12 Days of Weight Loss
Give yourself the gift of a better body with daily tips for cutting calories and burning fat
By: Angela Kwan
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Have a Healthy Holiday
Here’s a way to ensure your diet and fitness goals don’t end up cast aside with the gift wrappings this year: Make one healthy choice every day leading up to the holidays. These 12 simple strategies will help you control calories, and even burn a few (almost 1,000!), while still enjoying the season. You might just find that these healthy efforts will lead to more virtuous choices, so you’ll look and feel better by 2011.
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Eat a Belly-Flattening Breakfast
Start your day with a hearty breakfast and stay satiated for a morning of holiday errands. This way, you’ll be less tempted to storm the food court during your shopping trip. Try these meal ideas to fill your belly and keep it flat through the new year.
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Improve Your Morning Latte
You can enjoy Starbucks’ seasonal drinks without packing on pounds—as long as you select strategically. Steer clear of sugar-loaded options like the Grande Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream, which clocks in at 540 calories. Instead, opt for the Gingerbread Latte to get your holiday fix for a fraction of the guilt. A Grande size with skim milk contains just 200 calories.
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Play in the Snow
Dust off your ice skates or skis for some wintry fun. A 150-pound person can burn 545 calories during an hour of ice skating, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing. Spend the afternoon outdoors and you won’t have to feel guilty for skipping the gym.
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Stay Hydrated
Remember to drink plenty of water despite the frigid temperature outside. Researchers at Virginia Tech recently reported that water can help middle-aged and older adults consume fewer calories. Half of the overweight participants in the study drank 2 cups of water before each meal. At the end of 12 weeks, this group lost 44% more weight than those who didn’t consume water before eating. Start drinking now and you’ll slim down by spring.
Drink and Be Merry
There’s no reason you can’t include alcohol in your December diet. But be smart when you imbibe. At your next holiday party, celebrate the season with a glass of Champagne, which contains only 80 calories. Eggnog with rum, on the other hand, can set you back 400!
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Do 10 Minutes of Cardio
Lifting weights or attending an hour-long Pilates class is probably not your number one priority right now. But squeeze in 10 minutes of cardio today and you can check “exercise” off your list. Grab your iPod, go for a quick jog around the neighborhood, and admire the lawn decorations. By the time you get through three songs on your holiday play list, you will have burned 100 calories.
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Play Santa Claus
Who needs reindeer and a sleigh? Deliver your gifts in person—on your bicycle. A 2010 study from Harvard School of Public Health found that just 5 minutes of daily bike riding can help premenopausal women decrease the risk of weight gain. So bundle up baby, it’s cold outside.
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Indulge in Cheese
Every holiday party touts an obligatory cheese plate, and there’s no need to be a Grinch about it. Enjoy your favorite hors d’oeuvres in moderation. A tablespoon of Brie contains just 50 calories, and one mini spinach and cheese quiche has only 45 calories. Plus, the calcium in cheese may even help boost your weight loss, so savor every last bite.
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Shop Smarter
Take an extra lap around the mall when you’re out searching for the perfect present. The average person can burn 56 calories with just 15 minutes of brisk walking. And the more bags you’re carrying, the more calories you’ll burn. You may never find a better excuse to shop until you drop.
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Give Yourself a Healthy Gift
While you’re raiding the aisles of Best Buy fulfilling everyone else’s wish lists, toss a Fitbit in the cart for yourself. This quarter-sized gadget tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled, and sleep quality. It also links to a personal profile page where you can log your eating, weight, and other health information ($99, www.fitbit.com).
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Fill Up Your Plate
Go ahead and pile appetizers onto your plate—a little plate. You’re more likely to consume fewer calories if you opt for the smaller dish. Remember, you’re trying to monitor your portions, so don’t double the number of trips to the party platter.
Photo Credit: Mitch Mandel
Rev Your Metabolism
Fend off holiday weight gain with a simple strength-training routine. These four medicine ball exercises will help you drop pounds in a hurry. You can do the workout at home while you watch A Charlie Brown Christmas for the 11th year in a row.
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More Ways to Stay Healthy Through the Holidays
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