5 Ways To Beat The Christmas Calories
One of the annoying things about weight gain is that it can creep up on you. All of a sudden those favourite pants feel a little tighter or moving seems a little bit different. The interesting thing is that weight gain happens over time but it isn't actually consistent throughout the year. Did you know that when it comes to the festive season Australians gain an average of 0.8-1.5kg over the Christmas period? Whilst this is not something to stress over, it's something to be mindful of.
The silly season between mid-November and mid-January can be responsible for more than half of the weight we gain during our lifetime. How does this happen? Research shows that on average people only manage to lose half of the weight they gain over the holidays, which results in slow, long term weight gain.
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So... What can you do?
- Make use of the break you get and enjoy simply going for a walk in the holidays. Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise and it's so good for the body and the mind. It's also a great family activity.
- Be sure to fill your plate with the healthy stuff first, then enjoy the rest.
- Intermittent fasting can be a solid strategy over the holiday period to lower calorie intake.
- Avoid going to parties hungry, fill up before you go rather than snacking on calorie dense foods and alternate your alcoholic drinks with a non-alcoholic drink such as water.
- Add a workout or two into your weeks across the holiday break. Keep them simple so they won't take up too much time. Remember to move multiple body parts to help burn lots of calories. Preferably HIIT workouts like this one.
Keep it simple
It's important to not make it complicated at Christmas - Deprivation and diets are exhausting so keep it simple. Enjoy plenty of greens, lean proteins, fruits, whole grains and nuts amongst the other stuff and be mindful of finding ways to moderate sweets and processed foods. Your health is a long term game and the Christmas break is also a great opportunity to approach your health and fitness with a fresh, positive outlook. Oh and Merry Christmas x
Written by Fitness Warehouse Personal Trainer, Simon Mitchell. Simon has a Bachelor of Human Movement, is a certified FMS trainer and has worked in the fitness industry since 2003. Simon started his fitness journey as a trainer with iNform Health and Fitness before moving into commercial radio and then back into fitness with Bodyism in the United Kingdom and Australia. A career highlight was being one of Daisy Ridley's personal trainers on Star Wars IX - The Rise Of Skywalker.
