8 dos and don'ts of post-holiday weight loss

Many of us gain a bit of weight during the winter months, but packing on the pounds during the holiday season is far from inevitable. There are simple ways to help maintain healthy habits in this time of indulgence — check out these dos and don’ts to ditch the holiday weight.

DON’T: Starve yourself

“Saving your appetite” isn’t the best tactic for someone trying to save their waist. While skipping lunch for a special dinner might seem like a good idea, your body’s hunger signals will have you overeating come meal time. Alternatively, we suggest a protein-packed breakfast and lunch that’ll keep you full into the night. This way you beat the temptation of excessive eating and drinking after a day of starving your body.

DO: Energize your mornings

An active morning encourages better behavior all day long. In a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers found that when women worked out in the morning not only led more active days, but eat less junk food compared with the days they didn’t do a workout.

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DON’T: Get sucked into a quick ‘n’ dirty weight-loss diet

It may seem counterproductive to lose weight by telling yourself not to diet — but hear us out. Instead of adhering to plans that promise you’ll drop 10 pounds by the end of January, stick to plans that promote health and nutrition. That way, once you hit your goal, you won’t gain all the weight back as soon as you ditch a diet that’s difficult to maintain.

DO: Eat plenty of fibre

People often avoid eating starchy carbs with the intent of cutting calories, but this can drop your fibre intake, which helps support healthy digestion while keeping you full. At meal time, try trading refined carbs for healthy high fibre alternatives such as legumes, brown rice and wholemeal breads.

DO: Beware of the booze

It’s not the Christmas day eat-a-thon that ultimately has you tipping the scales — it’s the food and booze-heavy parties in the weeks before and after the day that are more likely to do you in. Not only does alcohol add unnecessary calories to your diet but it dulls self control, especially in the presence of greasy snacks.

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DO: Eat your veggies

Snacking on vegetables is a great way to keep trim. Try mixing puréed veggies (like pumpkin) into baked goods or casseroles. Adding veggies increases fibre, which helps make us fuller and help us digest.

DON’T: Swear off desserts

Allow yourself a treat, but practice the three-bite rule to keep your sweet tooth in check. “You’ll get that amazing first taste, a satisfying middle one, and then a lingering third bite,” wrote Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The Miracle Carb Diet.

And most importantly…

DON’T: Get discouraged

It’s easy to feel negative if you don’t start shedding pounds immediately — but don’t get down on yourself. Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle will set you up far better in the long run than a diet where the pounds fall off immediately.

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