Parent Teacher Magazine Union County Public School Jan/Feb 2016 | Page 10

Eleven tips to losing weight after the holidays
By Julia Walter
Owner, Charlotte-Waxhaw Fit Body Boot Camp

It happened! You had best intentions but found that you didn’t
stick to your plan and you gained weight over the holiday season.
What do you do? Cry? Throw a fit? Wait until next January to start
over? Those all may sound like nice options but they will not get you
back on track.
Do not wait until another day to get your health back! Start
with the following:
1. Schedule a workout. Jumpstart your metabolism with cardio

and resistance training.
2. Make your next meal a healthy one. The choice is all up to

you.
3. Drink more water. It is a common mistake to think you are

hungry when you are actually thirsty. Drinking enough water

not only keeps you hydrated but also helps to flush toxins

from your system.
4. Detox your body for a couple days by eating the following

foods that promote alkalinity: grapefruit, mangos, grapes,

blueberries, apples, pears, oranges, bananas, pineapple,

avocados, mushrooms, lettuce, olives, asparagus, spinach,

broccoli, sweet potato, green beans, squash, olive oil,

green tea, herb teas, raw honey.
5. Prepare your food on Sunday afternoons for the following

week. When your food is already in containers with the

correct portion and ready to grab; you won’t be tempted to

grab bad choices at a drive-through or from a vending
machine.
6. Cut back alcohol consumption. These are empty calories
7. Avoid soda!
8. Do not skip meals but eat five small meals spaced about 3

hours apart to keep your blood sugar level steady. The

sudden drop in blood sugar causes you to reach for sugar

which will spike your blood sugar levels.
9. Go for a long walk or change your environment when

tempted to eat out of boredom or mood.
10. Set realistic goals. If you gained ten pounds over the month

of December it is not all going to come off in one day.
11. Find an accountability partner.
Jillian Michaels has some great advice in the Self Magazine article
written by Erin Bried
Focus on Your Endgame. “Ask yourself, ‘Why do I want to be in
shape?’ and write all those reasons down. Be specific. I don’t know
what ‘I want to be healthy’ means, but I do know what wearing
a bikini or fitting into your wedding dress means. Put your list
everywhere to constantly remind yourself why you’re doing what
you’re doing and how your life will improve by becoming fitter.
Don’t Be a Baby. “It’s very easy to fall into a victim mentality, where
everything that’s hard feels like a punishment. But when it comes to
your body, it’s worth it. I don’t love to work out, but I love what it
does in my life. I’m not excited about chicken and broccoli again, or
the treadmill, but I’m excited about my skinny jeans.”
Reframe Your Sucky Days. “Everybody who tries something new
starts out crappy, awkward, and uncomfortable