There isn’t one of us lovely ladies out there who doesn’t want to look and feel amazing in our Christmas party dresses this season. It’s hard to believe we’re already in November, so don’t put it on the back burner…Now is the time to make changes so you can truly enjoy the reward of looking and feeling your best body in six weeks. So now that all the New Years Eve party dresses are available, start getting motivated by browsing online or in store and imagine how much better your dream dress will look when you’re slimmer, toned and beautifully made up.
Now that you’ve chosen the rifle, don’t hesitate to line up the body that’s going to carry it. Look at this as a project, NOT a diet. This is a self-improvement project that will not only get you ready for your New Year’s Eve party dresses, but also get you in the best mental and physical shape for the best holiday enjoyment.
So many people rush before Christmas simply because they don’t start preparing in time. So before I give you my top tips for losing a stone over Christmas, it’s important that you organize yourself to avoid stress, which is a major factor in overeating. Now make a list, one for gifts and one for cards. Aim to have most of the shopping and card writing done by the first week of December (or sooner if possible). Also, do a mini spring clean now, try filling one black bag with unneeded clothes, toys, etc., keeping in mind all the extra stuff that will be coming to your house on the big day. Do any DIY work to keep the house looking good and everything working, such as electrical items, painting, carpet cleaning, and more.
NOW that your environment is clean and clutter-free, you can start a weight loss self-improvement project and enjoy managing your health, energy and well-being, not to mention turning heads on the dance floor in Christmas party dresses.
TIP 1 – WATER, WATER, WATER. 2 liters a day is needed for general hydration and then extra for any physical activity. Aim for an extra liter per 60 minutes to compensate for sweat. The key is to spread your water intake throughout the day and ideally drink 2 glasses before each meal to help the brain feel full via receptors sent from the stomach. Water helps metabolize fats and flush out toxins. Often people can lose up to 5 pounds just by drinking water because they were so dehydrated before. So the first tip is to start your day with water, every day. No exceptions.
TIP 2 – GREEN IS GOOD. Fitting into your cute New Year’s Eve party dresses mostly depends on what you eat. Greens are full of goodness with little or no calories and should be eaten in abundance. I recommend 3-4 servings of green vegetables each day. Maybe start the day with a spinach based smoothie, add cucumber, water and any kind of berries (I use strawberries) or half a banana. Remember the natural sugars in fruit, so avoid adding more than 2 teaspoons to your blender. This is pure goodness in a glass and will provide fantastic energy for the day. Then for lunch make a green salad with chicken or fish, or make a pot of soup with pre-chopped vegetables (Dunnes or Tesco), chopped lentils (the little orange ones) and 2 chicken stock. For dinner, stir-frying green peppers, broccoli, ham, asparagus, or an omelet with some spinach, mushrooms, or squash will ensure you’re eating a tasty, nutritious diet. Other vegetables are fine too, just limit to one serving as they are a bit higher in carbs. These include onions, carrots, parsley and turnips.
TIP 3: STAY REGULAR. In order to lose weight, it is very important that you eat regularly. By this I mean you should never let yourself get too hungry. As blood sugars drop, they reach a point where you are beyond rational thought, so intense are the hunger pangs. This is when you eat the wrong thing and a lot of it. The key is to eat every 3 to 4 hours and have some protein at every meal and snack. Protein will keep hunger at bay, keep you feeling full longer, and protect lean muscle so you burn fat instead (the secret to slimming down). Develop a little routine and aim to eat at the same times every day. For example: breakfast at 8 (smoothie and poached egg on whole-wheat toast), snack at 11 (protein snack or apple and 6 Brazil nuts), lunch at 2 (soup or salad and low-fat yogurt), dinner at At 5.30 and another snack. at 8.30. Always carry snacks and a bottle of water.
TIP 4 – START MOVEMENT. For the next 6 weeks, I recommend starting to walk daily. Fresh air, endorphin releases, toned legs and feet, and burning belly fat… It’s a no-brainer. Make time, don’t wait for it. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes, an hour is ideal. Find a friend for company, either real or one on you tube. I listen to motivational speakers like Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins or Louise Hay and come back inspired, energized and happy. If you prefer music, go for it. Walk fast, walk tall and remember how great you’ll look and feel in no time. (We recommend checking out our tips for a healthy heart.)
TIP 5 – WATCH WHITE. dull colored foods are generally devoid of any goodness and will not do any good in the party dress plan. Aim to minimize white bread, rolls, baguettes, even white rice and pasta as much as possible. Cookies are obviously a poor choice, as are crisps and chips. These refined carbohydrates will wreak havoc with blood sugar and offer no real nutrition. Aim for wholemeal or wholegrain varieties, and generally try to keep bread to 1-2 slices per day. Stick to one if you eat potatoes, and half a cup for rice or pasta.
TIP 6 – MEAT, FISH and VEGETABLES. Protein foods should be consumed regularly, but not all are created equal. The best choices are fish, especially white fish, which is very low in fat, fatty fish about twice a week, and chicken or turkey. Lamb and pork are not so good and should be limited to about once a week. Lean cuts of red meat are in moderation, and for fiber try to include beans or pulses at least twice a week. For supply control, aim for the size of a deck of cards or 2-3 ounces per meal.
So there you go… Eat regularly, drink water, eat greens at every meal, reduce carbs to half a cup per meal, protein is key, keep fruit to 4 and get moving.
For more information on how to lose weight for the festive season and slip into your Christmas party dress, contact your local clinic here.