Every year we promise ourselves we will behave this time of year and we won’t over eat during and after the festive period. We plan to go for a walk, for a run or for a quick gym session to burn off the slight excess of calories consumed. But most of the time we end up eating way too much anyway and this makes us feel tired and with little to no energy to do any of our planned activities. We think: What the hell! Christmas is only once a year!
The result… January comes around, work resumes and guess what… we don’t fit into our trousers from before Christmas! Then we get upset with ourselves, "Silly me! For these few moments of pleasure I ruined what I had worked for months for!"
I know, it isn’t fair! It takes ages to lose weight and takes no time to put it back on! Statistics say an average person puts between 2-4kgs over the Christmas break. That is a lot in such a short time! However, the good news is that it is not fat! To produce 1 kg of fat you would need to eat aprox 7.000 calories, which is a lot. The bad news is that if you don’t act quickly it WILL convert into fat in no time! Do not get depressed. There is a way out and it is easier than you think. Forget about miracle diets that make you lose 4kgs in a few days. Or those that switch from eating a lot to sudden fasting. That is not a healthy way to do it. Instead, just make sure your diet is COMPLETELY sugar free, avoid saturated fat (butter, cream, ghee, regular fat milk, cheese, pork, fried food) if you have to consume any of these keep them to a MINIMUM! Eat clean and lean! Drink 2-3 litres of water a day and MOVE!!!
Remember that 70% of your results are made in the kitchen and only 30 % in the gym! If you have done nothing over the last few months, take it easy. Start with 30 mins of fast walking or jogging. If you are a fitness person, fill your workout with cardio and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Trainings). Those that have trained in the past the good news is that muscles have memory and get back in shape much quicker. Eating healthy and training at least 3 times a week, you will be amazed how fast you will get back to your size.
Now, planning ahead, next time it’s your birthday, work party or holiday celebration try not to cross the limits. It is okay to eat a bit more than usual, life is all about balance after all! But we often get too carried away with food during the holidays and celebrations.
Remember it’s easy to gain and much tougher to lose! Don’t ruin all your hard work by overindulging.
Cherish your body and it will pay back to you.
Catch us in the next issue where we will be starting with - OPERATION BIKINI BODY. Stay tuned to let us help you get ready for the summer!
Aga FitMama