Fastest way to Lose Weight During the Holidays

The holiday spirit came early this year as we’re all desperate to find holiday cheer in 2020. Winter + Covid brings days filled with Netflix & Chill, sweatpants, and warmth found in the most indulgent of foods. Grocery aisles fill up with holiday favorites and social media ads entice you to buy one get one free peppermint bark & snowflake cheetos (who comes up with this stuff?)

Caution goes out the window and we deal with the holiday bloat and raging headaches because it’s “normal” and everyone is doing it! 

You know what everyone one else is doing… complaining about the notorious burden come New Year’s day: the Holiday “15.”

That’s right, the weight gain and feeling BLAH.  

Here’s the thing, I’m not talking about deprivation during the holidays. Instead, I want to give you approachable ideas to help you enjoy the sweetness in life without counting calories and  inevitable gut rot.  

Imagine not saying, “I need to go on a diet, “ and instead developing a New Year’s resolution that is fun and exciting. 

Here are the fastest ways to lose weight and avoid the gut rot during the holidays. 

Balance: Balance your gut health, balance your plate, and balance your mind. Imbalance causes compensation which often leads to long term chaos. For example, you won’t fix your wellness if you’re stuck in a crappy relationship or dead end career. You won’t fix your gut bloat with chronic stress or a high population of bad gut bacteria. Balance your Yin & Yang with a few of my favorite resources. 

Real Plans: A custom meal planner for all diets, schedules and tastes:

Probiotics: A balance of good bacteria fights off the bad bacteria supporting the immune function, controlling inflammation, and supports weight management. Check out a few of my favs-> Women’s Probiotic or MegaSpore (use TAKE20 at checkout!)

Drinking Chocolate because there’s always a time when we need to balance the holiday cookies with something a little more gut friendly. EDGE drinking chocolate is sweetened with Monkfruit to help avoid the gut rot and balance the blood sugar roller coaster. 

Have Rules: Stop giving up on yourself and use some control :) You may think there’s no stopping the holiday weight gain but that’s your excuse to eat more.  Set standards and allow for certain foods. Have rewards and penalties (like take a walk or drink more water.) Remember the commitment you make with yourself - you’re worth it. 

Get Jiggy with it: Move your body, even if that means sledding with your kids, taking brisk winter walks to look at holiday lights, or jamming out to the holiday tunes. Heck, you can even do a few sit-ups or push-ups during your favorite Netflix series. Ready for an at home workout program? Contact me here-> [email protected]

Pace Yo’ Self: Eating a lot does not make you put on weight. It is the how and what you eat that makes you gain the unwelcome weight. Space out your meals so that you don’t have to unbutton your pants at the dinner table. By filling your system only 70% you allow your stomach the time to process and metabolize your food. It’s also a practice to pause 3 hours between meals so that your hunger hormones stay in balance. 

Stay in balance with this holiday friendly recipe.  

APPLE SQUASH CARROT SOUP

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium butternut squash, peeled

and chopped

1 large apple, cored and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 teaspoons curry powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)

or water

½ cup dairy-free milk of your choice

Create the soup base. In a large pot, add the extra virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped butternut squash, apple, and carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg, curry powder, sea salt, and black pepper to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth (or water) to the pot and stir. Let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Make it creamy. You can use an immersion blender to make the soup smooth or blend the soup in batches using a stand up blender. When the soup is blended, then add it back to the pot and add the dairy-free milk. Reheat the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings. Enjoy!

Food regulates metabolism and creates building blocks for healthy hormones. Don’t cheat yourself by consuming crap. Eat well, live well, and follow your gut. 

Be Gutsy as a Mother,

-Mary

Ps: If you need a gut reset after the holiday stuff sign up for my 5-day gut health challenge where you will discover your gut has a mind of its own! learn more here-> REVIVE