by Spectrum Health
Every year we tell ourselves that we will take it easy on the indulgence over the Christmas season and every year the temptation grows and grows until we are overcome by the turkey, desserts and seasonal treats. This is followed by an impulse New Year’s resolution purchase of a pricey gym membership and a painful diet.
This is the biggest mistake people make because they are not addressing the issue at hand. You need to look at what has caused you to gain weight and how you can counteract these factors to bring you back to a normal, regulated diet and exercise regime.
Alcohol
Alcohol is the biggest offender when it comes to seasonal weight gain. Packed full of empty calories, alcohol is consumed by the bucket load over the holidays without a second thought. You can eat all the small portions and fat free mince pies you want but it will all be in vain if you keep knocking back the mulled wine. Cut your consumption right down as soon as possible and you’ll feel your energy return, your weight go down and your mood improve. Not only does alcohol pack on the weight but it also demotivates you. Enjoy your Christmas drinks while they last because they must go if you want to see any really fitness improvement.
Snacking on Treats
Christmas is notorious for boxes of biscuits, mince pies, macaroons and any number of other sugary treats for gorging on between meals. These are the second biggest offender when it comes to Christmas weight gain because they are absolutely jammed with sugar. The real damage is done in the weeks following the holiday with all this junk food left floating around and preventing you from making a serious effort to get back in shape. It may seem like it is only one biscuit but you are just consuming needless calories with no nutritional benefits.
Water and Antioxidants
As with any plan to get in shape, you need to increase your water intake by double or triple. Most of us do not drink nearly as much water as we are supposed to which stops our body from flushing out harmful toxins. This time of year leaves everybody feeling sluggish and bloated. This is due to the toxins which have built up from the overconsumption of alcohol and food. Get your body’s rhythm back in motion by upping your water intake as well as introducing the antioxidants that your body needs to kick it back into gear such as green vegetables, fruits and green tea or coffee. This advice is repeated time and time again and yet it seems to be the element of a fitness program which is most ignored. This is vital. Do not skip it.
Make Changes Within Your Limits
The temptation will always be there to go on a crash diet and work out at the gym five times a week to try and improve your Winter physique. This is a sure way to crash and give up within a month. You cannot expect your body to go from couch to bodybuilder without gradual fitness build up. The first thing to do is to normalise your portions. Christmas is a time of more and more and coming back from that can take time. Be aware of what you are putting on your plate and quickly ask yourself what you need. Christmas night might be a good time to get yourself active again with a walk in the night air. If you can get a decent walk in even three times a week, you will begin to see an improvement in no time. After you have started to reap the benefits of this and you still want to join a gym and work out, more power to you but buying a membership out of emotion is a fast road to failure.
