The holidays have come and gone but the extra pounds have not. Don’t pout and give in to the weight. You can do something about it.
Everyone anticipates putting on a few pounds around the holidays. There are just too many good things to eat. At the office, at school, at parties – there are always sweet treats and rich food to nibble on.
When you nibble, think of the extra calories you are consuming. Because you don’t normally eat that way, it will seem like you have gotten bloated overnight. But, before you start feeling bad (unless it was something you ate), here are some ideas to burn off those calories before they get too comfortable on your body.
1. Continue your exercise routine. If you attend the gym on a regular basis, don’t stop just because the holidays roll around. Visit each day that it is open around the holiday. You may not have the same amount of time to spend there because of other commitments, but try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio work to kick your metabolism into high gear.
2. Take a brisk walk. After meals, invite the family to take a walk around the neighborhood. Everyone will get a bit of fresh air and exercise. The walk keeps your metabolism high and also prevents everyone from falling asleep on the couch after such a heavy meal.
3. Participate in family sporting events. If the clan heads off to the ice skating rink or outside for a spirited snowball fight, go with them. Exercise is cumulative, meaning that each little bit you do every day adds up. Besides, snowball fights are fun and you won’t even think of it as a calorie-burning activity.
4. Handle some of the chores. The idea is to keep moving to burn any calories that you can. Take up the mantle of shoveling the walkway, taking out the trash and salting the steps when ice forms. Shoveling alone will burn hundreds of calories.
5. Get a good night’s rest. When the body is well rested, it is also less prone to stress. The brain is getting enough oxygen and the body has time to repair itself. When you are stressed, you usually eat more and you also are more prone to storing fat instead of burning it due to the secretion of the hormone, cortisol. Sleeping well can help you to avoid overeating and gaining weight.
The holidays are meant to be fun so by all means indulge, but indulge with caution. All the while, keep your activity levels high so that any extra calories don’t produce a weight gain. If they do, they won’t be allowed to stay for long with these five tips above.
