Christmas is on its way and with it the same pattern that happens every year. We stuff our faces with as much food as possible from early or mid-December onwards only to go on one fad diet or another in the New Year to try and lose the excess weight again (which is nearly always surprisingly more than you expected!). Of course, we also want to lose all the other pounds that had accumulated over the years. How about you do something different this year and start to lose weight before Christmas? You have time if you start now and what a treat it will be to feel slender in your Christmas outfit on the big day itself.
Here are 5 habits you can start building now that will help you through the holiday season without going into food and drink overload, and will help you to lose weight too.
- Choose Your Fats Wisely
We have been told for many years that fats are bad for us and make us overweight. That’s actually not true, some of them are positively good for us. Bad fats are anything artificial or processed (hydrogenated), such as trans-fatty acids commonly known as trans fats these are found in things like commercially baked goods e.g., pizza, biscuits, cakes, pies etc and also commercially fried foods like chips, doughnuts, chicken etc, coffee creamers and margarine are also going to contain hydrogenated fats – all of these products should be avoided.
There are lots of delicious healthy foods such as unsalted nuts, avocados, eggs, olive, and nut oils, oily fish, and lean cut meats that all contain healthy fats and will have a positive effect on your body. When trying to lose weight eating some of these products in moderation (portion control is the key here) will form part of a healthy diet for you.
- Limit Sugar and White Flour
We group these two products together because they are in effect the same thing when eaten. So, to explain as soon as white flour products (that’s white bread, pasta, pizza, pastry etc.) or starchy foods like potatoes and rice enter your mouth, an enzyme in your mouth called salivary amylase breaks it down into sugar. So even though you might think you’re eating low-sugar free products, you’re actually adding sugar to your body in this way. Sugar is one of the main dietary ingredients that results in weight gain as well as being linked to other serious health issues so should be avoided as much as possible.
However, don’t choose artificial sweeteners either. They’re chemicals that trick our bodies into thinking a high sugar meal is on its way. It will respond with even more hunger pangs and an increased appetite if it’s not receiving what it’s been promised. This is why zero calorie soft drinks are not advised when you are trying to lose weight. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have anything sweet, but it’s best to limit sweet things to help keep your diet nutrient-dense and aid weight loss.
- Sleep Well
Sleeping is actually very good for losing weight. When you lack sleep, your body increases the production of ghrelin, a hormone that tells us we’re hungry and decreases another called leptin which indicates to our bodies that we’re full. With our hormones giving us the wrong signals there is an increased risk of weight gain.
In addition, when you’re overly tired your production of the stress hormone cortisol increases. This also increases appetite for high fat/high sugar foods (comfort eating) so we’re starting to reach for the wrong foods altogether, and this is very likely to hamper your weight loss goal being achieved.
Adults should aim for between 6 and 9 hours sleep every night if at all possible.
- Cut Down on Alcohol
Alcohol is not only quite high in calories because it is full of sugars but it also lowers our inhibitions. This means we make the wrong food choices a lot more easily. You don’t need to go teetotal, especially in the run up to the Christmas however try alternating each glass of alcohol with a large glass of water, order smaller measures, set yourself a modest drinks budget if you are going out and stick with it, drink more slowly, making a point perhaps of really tasting the drink – this is referred to as mindful eating/drinking and can really help you moderate your consumption of alcoholic drinks.
Don’t forget the poor night’s sleep and/or the next day’s hangover is rarely worth it!
- Get Moving
Exercise plays a key role in weight loss as it burns calories, tones, and strengthens muscles as well as improving your mood. A moderate level of exercise is known to regulate your appetite, helping to discourage binge eating and overeating. Ideally plan to move for at least 30 minutes 5 days per week. Do some aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, cycling or even dancing. Also, try to undertake some strength training using weights and/or exercise bands as this is found to be an excellent way to burn off calories.
Wherever possible, and winter weather permitting, exercise outside as being exposed to natural light helps improve your mood and reduces stress levels.
Why not give yourself the ultimate boost?
Although it may take a bit more effort this time of year to lose weight (there are more food and drink temptations everywhere and colder weather makes comfort eating more appealing) you can establish healthier eating habits right now and successfully lose weight before Christmas. Get started this week and set yourself up to feel good throughout the holiday season and move right into a healthier new year.
Here at Bell Consulting Services, we can help you make that happen. We offer a range of on-line support that will help you reach your goal so why not contact us at www.bellconsultingservices.co.uk/contact
Happy holidays!
