11 Safe And Simple Ways To Lose Holiday Weight

Weight-watchers will agree that the holiday season is a difficult time of the year. Losing and maintaining weight isn’t that easy. And when the holiday season comes, the challenge just gets harder. It’s a time when a lot of people wish to enjoy good company and all the food in between while being able to maintain weight at the same time. But more often than not, that’s not the case. Normally, reality strikes once you see the number on the scale rise the day you check your weight. When that happens, all you’d want is to know how to lose holiday weight the fastest possible way.

It would take a lot of effort to control your urge to devour tasty treats this season. But you can still keep your hopes up as there are safe and simple ways to lose weight after Christmas. Here’s how to enjoy a merry season and work your way to getting rid of unwanted weight right after!

The Safe and Easy Route to Lose Holiday Weight

1. SET REALISTIC GOALS

One of the common mistakes that people do is to establish unattainable weight loss goals and resolutions. Here’s a friendly caveat: they’re never healthy for your body, neither for your mind. Oftentimes, people only end up getting frustrated. What’s worse is that you might lose the motivation halfway through the journey and you’ll have nowhere to confide in but stress eating! 

So before you start on any reverse holiday weight routine, you need to understand that getting back in your desired form doesn’t magically work overnight. For instance, make it your goal to lose only one to two pounds per week – that’s quite reachable. And start with baby steps, such as drinking eight glasses of water a day or exercising at least three times a week. 

2. IDENTIFY WEIGHT LOSS HINDRANCES

Some people lose weight easily but there are also those who struggle in shedding extra pounds. Aside from poor self-discipline, there are other reasons related to this, including stress, poor metabolism, hormonal imbalance, impaired glycaemic imbalance, and poor absorption of nutrients. 

Oftentimes, you’ll need an extra push to overcome those problems. It’s a good thing that there are already . Choose one that’s made with premium ingredients–or those that won’t get in the way of your health. Not only do they promise lasting results, but you’ll also have the peace of mind that you’ll reach your desired weight the healthy way.

3. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER… LOTS OF IT 

There goes a notion that water does wonder for your body. True enough, drinking plenty of H20 doesn’t only benefit your heart (and all the other organs), but it can also help control your post-holiday cravings. Water staves off hunger, making you feel full. Most of the time, you’re not actually hungry. Just thirsty. So the next time you feel like your stomach’s craving for some snacks, grab a bottle of water instead. Some experts also recommend sipping glasses of water before eating your meal. 

TIP: Drink warm water every morning to jumpstart your metabolism. Keep a water bottle within reach at all times to help control your cravings when they strike. There are stylish water bottles available that you wouldn’t mind bringing along wherever you go. 

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4. EAT MORE FREQUENTLY  

It might come as a surprise to you,  but yes, indulging in frequent small meals or snacks can help keep your weight off! In fact, people who are able to maintain their figures for years are usually the ones who eat an average of five times a day. So before you think of skipping meals, you also need to consider its repercussions on your diet. 

Note that your body can fully digest everything you’ve consumed within 4 hours and this is when your blood sugar level drops. So 5 hours without food will already urge you to refuel and grab anything you can snack on, which often ends up in binging on unhealthy foods.  

Did You Know? According to Harvard Health Online,  can result in overeating. 

5. GO FOR A POST-HOLIDAY HEALTHY DIET

While the number of times that you eat helps, what goes in your body plays a bigger role. Don’t take the idea of frequent mini-meals as an excuse to devote yourself to pigging out. You also have to choose what you eat. If your holiday meals were filled with fatty meats and carbs – don’t feel guilty, that’s totally understandable – try to keep those in the past and welcome your post-Christmas detox.   

Go for healthier and low-calorie options, such as fresh fruits, dark green vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Not only will they help in hunger management, but these low-density energy foods can also boost your metabolism and maintain blood sugar. It’s also time to steer away from sweets and control your cravings as it won’t help in your weight loss goals.

6. SAY GOODBYE TO HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS

It is without contention that throwing away food is bad, especially if it’s still fit to eat. However, storing Christmas feast leftovers in your fridge is not going to do you good either. Chances are, you’re going to reach for that half pan of sweet pie or a chunk of ham. Imagine having to spend half the day at the gym only to be tempted by carbs and sugar waving at you when you open the fridge. Start your year right by decluttering your refrigerator and tossing all those leftovers. 

7. DITCH THE TAKEOUT FOODS

After all the Christmas feast and buffet, you’re probably used to enjoying some savoury blowout. Does the idea of taking out meals occur to you every time you think of tonight’s dinner? Well, it’s time to answer yourself with a big “No.” The key to lose holiday weight is discipline. No matter how intense your craving is, never splurge on takeout foods, unless they’re from a healthy restaurant.

8. CUT BACK ON ALCOHOL

Christmas is such a merry celebration so you’d often find glasses of alcohol sending cheers to the occasion. Cocktails, wine, beers, mixed drinks overflow here and there. It’s the holidays and it only happens once a year – that’s a fair excuse to binge on alcohol. However, as the season bids goodbye, it’s also time for your liver’s much-needed break. Flush all those holiday toxins and engage yourself in a healthy diet instead. 

TIP: Make it part of your morning routine to sip a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon. It can help get rid of the toxins that are sitting on your system after all those holiday booze.

9. EXERCISE

It’s no secret that staying fit involves regular exercise. All those stretches, squats, and weights will not only help you burn fat, but will keep you in a good mood as well. 

Since it’s almost the start of the year, you might want to consider signing up for a new gym membership. Otherwise, you can also do workouts or yoga, or any form of exercise in the comfort of your home. And again, as a friendly reminder, try to establish workable goals. Otherwise, you’re only preparing yourself for failure.  

10. HAVE ENOUGH SLEEP 

One of the simplest ways to post-holiday weight management is having an adequate amount of sleep. And this isn’t based on myth. WebMD states that too little sack time is like getting drunk where you set yourself to making impulsive (and bad) decisions. 

As an example, one study found that sleep deprivation may result in late-snacking in high-carbs food. This was further supported by research done at the University of Chicago which reveals that people who were short on bedtime tend to eat more. What’s worse is they have a higher chance of choosing foods that are high in carbs.  

So the bottom line is as much as you fill your body with nutrients, make it a habit to refuel your brain with a sufficient amount of sleep. 

11. KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS

It may seem redundant but we can’t stress it enough – monitoring your weight loss journey can take you a long way. It is one way to keep you going, all the while motivating yourself. Try writing down your realistic goals from the get-go. You can also download applications that will help you record your calorie intake or guide your fitness exercises. Give yourself a pat on the back every time you tick off an item on your list – say losing a pound this week.  

If you got a knack for DIY, don’t hesitate to get extra creative as well! For example, you can post notes on the pantry to remind you not to go the unhealthy route every time you reach for a bar of chocolates. Or you can create a personalized diary or calendar where you put flags and stamps for accomplishments. And many other techniques, really. Whatever floats your boat as long as it makes you pumped up, then go for it. 

The holiday season usually comes with the fondest memories of people, celebrations, and food. However, when those memories come with the added weight, you can always refocus to burn those calories and ditch the extra pounds. Start with the simple ways to lose holiday weight and you’ll only have the best memories from the joyful season that passed!