Christmas Weight Loss - Lose Weight for the Party Season!

     Can you still fit into that fabulous little black party dress you have for the Christmas party?

Weight loss for Christmas in 7 days! Is that possible? Yes it is. And you don't have to go on a starvation diet, dose yourself with slimming pills or drink some exotic berry juice to do so. There is a healthy way to lose 5lbs in 7 days.

There are two things you need to know. Most weight loss in the first 7 days of any diet is mainly water. In fact about 60% water. However, reducing excess water in your body can be enough to make your clothes fit you better, which is what you are after right now. Secondly, you don't want to make yourself ill for the Christmas season by crash dieting. A healthy approach to weight loss can easily help you feel less bloated and also give your skin more of a party glow!

As a Nutritional Therapist I don't usually advise people follow 'weight loss diets'. This may surprise you. This is mainly because diets are difficult to stick to in the long-term. But you have a mini-crisis on your hands if your clothes are too tight and you need results fast. So let's take a different approach for the short-term. Here are my 7 day Christmas diet tips, just for you:

When Is the Ideal Time to Eat?

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is a big factor in weight problems. Missing a meal can lead to low blood sugar levels. This results in food cravings and binge eating later on. Three small meals and two healthy snacks a day are ideal. Lunchtime should be when you eat your largest meal because your body burns calories most efficiently then. Eating late in the evening and late-night snacking is best avoided, unless you are training to be a Sumo wrestler!

Vegetables and Fruits Fill You Up

Eat a rainbow diet of different colored fruits and vegetables. The emphasis should be on vegetables for meals and fresh fruit for snacks. Eating a handful of fresh sunflower or pumpkin seeds with a piece of fresh fruit will help to minimize blood sugar fluctuations. The protein and essential fats in the seeds will help slow the release of fruit sugars and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

How Much Water for Weight Loss?

It probably seems counter-intuitive to drink water when your aim is to lose water from the body, but it is vital to consume adequate water to hydrate the body. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day is ideal. You can see how much you are drinking through the day if you measure water from a bottle or jug. Water will help reduce food cravings by filling you up and also helps the kidneys to flush out toxins for a healthier glowing skin.

Whole Food Fiber

Brown rice and rye bread are examples of whole foods containing complex carbohydrate and fiber. They will fill you up in the same way as vegetables and fruit, and reduce your overall calorie consumption. If you are not used to fiber in your diet, start slow by including a small snack of oatcakes or rye bread. Although wheat bread has fiber many people find it causes bloating, so it might be best to avoid it for now.

It's Not Fat That Makes You Fat!

The right kinds of dietary fats and oils are important in helping the body break down fat rather than store it, and can also help reduce pre-menstrual bloating. Fried foods, low-fat spreads and hydrogenated vegetable oils in processed foods should be avoided. Use a little extra-virgin olive oil for cooking, a little butter for spreading and flax seed oil for salad dressing.

Reduce Salt and Processed Foods

There tends to be a lot of salt in snacks and processed foods so to help get rid of the excess water in your body, it is best to reduce these foods to reduce your salt intake.

Bloating and Food Combination

Food-combining, by eating your protein foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy) at a separate meal from starchy foods (bread, flour, grains, potatoes) can help reduce bloating.

Exercise, Dance and Be Merry!

You don't have to go to the gym to lose weight. Just being more active in your daily schedule can burn up an extra 240 calories each day. So get out and walk more, practice your dancing and get in the party spirit.

When you have squeezed into your party frock, then it's time to forget the diet and have a merry Christmas. Then I'll see you in the New Year with some great new tips to get you slim and healthy for the rest of 2010!

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