6 Fat loss tips to lose holiday weight gain!

     Now that the holiday season is almost over and the new years resolution's just around the corner. You might have gained a bit of weight from all the delicious food that was served on the holidays. A bit of that weight could be from a mixture of water or fat. Water can be shed very easily through various diuretics or low-carb diets. Fat on the other requires effort and patience since at times, it can become very stubborn. Following these 6 general guidelines will help shed that unwanted fat around the waist.

     Fat Loss Secrets

1) Have a well balanced diet that involves consuming less calories then what your body burns. A good calculator would to determine that would be by fitness pal located here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator. Finding your basal metabolic rate will enable you to find your target intake to achieve fat loss. 

2) Read labels! This is crucial, knowing what you are putting in your body and how many calories you are consuming are vital. Reading labels will allow you to control your portions and your overall calorie intake. Make sure to limit sugars and processed foods, as these do not provide an adequate nutrients.

3) Consume vegetables and proteins as these are the types of foods that provide "roughage" so to speak. Basically vegetables contain fiber which help provide a feeling of fullness. Along with the hunger stopping effects of vegetables, they also provide stomach regularity. Protein-rich foods such as chicken, fish, beef, and some dairy products also provide a feeling of satiety.

4) Weight training and cardio are another important part of the equation. Weight training is essential as the process of building muscle expends a lot of calories. Muscle is metabolically active compared to fat. What does that mean? Having more muscle will allow you to burn more calories at rest! Cardio is important for heart health, but it can also serve as a good tool for weight loss. Cardio can allow the process of burning additional calories to allow for faster results. 

5) Drinking water has positive effects on weight loss. According to a study done about water on fat loss, the results indicated, "After drinking approximately 17 ounces of water, the subjects' metabolic rates -- or the rate at which calories are burned -- increased by 30% for both men and women. The increases occurred within 10 minutes of water consumption and reached a maximum after about 30 to 40 minutes." Drinking water will help burn additional calories which will make losing weight a lot easier. One thing to remember is, to much of something can actually be counterproductive. Drinking too much water or even exercising can have a negative effects. There needs to be a balanced in place to prevent such effects.

6) Lastly is, patience! Patience is key when trying to shed off unwanted weight. In a society where everyone wants everything done fast, ends up in poor results or quality. Going on crash diets or starvation diets in an effort to lose a significant amount of weight in the shortest amount of time is not ideal. Taking it slow will not only be better in the long run, but it will prevent any eating disorders from occuring.

     There you have it! 6 effective tips on losing some holiday weight gain. Following these guidelines will allow a healthy and safe weight loss rather then a unhealthy one. Stay tuned for more health & fitness tips by Vesania P & C!