Holiday Weight Gain
We’ve all been there: the holiday season gets the better of us! Between Thanksgiving + New Years you’ve done way to much eating, drinking + traveling…nowhere near enough working out. THE RESULT: you’ve gotten a little soft around the middle, you’ve lost muscle mass + your body fat has gone up. In fact studies have show the average American gains between 3-6lbs of bodyfat over the holidays
January 1st has come and gone. Do you find yourself STILL making excuses for not getting to the gym? Are you still eating too many cheat meals? Are you in much the same state as you were 2 weeks ago?
Time for a change!!! Here’s our TOP TIPS on how to make REAL changes NOW!!!
1). Set Goals.
Be specific, set actual quantifiable goals, write them down. Make them REALISTIC + ATTAINABLE. Break them down into minor progressive goals if need be so that you can work towards a larger goal. Say you have 15lbs of body fat to lose, aim to try + lose 2lbs per week for the first 4 weeks, then accept that loss will be slower as you get closer to your goal.
2). Take Measurements.
It’s vital to know your actual starting point. Don’t feel ashamed that you’ve put on 10lbs since Thanksgiving. Accept it + work towards correcting it. Weigh yourself, get your bodyfat tested + your girths measured. Check them every 2-4 weeks to check progress.
3). Use Workout Program.
We mean an ACTUAL program, not just going into the gym + deciding “I’ll do such and such today”. Have a structured program for a set number of weeks that takes into account progressive overload + rest days. This way you have set plan for a designated time period. Not sure how to draw up such a program? Consult a certified personal trainer to help you design one. Worst case scenario, if you can’t afford a trainer, use a generic program for your goals from a magazine or website such as MENS or WOMENS FITNESS.
4). Start a Food Log.
Let’s be honest, its far easier to cheat if there’s no accountability. We’ve asked all our clients about this + they’ve all said that they cheat less when they’re logging food. The reason for this is that mentally you know that its bad + by writing it down it gives you accountability. There are a ton of Apps nowadays that make this super easy, two of our favorites are MyFitnessPal and MyPlate. Combat myths re: nutrition info, esp if nutrition education dominantly sourced from same food marketers who want you to purchase their products. Also, there is very little way to keep track of calories + macros without actually logging your food. Even trainers often fall into this trap! We get complacent + suddenly your caloric intake rises or falls too much + our macros end up out of whack + your progress is impeded.
5). Pre Prep Your Food For The Week.
Avoid the dilemma of not knowing what you’re going to eat. Pre Prep your meals for the coming week on the weekend. That way you can come home after a busy day at work knowing that you have a healthy, protein rich meal ready to go in your refrigerator. By doing this you’ll be less tempted to hit the hamburger drive thru or the Asia take out on the way home from the office. Not sure how to pre prep? Check to our blog Prep Meals for Your Week to Avoid Derailing Your Diet
