Ring in the new year by starting your weight loss program this winter. After lazing around in the summer heat and neglecting your diet during the fall months, the wonderful winter weather provides the perfect reason to get out and get healthy. Check out ten simple ways to kick start your weight loss this winter.
1. Cut out sugar
Sugar is toxic. It leads to diabetes and poor dental health, but it’s also the main reason for widespread obesity, as it creates the perfect environment for fat storage. Years ago, no one knew that this sneaky culprit was the main cause of the growing obesity epidemic. Cut back on sweet treats and cereals, and you’ll improve your chances of weight loss.
2. Start a new exercise routine
While some exercise is better than none at all, changing your routine might be the key to dramatic weight loss. If you’ve been doing the same exercises with the same intensity for more than a few months, you’ll end up with the same body. Start a new routine where you increase the intensity or target dormant muscles and see the difference.
3. Take out your slow cooker
Winter is the perfect season to take out your slow cooker and enjoy your favorite soup recipes. Soups are warm, filling, and low in calories when you use lots of vegetables and non-creamy broths. Add poultry or beans to include proteins in this simple meal.
4. Make use of seasonal produce
This winter stock up on the wide selection of nutritious seasonal produce. You need to eat your fruits and veggies each day since they can help you drop weight faster and easier. Some tasty winter meal suggestions include pumpkin and beetroot soups, apple cobbler, fruit smoothies, and pies.
5. Reduce or eliminate dairy
Eliminate dairy for a limited time and monitor your progress. Some people consume thousands of calories daily from dairy alone. So limit the milk, yogurt, and cheese or choose low-fat versions to jump-start weight loss. You can also opt for almond or coconut milk instead of cow’s milk.
6. Prepare all your meals
Preparing all your meals might be difficult if you’re always on the go. However, if you make the time to cook your meals, you’ll feel the difference in your midsection and your wallet. Just make sure you make smart ingredient choices.
More: 10 Most Delicious Winter Dinner Recipes
7. Exercise during the ads
Your busy schedule might make it difficult to hit the gym, so sneak in your workouts when you’re watching television. The average person spends at least two hours in front of the television daily, and with 15 minutes of ads for each hour, you’ll get at least 30 minutes a day.
8. Start the day with protein
Eat your heaviest meals in the morning. Lean meats or fish might not be your idea of a wholesome breakfast, but if you start the day with protein, you’ll be less likely to have mid-morning cravings. If you can’t get used to the idea of a meaty breakfast, add protein powders to your yogurt or whip up a batch of eggs to go with your whole wheat toast.
9. Check your fruit intake
Watch out for those sweet, ripe, juicy fruits at the supermarket. Fruits contain lots of natural sugar, but it is sugar nonetheless. If you fill up on fruits and fruit smoothies thinking that they won’t hurt your diet, you’ll be disappointed when your weight loss stalls. Limit your fruit intake to two fruits a day and stick to those with low sugar and lots of fiber.
10. Record everything
How much time did you spend working out? What did you eat? Record all your activities and everything you put into your mouth. Keeping a record might be tedious, but it increases awareness of what you eat and helps you to make better decisions going forward.
More: 8 Dieting Dilemmas and How to Overcome Them
It’s not easy to lose weight during the winter months. The holiday season is full of yummy, fatty meals that contribute to weight gain. However, if you kick start your weight loss now, you will be ready for bikini season with very little effort.