Once the Holidays are over, it’s rare for anyone to be the same number on the scale as they were going into them. Wouldn’t you love to be the exception to that rule? Knowing you are going to pack on a few as 2015 winds down, losing a few now will help you navigate through the holidays with a little less guilt and a little more confidence. While many fad diets and trends recommend dangerous and risky behavior such as gobbling pills or wearing restrictive clothes, below are seven tips on how to safely and effectively get a jumpstart on losing weight.
7 EASY TIPS
No Evening Meals
Nighttime and your sleep period is when your body repairs and restores vital functions. Although you might be tempted to snack before bed, experts recommend going to bed a bit hungry and then enjoying a full breakfast. When you eat four hours or less before going to sleep, your body will have to work to digest that food and will spend less time burning fat.
Take a Break from Alcohol
While many people enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or sharing a beer with friends, alcohol and weight loss do not a good combination make. Beer, especially, is roughly the equivalent of bread, and overloading your body with carbohydrates won’t help you shed those unwanted pounds.
Health experts recommend slowly re-introducing alcohol back into your diet (think Turkey day!) once you’ve attained your desired weight and have ingrained healthy dietary and exercise habits.
Drink Lots and Lots of Water
It seems strange, but many people in wealthy nations are actually dehydrated even though they drink plenty of liquids. Drinks other than plain water can often serve as a diuretic, forcing your body to use more water to process it than any hydration gained from drinking the beverage.
Drinking lots of water also helps your body’s systems operate more smoothly and efficiently, much like how clean oil in a car helps the motor and other vital parts running better. If you can’t stomach drinking another glass of water, try eating more watery foods, such as thin (more broth) soups and juicy vegetables and fruits.
Get Enough Sleep
Probably the greatest open secret about losing weight is that getting enough rest is a key part of losing weight. During the night, as you sleep, your body’s hormone balance and other key functions are reset and restored, helping maintain a healthy metabolic function.
Caffeine
Experts agree that drinking too much coffee or other sources of caffeine isn’t good, a little caffeine in your blood stream will help curb your appetite while simultaneously removing free fatty acids, helping you to lose weight.
Protein and Fiber – At Every Meal
Fiber in our foods has no nutritional value, but it does serve as an important part of our digestive system, essentially acting a cleanser, removing toxins, dead cells, and other waste from our bodies. Fiber also helps you feel full, triggering your brain’s sense of satisfaction, which will help keep you from reaching for an unhealthy treat. In the morning, you can enjoy a healthy whole grain breakfast, but to achieve the best results, it’s important to eat a source of fiber with every meal and snack.
Likewise, a good source of protein with every meal helps your body burn fat and build muscles, which leads to a righteous cycle as more muscles burn more fat, helping you to steadily lose unwanted weight. Vegetarians can enjoy protein-rich foods such as beans, peanuts, and pulses, while omnivores can add low-fat meats like chicken and turkey to every meal in order to maintain a well-balanced diet.
These handful of easy and helpful tips will help you ease into the holiday season a bit lighter, as well as your clothes!