Ah, January.
The eggnog has curdled, the fudge was devoured weeks ago and Aunt Martha’s fruitcake is now doing double duty as a door stop. The holidays are behind us and, for some, the only reminder of the halls we decked is the extra fat that jiggles on our gluteus maximus.
If your clothes fit a bit snugly these days, take heart: experts say the average American gains 10 to 15 pounds between Halloween and New Year’s Day. Even people with good intentions end up gaining weight, said clinical nutritionist Christine Mohler, adding that having just a single piece of candy or glass of eggnog creates a chemical reaction that lowers self control.
“And then you actually crave more of those foods. It’s an addictive cycle,” she said.
To take off holiday pounds safely, Mohler counsels her clients to drink plenty of water, avoid processed foods, limit caloric intake and step up their exercise routine. She doesn’t believe in diets, saying "weight loss has to be a lifestyle change." And New Year’s resolutions generally fail because people tend to eat emotionally and use food as medication or to feel better, she said.
“So if something goes wrong they grab a chocolate bar. You can only have self discipline so long before you sabotage yourself.”
CSUF Human services major Cassandra Madsen Peterson typically gains three to five pounds during the holidays and this year was no exception. But being a Weight Watchers member forced her to stay on track and kept her accountable.
As for New Year’s resolutions, she doesn’t believe they are any more effective than making resolutions at other times of the year.
“I believe a slower, steadier pace is most successful,” Peterson said. “I take it a day at a time, utilize my groups, track my food intake daily, and ‘get back on the horse’ if I have a bad day.”
Most experts agree that successful weight loss combines diet and exercise. But knowing what type of exercise is most effective makes a big difference when it comes to losing body fat, said Alain Bourgault, group exercise coordinator at the CSUF Student Fitness Center.
“People think ‘I’m going to get on the treadmill and burn a lot of fat.’ It does, but at a lower rate,” he said.
Most of the weight loss that comes from doing cardio is water, Bourgault explained. Instead, people should focus on resistance training, which builds strength and increases metabolism. He recommends 30 to 45 minutes on cardio and then an hour on machines that target specific body parts, like chest presses, leg lifts, leg curls, shoulder raises and arm curls.
Bourgault said the best way to get back in shape is to take a drop-in fitness class or get a session with a personal trainer, who will get you motivated and help you set goals. A realistic and healthy weight loss goal is one pound per week, he said. Any more than that is just water.
Bourgault and nutritionist Mohler agree on the most important advice: Don’t focus on the scale.
“Muscle weighs more than fat,” Bourgault said. “The scale may not change but you can look at your body and see that you’re looking better and feeling better too.”
Here are some weight-loss strategies for the New Year:
• Drink water. Start your day with an eight ounce glass of water and then drink four to six ounces every hour; that’s what it takes for liver and kidneys to function properly.
• Eat on time. Your body requires nutrients within 30 minutes of being awake. Don't go to the gym on an empty stomach - this forces your brain to break down muscle to feed itself to get through the exercise. Then it stores everything as fat because your body thinks it's starving. Eat a snack every three hours to keep your blood sugar even.
• Eat right. You should consume a little bit of protein all day long. Choose shakes, chicken breast, hummus, a handful of almonds. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables (except carrots-they contain a lot of sugar). Fruit is good, but limit bananas, which also have a high sugar content. Better choices are apples, pears, oranges, berries and other lower glycemic index fruit.
• Avoid processed foods – anything with a lot of flour, sugar or salt. Eat as fresh and natural as possible. Think quick food, not fast food. An apple or and a handful of almonds are great.
• Kick up your exercise routine. (Make sure to drink water!) If you need a jump start, try a new form of exercise. If you’re always doing yoga try kick boxing. If you’re always doing cardio try weights. And take the time to stretch so you won’t hurt anything.
• Take a multi-vitamin and a fish oil (essential fatty acid). It’s important while you’re cutting back on calories.
• Avoid alcohol - it forces your body to create and store more fat.
• Don’t starve yourself. For most women 1100-1300 calories will safely get fat off. For men it’s 1600-2000 a day. Those are safe zones to stay within.
