Did you know that in December we tend to gain between 6 to 10 pounds? Yep! Weight gain is due not only to the amount of food you eat but also to a sedentary lifestyle. Following a healthy routine during these days helps your metabolism burn calories faster so you can avoid becoming overweight.
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To help us stick to that healthy routine during the holidays, our friend Nancy Sevilla, renowned trainer and fitness expert, put together a list of seven tips that will ease our anxiety about gaining weight throughout the holidays. They are actually very easy to follow. Take note and start today!
1. Decide in advance what you are going to eat, prior to the event you're going to.
If it is a dinner, then earlier in the day eat smaller portions of food that nourish and satisfy you. For example, at breakfast, eggs are very low in calories. For lunch, choose a green salad. In this way, at dinner you can allow yourself the pleasure of eating without regrets.
2. Serve yourself on small plates.
I know that during the holidays there is an abundance of food in all the places you will go, but a trick to follow to avoid gaining weight is to serve yourself meals on small plates. In this way, you do not overdo it, and you give yourself permission to enjoy dessert, as long as you don't eat it all, perhaps sharing with someone else.
Set the goal of enjoying this Christmas and the end of the year, but without excesses. In January you will feel so proud of yourself that you will be motivated to continue on the path of exercise and taking care of what you eat, first for your health and then for looking good. Dare to do it!
3. If you drink alcohol, drink plenty of water throughout the day.
If you like beer, cocktails, or wine, you don't have to deprive yourself of enjoying them, but you should also hydrate with plenty of water. Other beverages allowed are coffee or tea. Avoid drinks with added sugar and any soft drinks, even if they are diet.
"Alcoholic drinks have a significant amount of calories and the ideal is to combine them with lots of water and high-protein foods," recommends the fitness expert.
4. Make sure to get enough rest.
Holiday gatherings, whether with family or friends or at the office, usually take a long time or end very late; however, you should not deprive yourself of a good night's sleep. This is essential to not gain weight. It has been proven that cortisol increases when you get little sleep. Energy and strength are also reduced, so you will have less desire to exercise.
5. Exercise even for a few minutes a day.
When you get your body used to moving and staying active, it creates a habit. When that happens, it ends up being as necessary as eating or bathing every day. Even if there are typical Christmas or New Year's activities, dedicate at least 30 or 60 minutes to exercise. As much as the agenda is full, leave time to move and stop being sedentary. You don't want to start 2023 with weight gain, right?
6. Buy clothes that fit a little tight.
"If you are motivated by wearing something special at Christmas and New Year's Eve, my recommendation is that you buy clothes in sizes that are no larger [than your size], even one [size] less. That could be a motivating factor for you to take care of yourself these days," advises the Pilates instructor.
7. Dancing is great exercise.
Take advantage of the holidays and start dancing! It burns calories, plus it's a lot of fun and gives you less time to drink or eat. Whether at a party you organize at your home or at the company where you work, you can play songs as catchy as "Pa'lla voy" by Marc Anthony, so you will really want to take the floor (or a room in your house), have fun, and burn off calories.
