Irene from Hawaii sent me an email yesterday that you may be able to relate to. She wrote that, “despite my best intentions the holidays have left me little bloated and a bit chubbier than I was back on Nov 25th. I know I want to slim down quickly but I’m not quite sure where to start. Have any tips?”
Oh don’t sweat it, Irene, you’re not alone. The key is to quickly bounce back to your healthy routine, light meals and wholesome ingredients.
Here are four simple steps to losing your holiday bloated belly…
1. Loads of water: to flush out all those toxins and extra calories in addition to restoring proper hydration to your overly taxed digestive system you’ll need to make a focused effort to drink lots of water over the next few weeks. Start each day with a tall glass and continue sipping water all day long.
2. Intermittent fasting: let’s face it, you over ate big time over the holidays and now you feel it in the tightness of your favorite pants. All this extra eating leaves your body conditioned for frequent hunger pains and food cravings. To break the cycle of extra calories practice taking 6 to 8 waking hours each day for intermittent fasting. (Be sure to clear this with your doctor if you have any unique factors that could make fasting unsafe.) This can be as simple as cutting out one meal each day as well as in between meals snacking. When you do eat be sure to keep it lean and green, avoiding simple sugars, grains and anything that spikes blood sugar.
3. Fiber filled dinners: build your January dinners around a base of fiber. A bed of mixed greens, a pile of zucchini noodles, a handful of shredded cabbage or a few cups of steamed veggies make a brilliant base to hold a serving of lean protein. In addition to the cleansing power of the fiber you’ll be replacing higher calorie bases like rice, pasta or bread with low calorie veggies which goes a long way in your efforts to lose that holiday jiggle. (Start with this recipe for Teriyaki Salmon over a bed of Cauliflower Rice!)
4. Protein shake meals: one or two scoops of high quality protein powder mixed with water creates a quick, nutritious and slimming meal replacement. Not only does a protein shake meal keep calories under control, it also fills you up with satisfying and sustaining nutrients. Be sure to use a high quality protein powder that is free of artificial sweeteners and undesirable ingredients. I use Jay Robb egg white protein powder that’s dairy free and sweetened with all natural stevia.
This recipe for Teriyaki Salmon is a wonderful meal to enjoy while ditching holiday pounds. And while this dish could easily be enjoyed based on flavor alone, there’s also loads of nutritional benefit to be had. We often hear about the importance of Omega 3 Fatty Acids, and the need for more of these in our diet. Salmon is a quality, natural source for natural Omega 3 Fatty Acids. In addition, salmon is filled with protein, vitamins and minerals that are essential to good health.
Protein and fiber rich meals like this will get you well on your way to losing that holiday jiggle!
Protein and fiber rich meals like this will get you well on your way to losing that holiday jiggle!
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