Weight Loss After Holidays

For some readers, this time period of excessive eating and abnormal routines has reinvigorated some bad habits. Habits that may be a bit harder to break this time around since they may have been eating a lot of less-than-healthy food for a few weeks. It may have even resulted in a few readers gaining a few extra pounds.

So here are some tips and tricks to (re) encourage weight loss:

As mentioned previously, some readers likely still have some leftovers in their refrigerators. And while some may be tempted to go cold turkey on bad eating and throw it all out, that can be considered a great waste. There is also the possibility that some readers may not have the budget to simply throw away perfectly good food. Even if a good amount of it is unhealthy. So how about a compromise?

Readers can still eat that possibly unhealthy food, but only so long as they attempt to pair it with something that is healthy. Take that stuffing in the freezer, for instance. Instead of eating entire servings of it alongside turkey and ham, readers can instead add some of it to their salad as a replacement for croutons. Or how about that ham or turkey that is about to go bad? It may not be as good as bacon, but it can still add some flavor to a baked potato. Green bean casserole? Readers can have a little bit of that for a meal every once in a while, but it is advised to pair it with something like a low-fat soup or baked chicken.

The point is to ease into healthier eating habits. Not only does it reduce food waste, but several readers may find this ‘easing’ approach to a healthier diet to be easier than going full cold turkey. But the key is to be attentive and persistent. Pay attention to how many calories are being consumed a day, and constantly try to decrease that amount each day little by little.

The holiday season may be over, but several businesses will likely still be offering seasonal goods. Readers may still see eggnog at the store, festive cookies at restaurants, and overly-sugary beverages being offered at Starbucks. Readers may have allowed themselves to indulge a few days ago, but now that the new year is here it is time for them to start cutting out unhealthy foods and drinks from their shopping lists.

If the readers were not buying it in October, then they should avoid buying it in January. Ignore that temptation to buy that limited-time drink or that soon-to-be-gone special cookie. Odds are good that these products are loaded with calories and sugar, and with each seasonal purchase ignored, the reader is building a good habit that will lead to a healthier diet. This healthier diet will, in turn, likely lead to weight loss.

Regardless of whether or not readers had a workout routine or not before the holiday season, now is as good a time as any to set up a workout routine. It can be as simple as running X amount of miles each day or it can involve a variety of actions like weight lifting, jumping jacks, and crunches.

So long as the reader is engaging in exercise, and makes it a point to do that exercise either daily or weekly, then odds are good that the reader will be losing some weight. Odds are also good that the reader will have a chance to make this exercise routine last for a good part of the year, and will even be able to slowly add on extra activities to their routine to maximize weight reduction.

By Paige McMullen,

Writer Collaborator

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