How to Lose Holiday Weight Gain

Did you put on some weight over the holidays this year? If so, don’t worry too much because you can also get rid of it fairly quickly and safely, too. Studies have shown that most people gain only around 1.3 pounds in actual body fat, but may feel as if they have gained much more due to water retention and other issues. The good news is that, with the tips that follow, you can start to lose that holiday weight gain today.

First things first, though, don’t stress about it. The experience of stress is well…stressful enough, but it also causes your body to produce hormones that make weight loss more difficult. Cortisol is one of the biggest culprits and it can boost insulin causing you to crave sugar and more easily store fat.

So, stop worrying if those pants are a bit tighter – they won’t be within the next week or so when you use our tips:

Don’t starve yourself – If you have been eating whatever you want and then you start skipping meals, your body thinks “Whoa…starvation is possible”. It then taps into muscle for energy and stores almost everything you eat as fat for later energy supplies when there is no food around. This slows the metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight. Instead, just eat three to five meals daily, but make them well balanced, healthy and satisfying. Think more protein and fat than carbs, lots of vegetables and lean meats or dairy and fewer grains and breads.
Get moving – Nothing helps to shed unwanted pounds faster than regular exercise. You may have sat out the holidays more than you realize, and doing some daily cardio (20-30 minutes) along with weight training gets your metabolism moving and burns up calories. It also makes you feel better, which cuts stress and helps with weight loss.
Cut white carbs for a while – Eliminate white breads, white rice, sugar, salt and other foods that are full of simple carbs that are little more than hollow calories. If you go for whole grains, no salt and no sugar for a few weeks, those holiday pounds will quickly evaporate.
Drink water – Not only does the winter weather dehydrate you (making weight loss tougher), but if you get more than enough non-caffeinated water each day, you are going to actually lose water weight faster.

With just four simple changes, you can see those holiday pounds disappear quickly and stay gone…until next year!

Sources

https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/weight-loss/holiday-weight-gain

https://www.glamour.com/gallery/10-ways-to-reverse-holiday-weight-gain-fast#4