22 Ways To Lose Weight After The Holidays

Independence day is coming up, and we're all excited to celebrate the holidays. But if you've been pondering about how to lose weight fast then the holidays might just turn out to be a bad thing for you, as it becomes easy to overeat during the holidays.

If you follow these 20 simple ways to lose weight you will make it much less of a problem for you after the holidays:

Drink water

Drinking water to lose weight is one of the easiest things you can do to support your weight loss efforts. Studies have shown that drinking water raises your metabolism, and improves your fat burning rate (1, 2)

Related: How to make jeera water for weight loss and unleash its health benefits

People often mistake thirst for hunger, so next time you feel like snacking, strive for water first. Drinking also helps you feel full. Some experts suggest sipping water (or iced tea) just before you sit down to a meal. Continue drinking as you eat to add volume and weight to your meal. You will receive more weight loss benefits intermittently drinking water as you eat.

Set realistic goals

One or two pounds a week maximum is the magic number. Top weight-loss programs advocate stopping after the first 10 pounds and maintaining that loss for about six months before trying to lose any more.

Read: 8 Motivational Weight Loss Steps To Weight Loss

Creating strong, measurable goals with aligned objectives and strategies can significantly increase your chances of success (8), so if you're on a weight loss diet and trying to watch over your calorie intake or planning to stay at a right momentum for your exercise routines after the holidays, you should set realistic goals.

Eat in splurges

If you allow yourself to eat whatever you want for 2 meals out of every 21, you won’t inflict enough damage to subvert your weight loss. And you’ll feel less deprived.

Think positively

Positive thoughts are empowering. A negative attitude can set processes in motion that makes losing weight difficult, if not impossible. Ever heard of thinking about the world with the glass half empty? Try the other way around, with thinking about it with the glass half full. Beating yourself up every time you eat the wrong foods, constantly focusing on what you cannot eat and approaching your exercise regimen with dread are all ways that negative thought patterns can reduce your weight loss efforts.

Experts note that low self-esteem is a major cause of overeating. Train yourself to focus on your best points rather than your weak spots. Buy clothes that fit and flatter you at your current weight. Update your hairstyle and get a makeup consultation so you feel attractive today.

Give yourself a break

No one says you have to reach your goal without making mistakes along the way. Tell yourself you can succeed in losing weight by taking things one step at a time and starting fresh whenever you slip up. If you overeat one night, just get back on track in the morning by focusing on what’s worked for you in the past.

Related: 10 Ways You Can Fight Against Food Cravings

And besides, recent findings published in the International Journal for Obesity, School of Health Sciences researchers showed in a randomised controlled trial, that taking a two-week break during dieting may improve weight loss.

The Smoothie Diet

With smoothies becoming a growing trend for weight loss, a section for smoothies was well deserved.

Ever heard of The Smoothie Diet? The Smoothie Diet is a revolutionary new life-transformation system by certified health coach Drew Sgoutas, that not only guarantees to help you lose weight and feel better than you have in years, it also promises to eliminate more body fat. Read about it here

Relax

Some people binge when they’re stressed. A Yale University study found that women who secreted the most cortisol (a hormone released during stress) ate the most high-fat food after stress. The combination of cortisol and insulin prompts the body to store fat in preparation for possible starvation—just what you don’t need. If stress has a stronghold on your life, try learning yoga, meditation, or simple breathing exercises. Head to our yoga section.

Related: You Can Still Lose Weight By Working Out Only In The Weekends

Trick your hormones

Studies suggest that the average craving lasts only about 10 minutes. So before giving in to your urges, set your mental timer for a 10-minute time-out. Use the time to tackle an item on your to-do list; choose one that will give you a sense of accomplishment—and get you out of the kitchen. Read these other 4 ways to manipulate your hormones to help you lose weight.

Eat smaller meals often throughout the day

People who have kept their weight off for more than a few years tend to eat an average of five times a day. Light, frequent meals can boost your energy, suppress your appetite, improve your mood and even increase the speed of your metobolic rate, since the process of digestion itself burns calories.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition notes that physically active people who restrict calories may lose less lean body mass and more fat when they stick to five small meals per day. Just make sure you keep your calories minimal by sticking to low-calorie foods, and keep your calories over the minimum recommended daily calorie intake for your weight regularly or you might experience these health problems.

Make weekly resolutions

Don’t try to overhaul your diet overnight. If you make too many changes at once, chances are you’ll get frustrated and throw in the towel. Instead, make one change, such as eating at least one piece of fruit daily, every week.

Start with 10% of your long term weight loss goal

People who start by focusing on achieving just 10% of their long-range weight-loss goal may have the best chance of ultimate success. Losing those first pounds yields the biggest health gains, too, since belly fat is usually the first to come off and is the most dangerous.

Related: 11 Simple Substitutions for Dramatic Weight Loss

Decorate your meals with salsa

This spicy condiment can substitute for mayo to deliver plenty of flavor without the fat parts. Mix it with a bit of low-fat yogurt to make tuna salad. Spread it on a veggie burger, or serve it with chicken or fish. Salsa has plenty of health benefits:

• It has a good dose of Vitamin C
• It can stabilize blood sugar
• It is hydrating
• It may protect against cancer
• It will help you burn fat
• It is healthy for your heart
• It is low in calories
• It contains potassium
• It is a good source of quercetin
• It gives you a dose of citric acid

Save the third of the plate

When you eat dinner out, reduce the temptation to finish your entire plate by setting aside one-third of your meal. Ask the server for a to-go bag, and take it home for lunch the next day. Try serving yourself one-third less at home too. This simple tactic could subtract more than 500 calories a day as most meals served in restaurants are highly packed with calories. Even your average venti starbucks frappuccino is a whopping 500 calories.

Go easy on the alcohol

Remember that alcohol is a source of calories. A 12-ounce beer has 150 calories; a 3.5-ounce glass of wine, 85. A margarita packs a bigger caloric punch. Even worse offenders are creamy cocktails, such as brandy alexanders and mudslides—equivalent to drinking a rich dessert.

If you want to go out for a drink and really want to lose weight at the same time, just stick with water.

Read: This is How Much Water You Need to Drink for Weight Loss

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Write notes

To help you stay on track, post notes to yourself on the fridge and the pantry. Put up a little stop sign or make tags with questions like “Do you want this food enough to wear it?” and “Are the calories worth the consequences?”

Stay away from sodas

Soft drinks are a major source of empty calories in the American diet. We drink twice as much soda as milk and nearly six times more soda than fruit juice. But fluids don’t satisfy your appetite as well as solids. A study at Purdue University found that when people were fed 450 calories daily as jelly beans or as soda, the soda drinkers gained a significant amount of weight, but the jelly-bean eaters compensated for the extra calories by cutting back on other food. So if you crave something sweet, you’re better off chewing it than gulping it. If you’re truly thirsty, reach for water or unsweetened iced tea instead of soda.

Related: Overeating makes it harder to lose weight. Here's how to stop overeating

Don’t just eat—dine

Eating on the run or in front of the tube invites mindless munching. Instead, set the table every time you eat. Make a conscious choice to sit down and savor every bite. Placing a portion of chips on your best china helps focus your attention so you don’t eat the whole bag.

Up your protein (a little)

Research suggests that protein prolongs the feeling of fullness better than carbohydrates or fats do. Studies in Scotland, Denmark, Sweden and England found that people who ate a high-protein breakfast or lunch were less hungry at their next meal. Protein also requires a few more calories to digest. Just don’t go overboard. Stick to low-fat protein sources like low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese, low-fat soy drinks or snacks, or thinly sliced turkey breast.

Read: Reasons why you should consider nuts in your weight loss diet plan

Learn how to measure

It’s easy to misjudge portion sizes. Pull out the measuring spoons and cups, especially for full-fat salad dressings, dairy foods, and mayo.

When portion sizes are increased, people eat more (1).

Check out these deliciously filling high-protein smoothies to help with weight loss.

Make smart substitutions

Look for nutritious low-calorie alternatives to sugary, high-fat treats. Try frozen grapes instead of candy. Use air-popped popcorn instead of oil-popped. Dip fresh strawberries in fat-free fudge sauce for a sensuous chocolaty treat.

Related: 18 Keys to Healthy Weight Loss

Have a “party plan”

When attending a party, offer to bring a plate. Arriving armed with chopped fresh veggies and a low-fat dip—or any other low-calorie snack—ensures that you’ll have something to snack on without feeling guilty.

Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice

For the calories in one kid-size box of apple juice, you can enjoy an apple, orange, and a slice of watermelon. These whole foods will keep you satisfied much longer than that box of apple juice, so you’ll eat less overall.