How to lose holiday weight

The New Year excitement may still be in the air but before long you have to lose what you gained this holiday season. Yes, we are talking about those extra pounds you gained which will make your Santa costume well-fitting!  Don’t feel guilty about stuffing in all the turkey stuffing and delicacies. There is a way forward to losing all those extras happily and nicely. So let’s get down to working on it. After all losing extra weight is always everyone’s favourite New Year’s resolution.

Phase 1:

This will form a firm foundation for any of your weight loss routine.

What are your diet goals: Do you have your list of your health plan? If nada, then sit down to make one. Be realistic, not enthusiastic. Realistic goals are easier to attain. Such a list will ensure that you don’t get derailed halfway through.

Pen to paper:  Kick-start your New Year resolutions with a systematic must-do list. Thinking about it or talking to your friend over latte about a diet you will begin will be hard to begin. Go old school. Pull out a paper, pick and pen and write it down.

Say it aloud: It will help you to say everything aloud as you go on writing it down. Of course, you don’t have to be so loud making your family thinks you have lost your marbles. You should be audible enough to hear it yourself even if you whisper. It forms a neural connection reinforcing these resolves in memory.

Patience: Ensure that you have a list that enables you lose weight slowly but steadily. Many make the mistake when they lose fat fast and it is back equally soon. Not you. Easing into mindful eating work wonders to keep you on the track and lose weight.

This is phase 1. The above four-point will form a solid base to what will now follow. If any of the above it on shaky ground your resolve to have a perfect 10 body will be tough.

Beginning phase 2

Your cup of tea: If you are one of those who must have that cup of brewed tea to wake up then go ahead.  But wait, why don’t you take just half a cup rather than a full one? You get what you want while not giving your body what it does not want. Confused? Go for cutting chai.

Follow your hunger pangs: Yes, this is mindful eating.  Eat only when you hungry. So at the first signs of a hungry tummy pull out that apple from your bag and munch on it. This will help digestion and help you to lose weight.

Small bites: Take baby steps when following a routine to get back your hourglass figure.  Have small bites every two hours to avoid feeling hungry. Doctor’s favourite recommendation – eat something light/munch every two hours.  Feeling hungry will drive you crazy and make you eat anything within your sight. It will beat the very purpose of dieting.

Be aware of what goes in, satisfy your cravings mindfully: When on a spree to lose it, do it mindfully. Delete all those sweet nothings that are definitely high in empty calories and fat like fried food and doughnuts. Yet have your cheat days as denying yourself completely of any sin while make you gobble any junk when you get your hands on it. Include cheese, eggs and so on in your diet. Be happy, be healthy.

Delicious diet: As we all know by now your diet must include veggies and fruits. They don’t have to be boring. Think innovation think tasty. Think vegetarian biryani, healthy chicken dinners with less oil or a fruit salad with chaat masala….

No stress: Hey, did you know that stress and anxiety causes one to gain weight? Take your long term goals and break them into smaller achievable milestones. It works wonders. It will keep you motivate that such a plan works better than quick-release-fats charts.

Water, water, water: Keep yourself well hydrated. There will be times when you think you are hungry but you are actually thirsty. Drinking up your water will not only make you feel full but it will also flush out the toxins from your system. Back to healthy.

Exercise: One of the first principles of Ikigai is movement. Yes, move it, baby, move it. Shakalaka boom boom… move the room.

Make use of your playlist: They say morning is the best time to exercise. Well then, tell them that we love our beauty sleep so chuck the morning.

Ok, easy dears we have a better way.  Keep what you think is the most groovy song ready to play on your playlist. Auto program it to start the song on its own at 7 am.

Next day at 7 am.   As the music begins to roll we challenge you to keep sleeping. You can’t. You will get up and tap your feet.

Please note: Let the music begin slowly. It should not be too loud to jerk you up.  The idea is not to startle you but to shake you enough for you to get 20 minutes of dance exercise or workout which equals one hour at the gym.  Getting up with a jerk from your sleep is not good.

Join a gym and be regular: Don’t ditch your weights. Exercising with weight gives your body a fantastic tone and shape you aspire. Weight training is an effective work out where you get your muscle mass and lose fat.

Yoga: For those of us who love the powerful and universal method to do it all.

Yoga asanas such as Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, Parivrtta Utkatasana, Dhanurasana and the all-time surya namaskar will give you the body and health you can flaunt.

Sleep: All your efforts to slim down after a good holiday will be zilch if you don’t get your quota of sleep. Less sleep triggers a spike in cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that indicates your body to save up the energy/fat as a fuel to use later.  Sleeping brings down to cortisol levels.

So don’t worry be happy and enjoy. Happy New Year.

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