Another busy year is drawing to a close and everyone is looking forward to the holiday season of sunshine, being lazy and feasting.
While everyone benefits from some down time, the annual gorging on fatty, high-calorie Christmas fare can make this time of year a dietary disaster, even for those of us who are normally conscientious in our eating habits.
The remedy is simple: run, walk or ride from the barbecue or party. Exercise can lessen the unwelcome consequences of seasonal over-indulgence. The Biggest Loser Club spoke with 2 leading trainers for their best tips for curbing Xmas weight gain.
Regular exercise and long-term weight gain
A study by Harvard researchers of more than 30,000 women over a 13-year period found that those who exercised the most frequently gained the least weight over time. All the women gained some weight, but those who walked for an average of 60 minutes a day gained less than 2kg.
The researchers concluded that the women who were successful in maintaining a normal weight throughout the study period did so as a result of their regular exercise, even though this was just walking at moderate intensity. So, it seems that consistency of exercise is more effective for staying at a healthy weight than sporadic bursts of activity.
Torch calories with strength workouts
Daine McDonald
is a trainer, writer and corporate health presenter. He is a Level 4 Poliquin Certified Strength Coach from the world renowned US strength coach, Charles Poliquin. He spoke with The Biggest Loser Club.
“I tell my clients not to look for vast improvements over the Christmas period,” he says, “unless they are training for a specific event. Aim to maintain what you have, and be comfortable with a maintenance-based mindset for now.”
According to Daine, being active every day could be as simple as walking the dog to the park or going for a swim at the beach. “The goal should be a minimum of 30 minutes. That includes walking, interval sprinting, yoga/Pilates or weight training. Frequency? Aim for 3 weight training sessions per week.”
Daine prefers weight training to running for numerous reasons. Not only can an effective weight training session burn as many calories as a run, it can also induce a hormonal response geared towards fat loss. “The workouts I give my clients over Xmas utilise high repetitions and short rest intervals, which lead to an increased production of blood lactate. In turn, this leads to an increase in growth hormone, which results in significant losses of body fat.”
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Take control of your social events
Donna Miller is a trainer and the director of SCALE PT (strength, conditioning and lean eating). She specialises in building lean muscle mass.
“My clients often complain they have little control over the food that’s available at festive events,” she said to The Biggest Loser Club. “My advice is to exercise control and delegate when you are arranging your own get-togethers and barbecues. Tell your guests which plates of healthy goodies you’d like them to bring to make for a healthier feast.”
Donna also recommends organising games and team sports in the park, so you don’t end up sitting all day. “Getting out is an opportunity for activity and also means you obtain valuable vitamin D,” she says.
If you feel full and bloated after a big meal, Donna suggests that a 15 minute walk is just the ticket for easing digestion. “A walk will improve your breathing and circulation, and help excretion eventually,” she says. “And your mind will be more alert.”
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Don’t lose momentum
As time can be short when the social whirl is underway, Donna recommends shorter, high-intensity workouts of around 35 minutes, punctuated with intervals. “Head to the beach if you can,” she says. “There is usually a playground nearby with benches for step-ups and other equipment you can use for pull-ups and dips. You can also run in soft sand or in the surf using water resistance. And then you can reward yourself with a refreshing swim at the end!”
Above all, Donna stresses the importance of committing to sessions with a training buddy or a trainer during the break. “Xmas is just one day,” she says. “Book in some training for the days following so you don’t lose momentum. Be motivated by the idea of looking good for the New Year.”
Finally, she advises her clients to set themselves a fitness goal to tackle straight after the New Year celebrations are over. “Don’t plan to fail through the holiday period,” she says. “Stay committed to your fitness and you will reap the rewards of a great start to a fantastic new year.” Not to mention the improved possibility of maintaining a healthy weight throughout 2012 and long beyond.