8 Tips to Lose Weight for Holiday Season | Dubai Holiday Special

It’s December – the month of festive lights, holidays, family dinners and delicious food. It’s also the month of meeting long lost relatives, catching up with friends and fitting into those sparkly dresses you bought to flaunt your healthy body in front of your peers.

If you’re struggling with weight maintenance, or you find yourself gaining weight during this season, here are a few tips to get that holiday body!

1.      Don’t starve yourself

Many people start off the day with liquids, skip lunch and then binge eat at dinner time. The smart way to go about it to eat healthy, in little amounts throughout the day. So, replace those stacks of maple syrup pancakes with oatmeal, eggs or fruit bowls in breakfast. Have a chicken or beetroot salad for lunch to avoid snacking and in dinner, have grilled poultry with lots of veggies. This way you’re full, fit and by creating that calorie deficit, you’re on your way to losing weight!

2.      Keep that mouth busy whilst cooking

When you lick the whipped cream off the spoon or taste your winter treats whilst cooking them, you’re adding calories! Keep your mouth busy by gobbling veggies or even chewing sugar-free gum so that you avoid indulging in the delights.

3.      Play your mind

Be the boss of you. When you find yourself being tempted to have that chocolate bar, have a glass of milk instead and think about how amazing you’d look in that dress you’ve bought. Tell yourself that you can have maybe a bit of the chocolate after you’ve reached the weekly goal. Most people reward themselves for eating clean for six days by getting their favorite treat on the seventh.

4.      Try portion control

Portion control is a lifestyle – a way of life and this will help you maintain the kilos you’ve lost in the long run. The secret to it is to get a personalized meal plan made by a nutritionist based on your body’s needs. You eat everything – even ice-cream! But in little portions. You can learn more about it in tip eight.

5.      Think before you munch

Many people are oblivious to the fact that a harmless slice of pizza or that bite-sized brownie is packed with complex carbohydrates and carbs that are not easy to burn. Understanding food is important because this will help you think before you munch. Hakeem recommends understanding your unique body’s needs by consulting a dietitian and then giving your body the fuel it deserves.

6.      Include some physical activity in your routine

You don’t have to play ball or run in the field, necessarily. You have to have an active lifestyle. If your job doesn’t allow that, spend time at the gym, or perform chores that make you get off your feet. Even thirty minutes of brisk walking five days a week can help you shed off the extra kilos.

7.      Include a friend on this fitness journey

A survey suggests that people often get depressed and develop low self-esteem when they’re struggling with weight loss. Including a family member or friend on this journey will help you stay motivated and distraction-free.

8.      Read these in-depth articles with meal plans

Now that you understand most there is to know about healthy weight loss, you can start your meal planning and even learning tricks on how to lose weight fast. Here are some recommended must-reads: “How I Lost 12kg in a Month- My Journey to Wellness” and “The Simple Science of Losing Weight without Dieting – A Step by Step Guide.”

Remember even though these tips will help you get in better shape, it is important to understand that you’re beautiful inside out so hang in there and enjoy the holiday season!