The overeating during the holiday season has many of us wanting to shed the excess pounds in January. The first month of the year is always the busiest at gyms, health clubs and diet centres. Before you start your January diet consider what is right for you and what isn't and how you can get long term health benefits instead of a quick fix.
Be cautious when choosing a weight loss plan to help lose the pounds you gained over the holidays. Thinking extreme is the worst way to lose the holiday weight and following fad diets and quick fix methods can cause serious health problems. Remember, the faster you lose the weight the easier it is to put it (and more) back on. Instead of thinking diet think of healthy eating and healthy living. There are three major problems with the conventional "diet":
- by cutting certain food items out of your eating your create cravings that are hard to surpress and ultimately lead to failure.
- you won't cut out food or calories forever, so as soon as they are re-introduced you will gain the weight back.
- diets don't take your lifestyle into account and just cutting calories or food groups may be harmful depending on how active you are.
The Non-diet Diet
The word Diet is synonymous with nutrition and actually means the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group. These days the word has taken on a different context and often means the deliberate selection of food to control body weight. For the purpose of this article we will use the word diet as it's more traditional meaning. Your diet should consist of a variety of foods to provide the body with the vitamins, nutrients and energy that it needs to survive and stay healthy. In order to lose weight the first step is to take a look at your current diet and eating habits and make small changes to create a more healthy plan.
Start by cutting out the indulgences or reducing the amount of times you choose to indulge in unhealthy food or drink. Alcohol contains a lot of empty calories, meaning it is high in calories but has no other benefits to the functioning of the body. In fact is can hinder how our body functions. Instead of cutting out alcohol or foods that you love altogether, find a balance and reduce your intake of the things that aren't beneficial. You may have to alter your habits a little like choosing to go out less often or offering to be the designated driver so you can still enjoy the company of your friends but not have to drink to do so.
Another easy step to start your weight loss plan is to control your portions. You don't necessarily have to eat less, just be smart about where you're getting your calories. Reduce the amount of bad carbs like pasta, rice and potatoes but increase the amount of good carbs found in fruit and vegetables. Also focus on lean protein rich foods to give you energy and increase your metabolism. Stick to white meat, eggs and low fat cheeses instead of hard to digest, fatty red meat.
There are other habits that may need to be changed as well. If you're used to eating out for lunch, pack a healthy bagged lunch instead. Not only will you lose weight you'll save money as well. When grocery shopping stick to the outside isles. This is where you'll find all the fresh food and you'll avoid the unhealthy processed food. Stock your fridge with healthy choices for meals and snacks. Wash and cut fruit and vegetables so they are easy to grab and snack on. You're more likely to pick something that is ready and convenient. Instead of going out for dinners invite friends over and cook them a healthy meal. Buy cook books and look up recipes online. If you are fully prepared in advance with materials to refer to you are less likely to revert back to your old ways. Finally, don't be afraid to snack or eat more often. Healthy, nutritional food is good for you and your body needs it. Eating smaller meals more ofter will improve you metabolism so your body can burn more fat.
