December is a month full of temptations. Therefore, a person capable of resisting, keeping their diet on course and maintaining their weight this time of year is worthy of admiration.
These holidays are a period during which people have less time for training and more for lunches and dinners.
Despite all the effort one might make to not overdue it with the temptations, there are still some mistakes you might be making if your goal is weight loss or maintaining weight. Here are a few:
- Skipping breakfast
If you try to remove excess weight, often people just skip breakfast. This however is not a good idea. People that eat breakfast show better and longer lasting results with their weight management. Start your day with some nutritious and healthy food that will help you feel full throughout the day. A good idea would be oats with almond milk, or a green smoothie. Check out my Green Smoothie recipe here and my almond milk recipe here. Having a good breakfast will also make it easier for you to resist some holiday sweets which seem to be everywhere!
- You overestimate the calories you burn
Workouts are a great and indispensable addition to your diet if you want to show results quicker and hold on to them for longer. But you can easily get caught up with counting the calories you burn and overestimate that number. A 30min run can burn off 200 – 250 calories, but you would get just as many calories in a glass of eggnog. So you should not make the mistake to think that just because you workout regularly you can eat everything you want. Workout regularly, but follow a balanced diet to make sure you get the results you are after.
- You underestimate the calories you eat
If you are invited to a party or dinner where there is a buffet, pay attention to the food you consume. Have a look at the food that is being offered and then decide what you want to eat. There are always healthier options at dinner so make sure your plate is filled with 85% of that. If you can’t resist a temptation, have a small piece, but don’t overdue it.
- Removing the carbohydrates out of your diet
Many people still believe that the removal of the carbohydrates is a quick way to successfully lose weight. On the contrary, these cold winter days require us to consume food that will give us energy and keep us warm, and this is what carbs do for us. They also help produce serotonin, a hormone that makes us feel happy, and this is also important in these darker and gloomy days. Remember to consume good carbs! Go for whole grains and legumes. You can read more about the different types of carbs in my post here.
- Too much alcohol consumption
Although wine is not food, it is highly caloric. So if you are trying to stay in shape around the holidays, make sure you limit your alcohol intake of any type. I am not saying you have to completely skip the wine, just don’t take it too far and remember to consume plenty of water. It will also save you a hangover 😉
- Complete deprivation of temptation
Christmas is this time of the year where you are surrounded by temptations. It is important to not completely shut them out, if you treat yourself you will feel more rewarded. Going “cold turkey” and completely shutting them out works for some but for many it can inhibit binge eating. Be gentle with yourself, don’t punish yourself with a complete restriction, but also don’t overdue it just because it’s a holiday period. Balance and mindfulness is all it takes, to stay on track during this wonderful time of year!
Wishing you a healthy and happy Christmas and a wonderful celebration of the coming Year 2015!
