Top 10 tips to help you shed that Holiday Season weight!

When the fiesta madness is finally over, it’s time to get back to leading a healthy lifestyle and undo all that festival damage done to your body. It’s quite natural to overeat during the Holiday Season as it’s hard to resist the temptations of all those desserts, fried and deliciously crispy victuals.

So, do not fret even if you’ve added some ugly bulges to your waistline.

Here are some best tips to help you shed the unwanted flab in no time.

Exercise/workout: Get back to your exercise routine as soon as possible once the celebration is over. You do not need to hit the gym every now and then; it could be a simple workout at your home. Also, try taking stairs to burn some calories instead of the lift.

Drink plenty of water: Drinking a lot of water helps you stay hydrated. It will make you feel full for a longer period as well as making you eat less. Since festival food is usually spicy and high in salt content, causing one to feel bloated, drinking plenty of water will help get rid of all that salt and make you feel better.

Avoid sodas: If you really want to lose weight, cut out soda from your diet. Soda has no nutritional value, but causes obesity besides other health problems such as diabetes, tooth decay and weakened bones. Some researches hint that soda, even diet soda, can actually make you feel hungrier as the artificial sweeteners present in it signal the brain to crave for extra food. Diet soda actually boosts weight gain by as much as 41 percent, according to a study by the University Of Texas Health Science Centre in San Antonio. If you are thirsty, reach for water instead of soda.

Increase your protein intake: Studies suggest that protein extends the feeling of fullness more than carbohydrates or fats do. But, choose high protein foods that have a low glycemic index (GI). Milk, nuts, oranges, pears, channa dal, etc are foods that have low GI. Chicken, eggs, fish, kidney beans, soy and nuts like peanuts and almonds are high-protein foods.

Go for healthy food: Opt for nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables instead of junk and bakery items, which is high in sugar and fats. Do not skip meals: Skipping meals can make you eat more. Instead, try to eat frequent meals as that will curb your appetite and make you eat less while boosting your energy and even speeding up your metabolism.

Control your craving for 10 minutes: Studies find average craving lasts only about 10 minutes. So if you find yourself craving for a certain food (particularly foods that are high in sugar, fats and salt), try to hang on for 10 minutes by distracting your mind in other activities- talk to your friends or try having some water. In 10 minutes, your craving will be gone.

Eat light: You enjoyed the festival with all those fried and spicy foods, drinks, sweets and other heavy stuff. Now it’s time to totally cut them out from your diet. Revitalize your system with fresh salads, fruits, whole grains and lean meats.

Sleep well: For the last two weeks, you were sleep deprived due to overnight parties. Plan your time-table so that you go to bed on time and get that good night’s sleep. Our body needs about eight hours of quality sleep per night. Missing out on your sleep can leave you grumpy and restless and may even stifle your weight loss efforts. Studies suggest that lack of sleep can disrupt weight loss plans by increasing appetite and signalling the body to preserve more fat.

Think positive: According to experts, low self-esteem is a major cause of overeating. Fill your mind with positive thinking, which helps with stress management and can even improve your health in various ways such as- increased life span, lower rates of depression, greater resistance to common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, etc. Also, try to focus on your best points rather than your weak spots.