The holiday hangover is real
Got the holiday hangover? Feeling a little guilty about all the food you enjoyed with family? You're not alone. Holidays are one of the best times of the year to be with the people we love, but the meal preps, decorations, and travel come with a cost. Loading up on extra calories, added sugar, fat, and processed ingredients adds weight, and the stress of shopping, decorating, lifting boxes, and traveling to see relatives can leave your back sore on top of it. The good news: your physical therapist has some tips to help you get back in shape and shed the extra pounds.
Start with your diet
Start a food journal. It's common advice, and usually ignored, but keeping a journal of what you ate and how much during and after the holidays gives you a clear picture to work from, and makes it easier to plan a healthier meal plan if you're determined to lose the weight.
Focus on the greens. Leaning on plant-based meals means banking on nutrients and lower-calorie food, which helps you lose weight faster and more safely. Holiday meats add up quickly in calories, so trimming portions of meat and increasing your greens, even something as simple as eating meat once a day instead of at every meal, can make a real difference.
Skip the dessert. It's hard to hear, but cutting the leftover cake and cookies is one of the most effective ways to remove unwanted fat. Try frozen fruit instead of a cookie: it satisfies a sugar craving while giving you vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, all of which support your immune system.
Don't forget your body
Proper posture. It's a constant reminder in physical therapy and an easy one to overlook. Gaining weight affects posture, and slouching tends to follow, which brings back pain with it. If you notice yourself slouching, make it a point to sit or stand properly. Practice makes perfect.
Breathe. It might sound like an odd tip, but breathing properly is itself an exercise, and it helps you relax. Deep breathing has been shown to improve circulation, stabilize blood pressure, improve mental clarity, and increase overall energy. To try it: find a quiet spot, place both hands on your stomach, close your eyes, and breathe in through your nose for a count of 4, feeling your stomach expand. Pause for 2 seconds, then exhale slowly for a count of 8, as if blowing through a straw, and repeat.
Stay disciplined, and ask for help
Discipline is essential if you're serious about shedding those calories. Do your own research, and don't hesitate to ask your physical therapist for more advice. That way, you lose the weight effectively and safely.