between weights. Rather, alternate body parts and work the core during your weight routine.
3. Intermittant fasting is great for facilitating detox. Accumulation of undigested material and the production of unhealthy bacterial or fungal metabolites is a big cause of weight gain, sugar cravings, and abdominal distension. On the normal days between social engagements, eat very light late in the day and skip dinner. Eating fruit in the morning will extend your detox time until the middle of the day, at which time you can start consuming your regular diet. However, during these normal days, you may want to offset your diet with more fresh fruits and vegetables to increase fiber and decrease calories until your next party.
4. Supplements. Take your probiotics and magnesium to assist normal bowel function. Drink drink herbal teas for digestive and detoxification support. Our office carries a great spore probiotic and a gentle detox tea that can be consumed daily during the morning hours. This tea also helps the body to release excess fluids.
5. Be mindful. As always, be aware of the WHY. Eating to satisfy hunger, socially, for energy, or for stress result in different outcomes. By practicing mindfullness and being in your body while you eat will expose the WHY and you will be alert to the feeling of fullness. This will make the practice of eating so much more joyful and release the guilt.
After the holidays, we will be offering a 90 day regenerative program at a$100 discount. This program will help you to lose weight, decrease inflammation and pain, improve sleep and increase stamina.
Click here or call for more information.