Does it seem possible to you to loose weight over the holidays? For many, that is a laughable thought. But, it is possible, nay, probable with just a few simple steps. Every holiday season I go into it a bit heavier than maybe I want to be and come out with my healthy, lowered weight. It is not from starving or fad diets. Not from massive 3-hour workouts or days in a sauna. It is from simple changes in lifestyle that we all can do all year long. Follow these steps and chances are that you will get to the new year feeling happy and healthy too!
Smoothies
My biggest secret to any quick, easy weight loss is smoothies and juicing. It is way healthier than what most of us eat in the morning, afternoon, and evening. With a smoothie or juicing you are not having to worry about added fats, salts, and starchy carbs that can sabotage any weight loss regimen. Just be sure you are putting the right things into your body to get the right stuff out. Smoothies and juices that are completely filled with fruits will only give you more sugar than needed and [most likely] keep those extra lb's on.
My go-to smoothie is two handfuls baby spinach, half a banana, and three strawberries. Blend, then add some ice cubes and blend again. It tastes. so. good. As for juicing, my favorite is the mean green juice recipe.
Now, how I loose weight with this is to have two of my big meals per day be smoothies. It usually falls into the breakfast and lunch times, but a smoothie for dinner is not bad either! This keeps the calories, carbs, and fats down but allows me to get plenty of good food in! It is also wise to eat 2-3 solid food snacks during the day (things with oats are great) and a dinner with lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Mixing chia or hemp seeds in a smoothie is pretty great as well.
Micro Workouts
Next up on my favorite things list for loosing weight is micro workouts. These are the best around the holidays and keep your metabolism up the whole day through. Really, a micro workout is anything that raises your heart rate and/or tones muscles for anywhere from 1-10 minutes. Micro workouts can be done in the morning when you are waking up, every hour, before eating, or any other time in the day.
I like to fit in 1-4 micro workouts throughout my day and, hopefully, a full sized workout as well. This keeps my body toning and raises my metabolism higher than the average would otherwise be. It also keeps me thinking healthy thoughts and ensures that I will get a workout in somehow, even if there is not enough time for a full 1-hr class.
The best advice I have for a micro workout is to make it something easy that you can do at certain times of the day. Fifty jumping jacks at the top of the hour is sure to add up in the calorie torching department. Forty squats before each meal will kick that metabolism up and help you burn more than usual. Heck, speed skaters every time you use the restroom is an easy thing that can be done anywhere without much attention being drawn at all.
Think Healthy
This post has run away with itself and there are still a few things that can be done to loose weight over the holidays. The no-brainer of them all though, is to just make healthy choices. We all want to drink our weight in holiday cocktails and hot cocoa, or eat as many cookies as humanly possible, but those are just bad choices. By no means do I encourage going through the holidays as a healthy grump who makes everyone else feel fat, but everything in moderation. Opt for the farther parking space instead of battling that grandma for the one up front. Walk up the mall escalator or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Carry your groceries to the car instead of using the cart. All of these are good ways to keep your body a bit healthier and happier over the holiday season.
Chances are, you will also find the stress level to being going down, energy levels to go up, and more enjoyment to be had this holiday season!!