Most of us tend to put on weight for the holidays. There’re so many delicious things to eat (and drink), and with all of our friends and family around, we’re just focused on feeling good and it’s hard to pay attention to what we’re eating—not that we could avoid that pecan pie even if we tried!
But the good news is that there are actually many great ways to lose weight again. Here are seven easy ones to try.
Stop Eating out
With the holidays, you probably got a renewed appreciation for just how delicious home-cooked foods can be, so why not keep enjoying it. The good news is that if you’re not eating out, you have more control over what goes into your food, allowing you to reduce fat and salt consumption while still enjoying great food. Oh, and you’ll save tons of money, too!
If you do eat out, practice strict portion control. Never supersize, and split most meals with a friend or the doggie bag.
Don’t Keep Snacks at Home
The odds that you will eat unhealthy snacks increases exponentially once you let them into your home. So just keep them out. Don’t buy salty or sugary snacks. That way, if you feel like you want one, you’ll have to go to the store and buy it special. Guess how often that’s going to happen at 11pm when you’re in your PJs.
Squeeze in Exercise
One problem a lot of people have with adding exercise to their routine is that they can’t find the time or will to exercise. Going to the gym is such a pain, and even pedaling on the exercise bike can seem like a hassle. But there are lots of ways to fit in a little exercise. Take the stairs. Park at the back of the lot when you go to the store. Walk to the store instead of driving.
But one very easy way to squeeze in exercise is exercise during the commercials. The average hour of TV (network or cable) contains at least 18 minutes of commercials. If you’re exercising during that time, you’re burning a significant amount of calories while watching TV.
Hydrate
There are lots of good reasons to hydrate. It helps you keep off water weight (ironic, we know). It can also help you control eating. Many times people think they’re hungry, but they’re really thirsty. And if you replace your normal daily beverages with water, you can cut 250 Calories or more from your diet.
Be Less Bored
Another reason why people eat when they’re not hungry is that they’re bored. Be less bored and you will eat less. Add a new hobby. Join a club. Volunteer. Whatever you do will increase the time you’re active and decrease the amount you’re eating.
Clean!
This is another great way to squeeze in exercise. Increase your cleaning schedule so you spend some time scrubbing something every week. Not only will you have an amazingly clean house (and car!), you will be working off a surprising number of calories.
Take It Black
If you drink your coffee or tea with milk, cream, or sugar, just cut them out. A plain cup of coffee has 0-5 Calories. When you add a tablespoon of half-and-half, you’re increasing that by about 20, and a teaspoon of sugar adds about 16 Calories. Since the average coffee drinker consumes three cups a day, we’re talking over a hundred Calories a day. And if you have just one Starbucks latte, that’s nearly 200 Calories for a Grande.
These small changes can make a big difference over time. But if you find that you can’t make these changes stick, or they’re not getting the results you want, we can help. Please contact Med-Fit Medical Weight Loss Clinic in the Stapleton area of Denver for help shedding those holiday pounds.
