It seems that everyone is a bit concerned about Xmas coming up soon and the effects it will have on their weight and the good work they have been doing in getting in better shape throughout the last few months.
The works do
Other formal do’s with clients and suppliers
Parties at the local sports club
Meeting up with friends for that last night out before going back to meetup with their families
The big meals on Xmas Day and Boxing Day
And eating and drinking in excess at all of them.
I’ve seen it time and time again where people go a bit too far and before they know it they’ve put on 7lbs in January and are mortified about how they look and feel.
First off I wouldn’t feel too guilty, I’m not one of those trainers that says you have to be careful all year round and you have to balance times of work with times for rest and celebration. Of course you have the choice whether you want to or not but just set your expectations accordingly and don’t get too upset or surprised if you put a bit of weight on. The fact that you do the right thing over the course of a year should always mean you can cheat a bit more when on holiday or in the festive season.
You’re the one in control, right?
On the other hand if you want to minimise the reversal in any progress you have made over the last few weeks, then try these strategies out.
Drink more water before you go out and eat. This will curb your excesses by giving you that sensation of being full.
If drinking alcohol, make every third drink a water. Maybe you won;t do anything stupid either : )
Eat protein in your meals first to curb the effects of all the carbs you have on your plate (rise in insulin level equals more fat!) . The intake of protein will also fill your appetite more so and prevent overeating.
Snack! Yes that’s right snack. Then maybe you won’t stuff yourself in one sitting with enough food to feed the family.
Fast before the main event. Take note that I don’t mean starve so drink plenty of water but being in a state of depletion means there is less chance of a larger proportion of your food intake turning to fat because your energy stores have to be filled up again. Fasting is a very healthy strategy when done right as in Eat Stop Eat.
You still have time to exercise. At times like this I particularly like 4 minute sets of Tabata routines. Quick, intense and as effective on your ability to burn fat as anything else.
As an example pick 2 exercises, perform the first for 20 seconds with maximum effort followed by 10 seconds rest, then the second for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest and repeat 3 more times to total 4 minutes. Rest for a minute and pair up another 2 exercises. We have one routine at our bootcamp in Manchester where it is pretty much dominated by Tabatas….I call it Flash Bolt!
Here’s a few examples, and 2 are just bodyweight so no problem there then : )
Use these strategies and you might find that you don;t put any fat on at all during the festivities.
If you’re in Manchester and want to get started now before the excesses come into play, then we have 4 open days during December for ABC BootCamp starting on the 7th December for all new visitors looking for Fun, Fast Fat Loss and Fitness. For more details email me at info@TheBodyPLanner.com or call on 07977 573 866.
See you again soon
Mike
The Body Planner
