In a little while they will be back: the holidays!
Maybe they will be a little different this year from previous years, but I think we can assume that good food and drink will play a big role as always.
A lot of people like the holidays, but they don’t, because they worry that they will arrive. Others actually want to shed a few pounds first so that they look good in their festive outfits.
In this article, I’ll give you tips and steps you can follow to lose up to 5 pounds before the holidays. That way you can enjoy yourself without having to worry about gaining weight.
Do you not necessarily have to lose weight, but do you just like to feel better about yourself or to feel fitter? Read on, these tips are also interesting for you!
Make a weight loss plan
This is something that always applies: to achieve a goal, you have to map out the way to it. Make sure your goal is clear and achievable and make a plan so you know how you are going to achieve it.
Clear: the more completely you have in mind which goal you want to achieve, the easier it will be to really continue.
Feasible: try to set realistic goals, because losing 20 kilos for the holidays will not work and would not be healthy.
How to achieve: If you know what to adhere to and do what you’ve agreed with yourself, all you have to do is rely on the process to get rid of those excess pounds on time!
It also helps: visualize what you will look like and how you will feel with a few pounds less. Healthy, fit and very confident probably. Keep this image in your mind during difficult times, because that’s what you do it for.
For now your goal is already clear: lose 5 pounds before the holidays. I made the plan for you this time. It is not difficult at all and achievable for everyone as long as you go through the steps.
In 5 steps to a slim body
If you follow these steps and the accompanying tips, you will lose up to 5 kilos in a healthy way so that you can start the holidays slim and fit.
- Switch the button
- Stop sugars and fast carbohydrates
- Drink green smoothies and vegetable juices
- Move
- Eat consciously
And it pays off! Research shows that adults in Western societies gain an average of half a kilogram between mid-November and mid-January (1).
This may not seem like much, but most people don’t lose that extra weight after that. So preventing you from gaining weight is really a good idea!
- Switch the button
As said: set goals and make agreements with yourself. Know what you are doing it for and keep the end result in mind.
A healthier and slimmer body, more self-confidence, being able to do more, feeling more energetic, feeling better about yourself; all charities and end results. As long as it is feasible for you.
If you have a clear picture in mind and have turned the button that you really want to do something about those excess pounds, the rest of the steps will be easier too.
- Stop sugars and (fast) carbohydrates
This is a good start if you want to lose kilos: stop sugar immediately. The empty calories do nothing for you nutritionally, and you can eat sugar again quickly enough.
Quitting carbohydrates – especially fast carbohydrates – has to do with the energy your body requires. You can distinguish two types of carbohydrates:
Fast carbohydrates; these can be found in biscuits, rice, pasta, potatoes, noodles, bread, soft drinks, candy, but also in fruit.
Slow carbohydrates; these can be found in sweet potato, quinoa, oats, buckwheat and vegetables.
Your body indicates when it needs energy, but it instinctively responds to foods with a high content of carbohydrates (sugars), because we get energy from them quickly and can quickly store it as fat. That was important in prehistoric times to survive.
Your body does not realize that in our current society we have more than enough food available, for which we no longer have to hunt. So we use less energy and have more food at our disposal.
To combat obesity, it is therefore important that you learn to suppress those instinctive impulses towards carbohydrate-rich foods. Therefore, adhere to the following guidelines with regard to your carbohydrate intake:
When you eat carbohydrates, go for slow carbohydrates. You digest these more slowly and you store them less quickly as fat.
Avoid fast carbohydrates. You do this by leaving processed food as much as possible and eating it as naturally as possible.
Eat a maximum of one serving of fruit per day. Fruit is a fast carbohydrate, but it is a natural product and also contains many healthy nutrients. Therefore, one serving is okay if you want to lose weight
Alternative energy sources for your body
Your body can also obtain energy from proteins and fats. These nutrients can also stimulate fat burning. This way you can lose weight extra quickly but in a healthy way.
You can find healthy fats and proteins in nuts, kernels, seeds, fish, (grass-fed / organic) meat, poultry, oils and some vegetables such as avocado.
If you want more information about the benefits of cutting back on carbohydrates, read this article. Do you want to get started with it directly? Request Jasper’s shopping list, which states exactly which products you can take if you want to eat less carbohydrates.
If you are not such a fan of vegetables, nuts, seeds, seeds, but would like to lose weight quickly, then vegetable juices and smoothies might be something for you. This way you get all important nutrients with few calories. In the next step I will tell you more about these green energy bombs and how they can help you lose weight
3- Drink green smoothies and vegetable juices
This is perhaps the most effective and efficient step in the list. By eating low carbohydrates you can lose 1 to 2 kilos a week, but if you want to speed up this process I recommend drinking green smoothies and vegetable juices.
If you skip this step you will also lose weight, but more slowly. It will probably take you a little longer to reach your goal.
Green smoothies and juices contain all the nutrients you need: antioxidants; vitamins; minerals; slow carbohydrates that ensure that you are saturated for a long time, and healthy proteins and fats that stimulate your fat burning.
They are real energy bombs that ensure that you do not reach for unhealthy snacks.
You can drink a green smoothie in place of a meal, for example for breakfast or lunch. It is also a great snack. Then you can drink one smoothie throughout the day if you feel that you are in the mood for (unhealthy) snacks.
The smoothie ensures that you feel fit again and that your hunger pangs disappear. This way you lose weight easily and quickly.
Making healthy green smoothies and juices is not difficult at all, but you have to know how. To get the right composition of nutrients and a great taste, it is wise to use a good recipe, so that you get the most out of the smoothie.
Need inspiration? The Smoothie Weight Loss Plan contains many easy to make recipes with a balanced composition so that you get the right nutrients. Use it to make tasty fresh green smoothies and vegetable juices from different types of vegetables.
- Move (more)
There’s really no need to spend hours in the gym sweating or running a half marathon. Sport only makes up 30% if you want to lose weight, nutrition 70%.
Long running sessions will not give you the desired result anyway, because you mainly train your fitness and burn fat to a lesser extent. In addition, your joints are very heavily loaded, which can cause injuries and be even further away from home.
Still, a little more exercise can give that extra boost to speed up the weight loss process. A few tips to get you started:
Take the stairs, ride your bike to work, and go around the block during recess. Those little things can make a difference. These are all extra steps and when added together you have quite a bit of exercise!
Do you want a more intensive approach or do you already exercise a lot? Then focus on short intensive training sessions in the coming period. You can also do this at home with (light weights). With this you burn fat efficiently without overloading your body.
I have listed for you which activities burn the most calories. Maybe there is something for you too.
Tip: after an intensive training it is best to drink a green smoothie with some protein powder; this is important for muscle recovery.
Eat consciously
Many people live on autopilot, are often in a hurry and are not really aware of themselves and their surroundings. This means that eating often also happens on autopilot.
Do you do this too? You do not think about what you eat in, because you have to eat quickly between work or even during work. Eating also often happens behind the television, laptop or with a smartphone at hand.
Studies show that people who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat because they cannot pay attention to their body’s signals that they are full (2, 3).
Avoid eating too much by teaching yourself to eat mindfully. You may already know mindfulness. It is about focusing with your full attention on the now, without judgment and an open attitude.
Several studies show that people who practice mindful eating are less likely to gain weight (4, 5).
People who are (very) overweight also benefit from it, according to studies from Tilburg University (6). Diabetics who were more mindful appeared to reach for food less when there was bad emotions or when food was nearby and also paid more attention to their eating behavior than patients who were less mindful.
Mindful eating and lose 5 pounds before holidays
When you eat mindfully, you are consciously concerned with why you eat and what you eat, rather than eating on autopilot. You are not distracted by external factors, but you focus on what is on your plate, how it tastes, and whether you are full.
Why is this important? By eating mindfully:
You enjoy your food more
Do you feel full more quickly
You also have a moment of peace and attention for yourself
Later on during the holidays you will also benefit from mindful eating, because you will be able to listen to your body better and make informed choices more easily.
All in all, mindful eating is just a very good habit, with which you can lose even more weight after these 5 kilos if you want to. Read my article about mindful eating and weight loss if you want to continue to learn this good habit!
To work!
We still have a few weeks before the holidays start. If you get started now, you will soon appear slim and fit at the Christmas dinner!
In short:
Flip that switch. And get started today.
Only buy natural foods. Use the shopping list. Avoid processed foods.
Order the Smoothie Weight Loss Plan for recipes specially formulated for fast weight loss in a healthy way.
Exercise enough. If you want you can do short, very intensive workouts.
Eat consciously and take time for your meals.
If you still have 4 weeks at the time of reading this article, you can also use the 7 × 7 Weight Loss Program. The handy weekly schedules of this program, combined with the above tips, will help you lose those 5 kilos in 4 weeks!
Remember to regularly consider your end goal and imagine how good it will feel when you reach your goal.
Goodluck! I am very curious about the results. Tell us all about it in the comments below, via email or post a message on our Facebook page!
