During the Holiday season we tend to put on the calories with all the great food, holiday parties, and friends and family gatherings. Experts say we truly gain about 1lb during the season, but watch out, it comes baring it's own gifts the following month or two if we're not careful! Here's some tips to help maintain your weight and perhaps even lose a pound or two.
The foods prepared with heavy and rich ingredients such as, sugar, flour, starches, dairy, and other ingredients will eventually turn into fat! Yes, the enemy.,
1. EAT IN MODERATION:
You know what they say, "your eyes are bigger than your stomach"! Because you see it, doesn't mean you should eat it!
Tip: Eat on small plates, and measure out no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons of starchy sides.
Dig in on the veggies and protein as long as it's not laced with delicious gravy and cheeses, things that add excessive calories.
2. DRINK LOTS OF WATER:
Tip: Drink lots of water! Not only will it fill you up, and help your digestive system and keep you hydrated, but it will also allow room for desert which we ALL should have. The water will minimize the amount of empty calories you intake drinking sugar loaded juices and sodas.
3. EXERCISE:
There's no such thing as tomorrow during the Holiday season. If you take in less calories, drink lots of water and exercise you'll find if nothing else, that you've maintained your weight.
You should dedicate at least 3-5 days per week during this season and into the New Year and on to working out. It's a lifestyle not fashion piece, it's always in style. When you treat your body good it will respond just to listen to it. You're stomach will get full faster, you will have more energy and look amazing when the New Year comes and you'll be on track for the Spring/Summer season!
Now it's time to get back to eating habits that put you back on track.
Eat more wholefoods meaning clean. Eat oats, grains (not processed)leafy green veggies, make green juice, eat fruits that aren't high in sugar, but still try and any fruit during the day because they're all loaded with sugar so sleeping on sugar is surely a no no. The darker the fruit the better, ie., blueberries, strawberries, black berries, raspberries,and grapefruit is the mother of any fruit that will burn some fat. Replace sugar and syrup use honey instead, completely get rid of refined sugar or don't do more than 1 sugar in your coffee or tea, replace butter with olive oil. If you're craving fast foods, leave the french fries out and opt for a bake potato or sweet potato fries, those are baked. Get rid of white breads and flour, eat more brown foods. If you must have bread go for whole grains, rye, wheat etc, but even though these breads aren't bleached be careful because they too can pack on a few calories.
Check out these exercises that will burn some serious calories.
Exercises that burn the most calories usually are the first thing that comes to mind whenever the topic of fast weight loss pops into a conversation. Well, can anyone really blame us for wanting to know how to burn calories fast? Guess not! Who’d like to beat around the bush when you can just jump straight to the point! And the point is this – what are the best fat burning exercises out there and which numbers are we talking about here. Well, let’s get to it and here are the answers you’ve been looking for:
1. CYCLING
An alpha and an omega of a good cardio training, a bicycle should definitely become one of your best friends! Now, I know what you’re going to say and I must admit it’s not one of my faves either but just knowing that a person can burn up to 1000 calories per hour by simply cycling does sweeten up this deal! But, let me put it in numbers – an hour of cycling at maximum intensity will help a woman of average weight (which is about 160 pounds) burn about 850 calories and the numbers are even higher for men (about 950)! Not bad, huh? Time to pay your bike a visit, I’d say.
2. JUMPING ROPE
Rope jumping is more than a game for children! In fact, it also happens to be one of the exercises that burn the most calories and will definitely help you get rid of those pesky 5 pounds just in time for the bikini season! An hour of this activity can help men burn up to 850 calories while women can hope to burn up to 750. Well, I’d say that’s a good reason to add this one to your list of best fat burning exercises and make it your personal goal to spend at least 10 to 20 minutes each day having fun with your kids and exercising all at the same time.
3. SWIMMING
Don’t really enjoy sweating? No problem! With about 840 calories per hour for men and 720 for women, swimming deserves a strong third place on my list of exercises that burn the most calories. And if you’ve ever wondered how to lose calories fast and have fun in the process, you’ve got your answer right here! After all, is there a better way of making sure your beach body stays sexy than enjoying one of the best activities summer has to offer!?
4. AEROBICS
Fun, dynamic and relatively hassle-free, aerobic is definitely my favorite exercise for burning calories. It is a bit hard at first and you might feel embarrassed for not getting the moves right all the time but the feeling is gone in about a week and you start feeling much better. An average female can burn up to 680 calories per hour if she decided to take up aerobics and let’s not forget the other benefits such as cellulite-free thighs, firm sexy butt and abs to die for.
5. ELLIPTICAL TRAINER
Way more interesting than a treadmill, an elliptical trainer can help you burn up to 600 calories per hour and a whopping 11% more if you don’t mind going backward instead of just pushing forward. Not bad at all! Grab those handles and let your arms share the work in order to exercise more muscle groups and get the most out of it and don’t worry if you don’t manage to break the gym’s record on your first use – when used right, these babies will really make you work hard for it.
6. ZUMBA
With an average calorie loss ranging from 400 to 700 per one hour session, fun, popular Zumba also deserves its place among the best fat burning exercises to opt for in order to zap away stubborn fat and tone those muscles fast. This is even better than aerobics ladies because you’re not only spending those calories like crazy and seriously working your way to a better body but learning sweet dance moves as well, some of which you can even use on the dance floor.
7. WATER AEROBICS
Last on my list of exercises that burn the most calories, water aerobics is perfect for all of you who hate sweating but can’t swim good enough to get all the benefits an hour of swimming can provide. Don’t worry though – an hour of water aerobics will help you burn anywhere from 200 to 400 calories, all depending on the intensity of your training. And since all the moves are done in water, you don’t have to worry about injuries either.
If you find you workout isn't working, or you've reach a plateau try something different. Remember, working is one component but a healthy diet is the ticket to any weight loss program.
Try these tips:
If your weight loss is in a rut, chances are so are you. “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting,”! Try that kickboxing class you’ve always wanted, enlist a friend (and her new route) on your nightly walk, or make meatless Monday a three-day phase this week. Trick your body into working a little harder, and you’ll burn more calories. Basically Turn up, and try something new, change represents change.
“Losing 20 pounds can reduce the number of calories you burn during a typical workout by about 12%,”. To make up for the difference, increase how long you exercise, how often, and the intensity. Try to devote a few more minutes to each workout, add new challenges (like intervals or hills), and start using a heart-rate monitor so you can keep yourself at your target maximum calorie-burning level.
Keep in mind these are suggestions I've researched and have also tried myself and honestly when you're focused this all works for a healthier and more fit life style. However, make sure you confer with your physician and nutritionist before trying new things.
