5 Tricks to Gain ZERO Fat During the Holidays!
I hate the term “Tricks” in the titles of articles on fitness… BUT IT WORKS… So sorry but…
The average American gains between 3-7 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s depending on the source. Holiday parties, huge family meals, cookies and candy everywhere, stress, and sometimes depression leads to body fat gain for many. Losing weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is a TOUGH battle… but keeping fat-GAIN at bay is definitely possible. Here are 5 ways you can fight the battle of the Holiday Bulge:
Come BURN the holiday stress at BURN Fitness!
I hate the term “Tricks” in the titles of articles on fitness… BUT IT WORKS… So sorry but…
The average American gains between 3-7 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s depending on the source. Holiday parties, huge family meals, cookies and candy everywhere, stress, and sometimes depression leads to body fat gain for many. Losing weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is a TOUGH battle… but keeping fat-GAIN at bay is definitely possible. Here are 5 ways you can fight the battle of the Holiday Bulge:
- Start your exercise program BEFORE the holidays! Don’t wait until January 1st to join the gym and desperately try to lose the weight. Switch your mindset! Exercise works to burn fat after you’ve already gained it, but it works BETTER to prevent fat gain in the first place! If you start strength training NOW, and get on a regular cardio routine NOW, you will have time to establish a stronger, faster metabolism before all the excess food hits! Set up your body to gain back the muscle you’ve lost in the last few years, instead of just adding to accumulated fat. Get your metabolism CRANKING before the calories hit.
- KNOW what your “baseline” calorie intake is NOW. Come see us at BURN and let us help you figure out what your current calorie and nutrient intake is NOW. Then, as the holiday diet changes hit, you’ll already have a grasp on how many calories you CAN EAT without gaining, so you can plan accordingly.
- PLAN your holiday calories in advance! Once you know what your pre-holiday calorie intake is (from your BURN consult)… you can plan to adjust your intake around the big-hitter meals (with our help). One single meal will NOT cause fat-gain… but a full week of excess calories will. If you KNOW you’ll be over-eating on Thanksgiving Day… having a 3-5 day plan ahead of, and after the holiday, will let you eat a LOT on Thursday… by just cutting back a bit the days before and after.
- Plan your BIG workouts BEFORE the big food days! An excess of calories can be a GOOD thing! Think of Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve meals as RECOVERY Days! Train your ass off for 3-4 days preceding these days of gluttony! Give your body something to do with all those calories besides depositing them around your middle! I plan 3-4 killer strength workouts before any big holiday or celebratory meal. Use the excess calories to rebuild, repair, and recover. Nothing makes for better muscle repair than turkey (protein) and stuffing (carbs)!
- Minimize and Even UTILIZE Holiday Stress!!!! One of the biggest contributors to fat-gain is an excess of cortisol in your system. Cortisol is a “stress hormone” produced by your body that forces you to store fat. The stress of holiday travel, party planning, financial overload, dealing with relatives… and the frequent depression brought on by memories of lost/missed loved ones can lead to out of control eating… as many use food to cope with stress and anxiety. Rechanneling that stress and anxiety into your daily gym/trainer session is an AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE way to turn negative stress into positive results! We ALL feel it! You’re NOT alone! Exercise is possibly the most effective antidepressant EVER!
Come BURN the holiday stress at BURN Fitness!