Last updated on October 2nd, 2019 at 01:12 pm
Written by female personal trainer, London based, Justina Triasovaite.
In this article, I’m going to give you 7 simple tips on how to avoid putting on the pounds this festive season.
When the Christmas table is full of rich, creamy, greasy, tasty and sweet things, it's very hard to resist and keep watching your waist line.
All we want to do is stuff our faces, be lazy and enjoy our holidays. But hold on, you have been working so hard to fit in that tight dress or fitted shirt, you don’t want to ruin everything just because it’s the holidays. Use my tips and you can avoid getting fat, but still enjoy Christmas time with your family and friends.
1) KEEP YOUR BODY WELL HYDRATED
Although it's the holidays, it's doesn't mean you should stop drinking water.
Have glass of water before every meal - it's going to fill your stomach, which will stop you eating so much food.
Keeping your body hydrated will also help with hangovers.
Have at least one litre of water before going to sleep.
While water is really good for fat loss, it also helps prevent headaches, can improve your mood and prevents from dehydration which can lead to overheating, constipation and kidney disease.
But how much water we should drink?
General advice is 2l glasses a day. But if you want to take drinking water to the next level, you can find much more accurate calculations here.
2) KEEP AN EYE ON SUGAR INTAKE
Sugar, sugar sugar… It's everywhere.
Sugar is the biggest enemy not only for your body imagine but your health too.
The Festive Season, which usually lasts about two weeks, can lead to very high daily sugar intake.
It can be up to 2000-3000 extra calories a day. Horrible. Little chocolate here and followed by mince pies and cakes there.
Most of the time, excessive consumption of sugar can be prevented by you being aware of how much you ate already that day.
It's very easy to forget what we have already eaten during the breakfast or lunch.
Keep it simple - have your treats once a day.
Try to limit sugar intake by choosing what you really like. Whether it is a piece of chocolate or piece of cake, make sure it only chocolate or only cake.
Think twice whether you're eating because your hungry, or because it's just there. Is it worth the calories? Really Interesting charts here It's totally worth looking at that chart before doing shopping.
3) HAVE A BIG BREAKFAST WITH A LOT OF PROTEIN
Start your day with a big protein breakfast.
Protein is going to keep you full for much longer than carbohydrates and it will also keep you away from snacking until your next big meal.
Protein=packed breakfasts don't have to be boring. Check this amazing site for high protein breakfasts . It also includes quite a few veggie options.
Protein consumption is extremely important for all of us. And especially if you are trying to build muscle or lose fat.
Protein is one of the most important part for building and maintaining muscles. However you must be aware of protein overeating.
Once your body has had enough of it for building and repairing your muscles, it's simply going to be and excessive calories which can contribute to fat gain.
How much protein do I need? There is a great protein intake calculator here:
5) CHRISTMAS DOESN'T LAST TWO WEEKS
It's very easy to get into the holiday mood for two weeks. But you shouldn't stop exercising between Christmas and New Year. You can easily fit in 2-3 workouts. And even if you are far away from your gym, you can complete a home workout. Here is a little example:
* 20 squats
* 20 lunges
* 10 press-ups
* 10 dips
* 10 burpees
* 50 jumping jacks
Repeat it 4 times.
6) GET TO KNOW YOUR ALCOHOL
There is no need to say how bad alcohol is for you. But if you are still going to drink, it you should know a few facts.
There's a really good caloric calculator Is here
This website is great not only for festive period you can use it in daily life.
Sometimes we are not aware of all calories consumed with alcohol.
You've probably heard the saying ‘empty calories’. Well, calories from alcohol can be classified as empty as they have no nutritional value.
But the worst might not actually be the drinking but the day after when the hangover kicks in. I'm sure you have noticed that after a heavy drinking session, you are craving for something greasy and filling probably followed by another pint. And this all counts towards your waistline. So choose wisely - quality and quantity is what matters.
I hope you found these tips useful. Please share this article with your friends and family.
If you enjoyed this article, please share your thoughts with me - maybe you have more tips how to survive Christmas overeating fest!
7) PROTEIN
In general, eating more protein than carbs will keep you full longer and less hungry. You will be full quicker, meaning there will be less space for fat and carbs. Fill your plate with a different variety of meat and fish, instead of pastries and potatoes… Enjoy 🙂
I hope you found these tip useful and going to share it with your friends and family. Keep fit and healthy.
Need more info?
Email: [email protected]Mobile (text or call): 07944 916 9906Say hello on Facebook!: facebook.com/justinatraining Contact Justina: justinatraining.com/contact
