Keeping your waistline this christmas

The holiday season is one of the best times to spend some quality time with family and friends but, historically, it also has the reputation to increase the average person’s weight by a few pounds!

So, the big question is, how can we stay on track with our health and fitness or prevent our waistline from expanding?

Here are some tips to enjoy your holiday celebrations and delicious food without the guilt:

1: Think differently

Any goal is achieved successfully by changing the way we think first. One way to think about this is there are only a few days between Christmas holiday and New Year’s Day where we actually have to go off of our nutrition plan taking into account the holiday parties and celebrations with friends.

We easily get caught up in the holiday nostalgia that with the first sight of holiday food or specialty cocktail drinks, our will and motivation are the very first things to go out the window. So be aware of every morsel of food that goes into your mouth.

2: Strength training

Did you know that slow metabolism caused by aging can be prevented by increasing lean muscle mass? Many adults seem to think that having slow metabolism as we age is inevitable, but this could not be further from truth. Increased muscle mass through consistent strength training workout sessions, successfully increases metabolism, therefore, increasing our fat burning capacity over time.

Be cautious because most people are disappointed with the lack of weight loss when they first start out a strength training routine but what they may not know is they are building lean muscle, which is active tissue that burns calories. Lean muscle weighs more than fat but it occupies less space so people who lift weights mostly see a decrease in inches and feel their clothing fit loser compared to seeing a loss on the scale.

 If you are consistent with your strength training routine even throughout the holidays, you will not only lose fat and battle the weight gain that occurs during the holidays, but you will also relieve stress from the hustle and bustle that comes with the season.

3: Fast

Intermittent or short-term fasting is now more popular than ever and for good reason. Going without food for a period of 12-24 hours, one  to two times a week effectively lowers our weekly calorie and carbohydrate intake without triggering the so-called starvation mode, which is a complete myth perpetuated by food companies and the weight loss industry to encourage us to eat more food, more often. Fasting also makes caloric restriction simpler because we don’t have to worry about too many diets.

What is even more remarkable is that fasting has been shown to decrease many markers of risk of coronary artery disease, leading researchers to speculate that a lifestyle that includes short periods of fasting may decrease the risk of heart diseases.

The holiday season is a time to celebrate, not a time to dread weight gain and waist line expansion. When you follow these simple steps, you can be sure to maintain your results for life and truly develop a healthy lifestyle that will not overwhelm your already busy life.