Battling The Holiday Bulge

Image Credits: tylerandmimiford.com

    Hello everyone and welcome back from all the excessive food and drink the holidays bring every year! Now that the fun is all over, reality has now set in, most of us have gained unwanted pounds. According to the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, people who are not overweight gain about a 1 pound over the holiday season. This might sound not that bad, but if you do not lose that extra pound, it adds up every year. However, it is even worse for those who are overweight and obese. Those individuals usually gain up to 5 pounds each year. 

   Gaining weight is very easy to do, but losing weight is 2 - 3x harder. The reason why it is so hard is because of our own habits as humans beings. We have been taught to sit and eat as much as we can. We have also been brainwashed to think without diet or exercise we can lose 30 pounds in one month. You can not lose weight if you do not change the amount of calories you take in. Here is an simple equation to better explain what I am saying. 

Calories in > Calories out = Weight Gain

Calories in = Calories out = Plateau

Calories in < Calories out = Weight Loss

    Simple changes in your habits can get you on the right track to lower weight and better health. 80% of weight loss is what type of foods you eat. Learn how to eat clean and stay away from fried and fast-foods. Unhealthy foods will make the gap between your weight loss goals bigger and farther to reach. The reason why is, they do not give you the substantial nutrients needed to give your body the energy to function. This is why they are called "Empty Calories". It is also the reason why around 3 pm your energy levels seem to drop rapidly. So with a bad diet, how do you expect to have the energy to workout consistently? 

    Next, pick up your level of activities. Walking is great, but if that is all you are doing, then you will end up hitting a plateau in no time. Our bodies adjust to changes in 4 weeks, that is why it is essential to change up your routine from time to time. Do not be afraid to take it up a notch. If you already walk a mile with no problems, then move it up to 2 - 3 miles. Try out jogging for one minute and walking for 2 minutes. This will pick your heart rate up and burn more calories. There are so many types of cardio to incorporate in your cardiovascular training. 

    Finally, lift some weights. Cardio is great, but adding resistance training will help you reach your weight loss goals faster! Pick 2 - 3 days a week to lift wieghts and learn how to split your body up into sections. There are numerous magazines and sources on the internet to help you learn how to do splits, total body workouts, circuits, etc. You just have to be the one to take the intiative to make your weight loss & fitness goals come true.