How to beat the holiday bulge

One of the most common resolutions for the New Year is to lose weight. Thanks to nonstop holiday feasting and the abandoned exercise schedules, many people end up starting the year with a promise to shed pounds.

 

While getting back to your pre-Christmas size is good, committing to a healthier lifestyle in general is even better. Here are some tips to help you achieve both goals:

 

1. Eat enough.

 

It seems simple, but anyone who's been to an eat-all-you-can party knows eating just enough food is tricky, and almost impossible. But as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In terms of weight gain, if you don't overeat, you won't have to work as hard to burn the extra calories.

 

"Put your hands up and slowly back away from the buffet table/fridge," advises 25-year-old Violet Lee, who is a self-confessed professional bum.

 

On the other hand, don't eat too little. Moderation is key. "You can't really lose weight if you keep eating the way you did during the holidays, even if you exercise like crazy. Cut back on soft drinks or iced tea or dessert," writer Carla Montemayor suggests.

 

"Spreading your calories throughout the day in small meals is generally better than having 3 huge meals," says weight training enthusiast Marco Harder.

 

"Because if you have too long an interval between meals, you become hungry and when the brain picks up that signal, it tells the body to hold on to the food it has. It does that by storing it as fat," he explains.

 

2. Exercise.

 

Whether your idea of exercise is taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or a full-blown workout at the gym, any activity is better than none. "Do thirty minutes of cardio every day. Or even just brisk walking," suggests Lee. If you're the type that likes to have more structure, you could try going to the gym, where there are a variety of programs for different types of people.

 

"It helps to consult with a trainer who can design a program for you, and will tell you which equipment to use or which classes fit your needs and personality," says Montemayor, who has lost 20 pounds since she started going to the gym a few months ago.

 

She explains that the trainer will suggest the kinds of exercise you should do based on your fitness goals, so that you don't overwork yourself unnecessarily. "Plus it helps to vary the kind of workout you do so you don't get bored. Boredom is the downfall of your fitness regimen. If you don't want to go to the gym, find an activity that you'll enjoy. Go biking, walk the dog, play Wii or Kinect. Do something for 30 minutes every day" she adds.

 

3. Build strength.

 

Exercise is good, but if you want to become stronger, starting a weight training program is an ideal resolution for the new year. "Weight training is the best for me because not only does it burn calories but it makes your muscles and to a certain degree your bones [strong]. Which means that one is less prone to injury when doing regular everyday stuff," says Harder.

 

He explains that big, compound exercises like the squat, deadlift bench press and overhead press are good because they hit all the major muscle groups. Working the bigger muscles uses up more energy, therefore burning more calories. "These multi joint exercises strengthen those big muscles, and when muscles are strong they're generally bigger, thus consuming more calories even at rest," says Harder.

 

For women who worry that weight training will make them look too masculine, Harder explains that female bodybuilders usually take artificial male hormones to make them build muscle faster and bigger.

 

"A normal lady with no steroids who does weight training will look toned. If they stick to a strict diet they'll also look leaner but rarely will they look macho and hugely muscular," says Harder, who started lifting weights in 2004. A Learning and Development Manager by day, he keeps track of his progress in his strength training blog. 

 

Since he began taking it seriously last year, Harder says weight training has helped him a lot in various ways. "It made me gain weight I thought I couldn't gain, improved my posture, made me stronger dramatically. Weight loss wasn't my goal when I started lifting seriously," he says, adding that weight isn't everything. "Body composition is. You can be 100 lbs but quite unhealthy and fat (skinny fat) because you have small muscles," he says.

 

4. Think green.

 

When it comes to getting fit, every small decision counts, but in order to make a lasting change, you have to take a look at your whole lifestyle. Most people who work in an office use lack of time as an excuse for unhealthy choices, like eating too much fast food. Increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables is one of the simplest ways to become healthy. And if you choose organic produce, you'll be able to get quality nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.

 

Sugarleaf co-owner Angelo Songco suggests exposing kids to vegetables as early as possible. "If they learn to eat vegetables as kids, it will be easier for them to take it with them as they grow up," he says. According to Songco, eating green naturally promotes weight loss and detoxification. "Eating healthy organic food makes you beautiful. It makes you lose weight, it oxidizes. It doesn't have any chemicals in it and chemicals are the ones that leave residue in your body and bloats you up," he says.

 

On the other hand, Harder says that for those who engage in strength training, the idea is to have a diet with a good balance of carbs, protein and fat. "It’s all in the calories. If you eat clean, but eat more than what your body can burn off, it'll get stored as fat no matter how oil-free or carb-free your diet may be," he says.

 

You could also try some of the so-called miracle food like wheatgrass, which may help you lose weight. –KG, GMA News