The holidays are a time for a lot of things: family togetherness, making memories, and peace on earth. But if there’s one thing the holidays bring us more than anything, it’s food: potatoes swimming in gravy, sweet cookies coated in frosting, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
So it’s no wonder that many of us step on the scale following this festive time of year and find our cheer fading a little. Whether you’re taking up a new year’s resolution or wanting to shave off a few pounds, here are our best tips for losing weight after the holidays.
Set goals for losing weight
There are many reasons weight-loss resolutions fail. One of the more common is not making a plan for how you’ll lose weight. And any good plan starts with a goal.
Keep in mind that your goals should be specific and measurable. Otherwise, you won’t know when you’ve succeeded. Decide how many pounds you want to lose and give yourself a deadline. Also, be sure your goal is both healthy and realistic. Otherwise, you’ll hurt and demoralize yourself.
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Cut back and replace
Naturally, one of the first steps for losing weight after the holidays is to cut back on some of the delicious but fattening dishes that got us into this situation in the first place. But cutting back isn’t always effective, especially if you end up so hungry that you end up snacking.
The trick is to cut back on some foods and replace them with something more friendly to your waistline. For example:
- Replace carbohydrates with proteins
- Replace desserts with fruits
- Replace sugary drinks with lower-sugar variants (for example, drinking a smoothie instead of a milkshake)
Sometimes, it helps to eat smaller meals and snacks more frequently. That way, you trick your brain into thinking you’re consuming more. It’s also a good idea to have pre-scheduled “cheat days” to prevent yourself from cheating willy-nilly.
Pro-tip: stay hydrated
One of the best dietary replacements is water. Drinking more water can help you feel less hungry. Also, it can help you eat less when you drink some before a meal. Water itself can also help you burn calories and fat more quickly.
Find an exercise regimen that works for you
Some of us wake up at 5:00 a.m. to train for the marathon. Some of us don’t. If the thought of going to the gym gives you a rash, don’t despair. There is more than one way to get your body moving to drop those pounds. Here are a few non-gym alternatives:
- Join a dance class
- Enter a community sport league
- Take up a new physical hobby, like skiing or rock climbing
- Take up yoga
- Join a larping club
Even though it’s cold, it’s a good idea to try to go outside for some exercise too, even if it’s just for a short jog. Make sure you stay safe, especially if you live in a snowy area.
Our holiday memories will always stay with us. But that doesn’t mean the calories have to. With a little effort and strategy, you can shave off those extra pounds for a wonderful start to your year.
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