After all the overindulgence of Christmas and New Year many of us feel really guilty about those extra pounds and start checking out the latest diets and weight loss tips. We see the strict regime we have to follow it all seems too much like hard work and so we give up there and then.

The sad fact is, it is much easier to put on weight than to lose it. So, while it might be difficult or impossible for you to avoid putting on weight over the Christmas period there are things you can do to make the problem more manageable.

1. Drink plenty of water. You should aim to drink 3 to 4 pints a day, but not in one go because drinking this amount in a couple of hours is actually dangerous (it can cause a cerebral edema). Spread your consumption out over the day. Even if it doesn’t reduce your weight gain by much this will help to flush the Christmas toxins out of your body and go some way towards preventing the headaches from alcohol-induced dehydration.

2. Portion control. You don’t have to give up all the Christmas goodies completely. Just go easy on them. Do you really need a pint of cranberry sauce on your turkey or an extra big jumbo bar of chocolate? And try not to snack between meals.

3. Time of day. A big, healthy breakfast will set you up right for the rest of the day and help suppress those sugar cravings. Try not to eat after 7 o’clock in the evening because you won’t have time to burn off the calories before you go to bed.

4. Exercise. I don’t mean go to the gym and do a big workout. There are lots of Christmas activities you can do as a family that involve a gentle physical workout. Charades,anyone? It is even better if you go outside and get fresh air at the same time. You can have a snowball fight, play hide and seek or try out that new football. If you are going to be a couch potato and watch TV non-stop, at least do a few stretching exercises every hour to stop your body getting stiff and to help your digestion.

5. Remove temptation. You can help yourself to keep slim by not stocking up on cakes, chips and cookies. It is much easier to resist temptation if the naughty goodies are a 10 minute drive away instead of in your kitchen cupboard.

If you have difficulty putting these tips into practice, just keep telling yourself that  preventing weight gain is much easier and less stressful than dieting.

Post from: Christmas Cards

How To Avoid That Christmas Fat