How much do you earn on Christmas and New Year and what to do to lose those extra pounds

The Set off and end-of-year reunions are no longer excuses for dieting on standby. Instead, these first days of the year, with the goals for 2023 still fresh, could be the best time to start a weight loss plan, or at least become aware of what you have gained during the year. Christmas and New Year’s Eveand what to do to discount those kilos that are excess in our body.

But to lose weight it’s not enough to count calories, eliminate fat and avoid sweets. It is much more effective, and less expensive, if the plan is accompanied by a change in habits.

Another God great holiday taboos It’s how much weight we end up gaining after analyzing the toll of four major meals, added to the large number of New Year’s farewell parties that have already been a repeating figure throughout the month of December.

In Spain, for example, each person gains weight, on average, between 3 and 5 kilos during the holidays, according to a study conducted by the NC Salud group over 5 years on a sample of 200,000 Spaniards. In other countries this average falls (Japan, Finland) or rises, as in the United States. In Argentina the values ​​are similar to the peninsular ones.

To lose those extra kilos you need to make small gestures, easy to apply in everyday life and which will make the journey much more bearable. Here we explain 17 habits to adopt after a party hangover this will cause anything fattened up to be quickly shed. Of course, you have to stick to them 100% to see results.

Ask first

Many people are used to eating outside the home for work reasons, especially at noon. One of the habits to change is, for example, being the first to order when going to a restaurant with a group of people. It may sound silly, but it’s not. Studies have been conducted to this effect and the conclusion is that we tend to order the same thing that others have ordered before, because we like to imitate our peers. If it’s someone who has the same needs as you, that’s fine, but if they don’t, you’ll end up eating more than you need. Even better if you look up the menu online a few hours before and decide what to choose.

Eat more protein, fiber and healthy fats

But, let’s start at the beginning. The first thing to consider is whether the food you eat has the required amount of protein, fiber and healthy fats. These are three slow-digesting macros that will make the most of what you eat, keep you full for much longer, and prevent you from overeating.

Cooking at home

One of the basics recommended by experts if you are serious about losing weight. At least half of what is eaten must be home-cooked food. Among other things because pre-cooked or restaurant dishes by definition have more calories and more salt. According to some researchers, they can make us release dopamine, an addictive hormone.

At John Hopkins Hospital in New York, they came to the conclusion that eating in restaurants means ingesting an average of 200 more calories than eating at home.

early dinner

Both at home and out, it is advisable not to have dinner after 9. It is not because after that time the metabolism slows down as is commonly believed, even if the truth is that those who dine late gain more weight than those who dine earlier. .

The reason is that the more time has passed since your last meal, the hungrier you get and you tend to eat the first thing you find in the fridge or buy on the go. It is often unhealthy food, with a lot of sugar and cholesterol. Furthermore, they are usually foods that do not promote sleep.

Start meals with a salad

Always try to start with a salad. In addition to filling the stomach, it can help keep glucose levels stable in the body.

But be careful with the sauces, always on the side. Adding a splash of oil and vinegar is not the same as adding a pink sauce. So you have to make sure they don’t serve it already mixed into the dish, which will save you no less than 300 calories. But it’s not about avoiding dressing. Fat helps the body absorb nutrients from soluble fats, which are very necessary for its proper functioning. If there is any other dish that calls for sauce, serve as little as possible.

Plan healthy menus

This way you avoid resorting to the first thing you find when you get home from work. You are too tired to cook and the most convenient thing is to order a pizza or take something from the freezer, which adds at least a thousand extra calories to your diet. The secret is to have healthy foods that are prepared in advance or about to be cooked.

Empty cabinets and food storage places

Avoiding temptation is one of the hardest things when trying to lose weight. An effective way to do this is to empty out the closet. It is essential that you get rid of any food or drink from your home that is not helping your weight loss goal. And then don’t replace them, of course.

If you have sodas, cereals or cookies in the house, rest assured that sooner or later you will end up eating them.

Always snack on healthy foods

Instead, what you need is a good supply of healthy things to snack on. Cut the vegetables and leave them prepared in the fridge to mix them with humus, for example; have nuts and fresh fruit always on hand. Bring something with you even when you will be away from home for a few hours, in addition to water.

Create food rituals

Establishing food rituals helps control your diet, and it has been shown that those living in an unorganized environment are more susceptible to weight gain. This happens when, for example, you travel a lot for work or your children do a lot of extra schoolwork at different times.

Since in these cases it becomes difficult to plan the day, experts recommend establishing rituals, such as finding a moment to meet with everyone at the table and never in front of the TV. If you eat at work, eating in a plaza instead of the office is a healthier option. A classic bad habit is distracting yourself with the TV or listening to music during meals.

According to some studies, people eat much more when their attention is focused on other things and not on the act of eating. It seems that keeping your mind busy can block certain signals from your brain so you know you’ve had enough.

It is also not recommended to eat while standing or walking. Experts say that 30% more of it is ingested than when sitting at the table. They suggest that the reason is that, subconsciously, the body considers food eaten standing up to be nothing more than a snack, and this leads to making the next one more abundant than usual.

Rest your fork on the table after each bite.

We continue to the table. In addition to focusing on each bite and chewing well, get used to the simple gesture of leaving the fork next to the plate after each bite. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain it’s full, and that’s one reason why junk food is so bad. Not just because of the extra calories and additives, but also because it’s hard for the body to realize it’s already getting enough.

So it is advisable to focus and take it easy. And if you’re eating with someone, stop chatting too.

Don’t drink high-calorie drinks

What we eat isn’t the only thing we need to watch when we want to lose weight. You need to avoid drinking calories, and that goes for both soft drinks and packaged tea. The problem is that they lack fiber and healthy fats, two satiating nutrients that are essential for not feeling hungry.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that participants had to drink significantly more (and therefore ingest more calories) to get rid of hunger through drinking rather than solid foods.

Avoid the 0 calorie trap

Consuming artificial sweeteners can be counterproductive. This was stated by a study published in 2016 in the journal Cell Metabolism.

The reason is that the body associates the sweet taste of sugar with energy production. But because sweeteners don’t provide it, the brain is forced to recalibrate the association it makes between energy and sweetness. The results of tests conducted on mice concluded that they consumed 30% more calories with artificial sweeteners than when they ate foods with natural sugars.

chew food better

There are many factors that interfere with satiety, and some experts believe that both the act of chewing and the sound it makes help control what is consumed. For example, they think chewing is more effective than drinking when it comes to losing weight.

Another thing they found is that, for the same amount of calories, a thick shake is better than a thin one, because the former is more filling.

Congratulate yourself on your successes

Motivation is an engine of our decisions and activities and setting goals is necessary to have the courage and strength to follow a diet that helps you lose weight. Losing even a pound should already be cause for celebration, but the idea is to compensate with something unrelated to food.

The alternatives are many, from cultural and recreational activities to sports or learning new things.

don’t eat in bed

It seems impossible, but there are those who have the habit of eating in bed. Hurt. And not just how unsanitary and uncomfortable it is to be filled with crumbs and other remains. The bed is not even for watching TV, just for sleeping. Doing so trains your brain to associate slipping under the covers with sleep, making it easier to sleep like a baby.

Resting well is one of the golden rules for losing weight.

Have supportive family and friends

Something that is not only up to you, but that is important when you take your diet seriously, is to surround yourself with people who understand and support you. Even better if they share the same goals as you, because you’ll feel more accompanied and motivated.

It’s not easy to empathize with someone on a diet if you’ve never done it before. Nor is there anything worse than being surrounded by unhealthy food all the time, which is what happens when you have social relationships. That’s why you need to explain your weight loss plan to family and friends and ask them to support and encourage you in your goal.

don’t eat to eat

Finally, a question that perhaps should be asked at the outset. “Am I really hungry?” We have a certain tendency to eat to eat. For example, popcorn when you go to the movies. Or in an aperitif or at a business breakfast, because it is rich and free.

When you’re tempted to reach out, stop for a moment and ask yourself if you’re really hungry. If in doubt, test yourself by drinking a glass of water and waiting ten minutes. Oddly enough, it has been found that 60% of the time people respond to thirst by eating instead of drinking.