IT’S just 12 weeks until party season, but a summer of barbecues, beers and ice cream may have left its mark on your waistline.
Does your autumn wardrobe feel a little tighter than usual? If you’re eager to lose unwanted pounds – and don’t want to turn to weight loss jabs – there is another way, and it comes without the nasty side effects.
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Sarah Campus, a personal trainer and founder of LDN MUMS FITNESS, says: “In the winter there are more social temptations which involve alcohol and festive treats.
“People tend to see a dip in their mood too, which can lead to overeating or skipping workouts.”
But you have plenty of time to lose weight comfortably – 100 days until Christmas Day, in fact – without major restrictions.
You don’t need to track everything you eat, you won’t need to banish all the foods or tipples you love, and you can still enjoy socialising.
Here are 12 tips to help shed pounds in the 12 weeks before the festive season kicks in.
#1 THE 80:20 RULE
EVERY tipple adds to the waistline, but you don’t have to completely give up alcohol.
“Alcohol is high in calories but provides very little nutritional value,” says Ro Huntriss, dietitian and chief nutrition officer at Simple Life App.
“It can lower inhibitions, making us more likely to overeat, and it disrupts sleep, which affects hunger and appetite hormones.”
Manage your alcohol intake by adopting the 80:20 rule, pick just two days a week to drink – remembering that less is better, of course.
Stick to small glasses of wine over large, alternate alcoholic drinks with water, and avoid the most calorie-dense tipples – sugary cocktails, creamy liqueurs and alcopops.
“Lighter options such as wine spritzers, clear spirits with a diet mixer or lower-strength beers are better choices,” says Ro.
#2 BRAKE ON BREKKIE
TRY pushing your breakfast back.
Research in the journal Nutrition and Diabetes suggests that this can be effective for reducing body weight, without much effort.
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Participants in the study were all put onto a diet but split into two groups; one fasted for 14 hours overnight and the other for 12 hours.
The 14-hour fast group lost 8.5 per cent of their starting weight over eight weeks compared to 7.1 per cent in the 12-hour group.
For someone who weighs 10st, this would be a loss of 11.9lbs.
Sarah explains: “Extending the overnight fasting window gives the body more time to use stored fat for energy.
“It helps regulate your hunger hormones too which can often reduce overeating later.”
#3 SNACK ATTACK
IS your waistline a victim of your mindless evening snacking?
A 2020 study by Vanderbilt University in the US found that calories eaten later in the day were less likely to be burned off.
“I often suggest that you stop eating two to three hours before bedtime to avoid unnecessary late-night calories,” says Sarah.
“It also means your body has the time it needs to digest food, helping you sleep better.”
But what if you get peckish?
“My clients often crave salty/crunchy foods such as crisps and popcorn, or sweet treats,” says Sarah.
She suggests a “small glass of whole milk and a small handful of almonds as they are a great protein and magnesium source, which can support relaxation and a better night’s sleep”.
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#4 FIRST PRIORITY
AS we get closer to the big day, our social lives whip up into a festive frenzy of dinners, parties and nights out.
Whatever your diary, make it a non-negotiable to start the day right with a healthy breakfast.
Go for high protein, like scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast or Greek yoghurt with berries if you’re on-the-go.
Sarah says: “This keeps you a lot fuller for longer and avoids the spike and crash of energy. “Protein stabilises your blood sugar and energy levels, reducing the likelihood for snacking on the wrong things or overeating.”
On the other hand, “a high sugar breakfast spikes your blood sugar levels giving you quick energy which then leads to a sharp crash,” Sarah said.
“This leads to cravings, irritability and overeating later in the day. This cycle keeps repeating, making weight loss much harder.”
#5 CARDIO-HO HO
NO festive ‘diet’ would be complete without movement – and less really is more.
Go for gentle cardio over long, intense workouts.
Louis Rennocks, PT and founder of MyBodyMentor, says: “You might smash yourself with a high intensity workout on Monday, but by Tuesday you’re sore, drained and far less likely to repeat it.
“That inconsistency kills progress.
“The best way to achieve [a calorie] deficit is by increasing your activity, especially through low-intensity cardio.
“Aim to keep your heart rate around 120 to 130 beats per minute; that’s the sweet spot where you can move every day, stay relaxed and keep burning calories consistently.”
Louis recommends cycling, swimming, a hilly or incline walk or the cross trainer.
“Walking is great, but it would need to be brisk, power walking.”
#6 TRY ‘SNACKS-ERCISING’
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IF you can’t fit in time for a workout, at least ‘exercise snack’ – short bursts of high-intensity movement throughout the day.
Sarah says: “Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, walk briskly during calls or meetings.
“Do short five to 10 minute bodyweight workouts in between meetings, during TV adverts or while the kettle is boiling (think squats, lunges and press ups) and park further away from your destination or get off transport earlier.”
Any extra movement that isn’t exercise (called non-exercise activity thermogenesis) burns calories and helps you hit weight loss goals.
#7 THE F**** WORD
ALMOST all Brits fall short of the recommended 30g of fibre per day, consuming an average of just 20g.
Not only does fibre keep our digestion moving comfortably, but it can help you slim down too.
Research in the Journal of Nutrition suggested that for every additional 1g of fibre a woman added to her diet (per 1,000 calories), she lost an average of 0.25 kg (about half a pound) over the 20-month study.
So, if you consumed an extra 8g of fiber per day, you might be 2kg (about 4.4lbs) lighter in 20 months.
The study found that typically, women who ate more fibre also ate less calories, owing to the idea that fibre is filling and prevents overeating.
Increase fibre by eating oats, fruits and seeds for breakfast, adding beans and chickpeas to your lunch salad, and bulking dinner with vegetables.
Snack on popcorn, chopped veggies and plain nuts.
#8 THE NOZEMPIC DIET
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WEIGHT loss jabs like Mounjaro and Wegovy mimic a hormone called GLP-1, which reduces appetite and keeps you fuller for longer.
But you don’t need a jab to stimulate GLP-1 production.
“Protein is a key natural stimulator of GLP-1,” says Ro.
“Include foods such as eggs, fish, meat, beans or dairy at every meal to help regulate your appetite.
“Certain types of fibre can help support GLP-1 release.
“Soluble fibres are found in foods like oats, lentils and apples, while fermentable fibres include inulin from onions and garlic, resistant starch from cooked and cooled potatoes, and some whole grains.”
Healthy fats (unsaturated, like olive oil, avocado, nuts and oily fish) also have a small effect.
#9 PICKLE IT
EAT your greens in the lead-up to Christmas, not just on the day.
Sauerkraut and kimchi – containing fermented cabbage – and other pickles and fermented foods are bursting with probiotics that the gut loves.
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that influence how full you feel, and even how much you eat.
A review of research in the journal Gut Microbes found that increasing gut bacteria diversity supports weight loss.
Ro says: “Small amounts, such as a couple of tablespoons of sauerkraut or kimchi, or a small pot of kefir or yoghurt, a few times a week, is a sensible way to begin.
“Start slowly to avoid gut discomfort like bloating or gas.
“Then gradually increase the amount as your gut adjusts.”
#10 HYDRATION STATIONS
IF the first thing you do upon waking is switch the coffee machine on, stop!
Instead, drink a large glass of water, for research in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that in the 60 minutes after drinking just 500ml of water, your metabolic rate could increase by a high 24 per cent.
Sarah says: “Drinking water first thing in the morning rehydrates the body from overnight dehydration and helps control appetite, reducing false hunger cues.”
Research in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that drinking water before a meal reduced calorie intake by 13 per cent.
That could mean slicing 65 calories off lunch and dinner (500 calories).
“Add cucumber and mint for freshness or berries for flavour,” suggests Sarah.
#11 SMALL BUT SWEET
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THE temptation to indulge in comfort food is everywhere in winter, from sweets at Halloween to hot chocolate at the fireworks.
Allow yourself a treat here and there, but keep it at that.
When it comes to meal choices, you can still have comfort food without the excessive calories.
Ro says: “Blend vegetables into soups instead of adding cream, top a shepherd’s pie with sweet potato or cauliflower mash and use light coconut milk in curries.
“Pasta bakes can be made healthier with wholegrain or legume pasta and by blending veg such as butternut squash into the sauce.”
Even your Sunday roast can be made healthier – cook potatoes in olive oil and pile steamed veg onto your plate.
#12 HEAVY LIFTING
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AIM for three strength workouts each week.
Sarah says: “Strength training is what builds muscle so that as you’re losing fat, you’ll be shaping your body.
“Strength training also helps to keep your metabolism fired up so your burn more calories at rest.”
Don’t know where to start? Follow Sarah’s full-body workout below (or watch her demonstrate it in the video at the top of the article).
SARAH’S WORKOUT
DO each exercise for 10 repetitions. Complete three rounds with one-minute rests.
- Dumbbell squats: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Bend your knees to squat. Pause at the bottom and push through your heels to stand.
- Dumbbell romanian deadlifts: Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Hinge at your hips and lower the dumbbells to mid-shin, then return to stand.
- Single arm bent-over dumbbell row: Stand in a split stance with your left foot back and hinge at the hips so you are bent over with a flat back. Hold a dumbbell in the left hand and pull it up to your rib cage, pulling your elbow back. Pause, then lower it back down. Repeat reps then swap sides.
- Overhead press: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, then press them up from your shoulders to overhead. You can do this single-arm, too.
- Plank with shoulder taps: Get into a plank and tap your right shoulder with your left hand. Then swap, keeping hips steady.
Look on YouTube for more advice on proper exercise form.
