The holiday season is just around the corner and that means a few things are going to happen. You are going to have an awkward conversation about your future with your family about your future, your family is inevitably going to bring up something political, but throughout it all there is going to be food to occupy your time during the awkward silences.
Here are a few tips on how to get back into your pre-holiday body the healthy way:
Before we go any further remember there is nothing wrong with having extra weight on you, and as long as you feel healthy and you are fueling your body properly don’t worry about how you look on the outside. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is the inside that matters.
Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy in your body. When that energy is not used up that is how fat begins to grow in your body. By reducing the amount of high carb food like bread, pasta, and pizza your body will turn to the muscle and fat cells to energize itself. You still need to eat plenty of food while cutting carbs so foods like vegetables, fruits, meats, and nuts will become your best friends during this diet.
HIIT the gym
High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is a great way to jumpstart your fat loss program. While working out carve out about 10 minutes at the end to do a HIIT work out. During HIIT you start out at a brisk walking pace for a minute, after that minute kick it into high gear and push yourself for a minute going as fast as you can go without harming yourself, continue to go back and forth between high and medium/low intensity for 3-7 cycles 3 times a week. Your body will continue to burn calories throughout the day with this workout.
Try out some of the group classes at the school gym
So, like me, some of you might be nervous to work out because people might be watching you. And because of that you don’t want to go to any of the group fitness classes. TRY IT! Trust me they are a lot of fun and no one is watching you. Group classes give you the extra push to give it your all. Also bringing a friend makes the gym more bearable.
Journal
More or less a general life tip here, but keeping a journal is a great way to motivate yourself. After about a week or two you will be able to flip back to when you started and see how much progress you have made.
Play music
While working out I always listen to a ton of different music. I motivate myself to workout by discovering new music while at the gym. Apps like Spotify and Pandora give you the opportunity to find new music to keep your workout playlist fresh.
Rome wasn’t built in a day
The worst part of being on a diet and work out plan is not seeing results after the first hour or two. While it does suck you have to give it time. Set realistic expectations for your goals and don’t freak out about not seeing the results you wanted to in a week or two.
Have a healthy holiday season from all of us at HC Seattle U!