6 Simple Setups to Fight Seasonal Setbacks

Ding-Dong Ding-Dong! The Holidays are knocking at your door! Winter is finally here, and all the calories, carbohydrates, and caffeinated Candy Cane beverages have you wanting more and more. Are you going to answer? Or, fight the urge to splurge? If the holiday season has your spirit on low and your scale on high, you’re not alone. The majority of Americans suffer from winter weight gain, but don’t let the holiday season determine your physique. Fight back. Raise your goals! Show that scale who's in control by following my 6 simple setups to fight seasonal setbacks.

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6 Simple Setups to Fight Seasonal Setbacks

1. Know the Truth: This is the first thing you need to understand to fight seasonal setbacks. There are NO faster, easier, or magic ways to diet. Cold turkey diets NEVER work. You do not gain 15-20 lbs of body fat in 1-3 weeks, so you cannot expect to lose 15-20 lbs of body fat in 1-3 weeks. It’s not healthy or reasonable. Fat slowly forms in the body. Some more than others. Everyone’s metabolism is different. When you lose 5-10 lbs in one week on an infomercial diet, you are experiencing the loss of water weight. You are NOT losing body fat. I cannot put more emphasis on this painful truth.

2. Know How to Boost Your Metabolism: The healthiest way to lose weight is to boost your metabolism, and there are various ways to accomplish this without supplements and caffeine-filled energy pills. One of the easiest and healthiest ways to boost your metabolism and help fight seasonal setbacks is to stay hydrated (see details below). Additionally, it's important to eat in moderation (see below), and exercise regularly (also below). Pretty simple instructions, huh? Let's recap: drink plenty of water, try to eat small meals every 3-4 hours, and exercise regularly. And, most importantly, remember to stay motivated and focused (again, tips below).

3. Eat In Moderation: It may seem impossible, but with the right guidance, you can do it and fight seasonal setbacks. On average, you should eat every 3-4 hours (5 meals daily). Eating every 3-4 hours will assist in managing your hunger, make healthier choices, avoid bingeing, and will boost good cholesterol and blood triglycerides. To stay healthy and fit, eat 3 meals with a good source of protein and complex carbs (meals 1,3, and 5). Then, a light protein source and fats (meals 2 and 4). Proteins (chicken, turkey, tilapia, tuna, whey protein), fats (almonds, avocados, chia seeds, full-fat yogurt), and complex carbs (oatmeal, rice cakes, brown rice, sweet potatoes) should be fluctuated as explained above. As long as you moderate your servings, you can eat up to 5-6 times a day. That’s breakfast, morning snack, lunch, mid-day snack, dinner, and evening snack. Hooray!

4. Stay Hydrated: Drink, Drink, Drink. Water is your friend, not your enemy. During the winter season it's easy to become dehydrated, which can create the need to fight seasonal setbacks, so it becomes increasingly important to monitor your fluid intake. The most common symptoms of dehydration are exhaustion, headache, muscle fatigue and cramps, but dehydration can also lead to more serious complications, such as urinary or kidney problems, and seizures. Dehydration can also leave you more susceptible to winter colds and the flu, too. My main point: water is an essential part of a healthy, happy lifestyle, so DRINK UP! (Yes, you will have to pee a lot, get over it.) Now, you may be asking yourself, "but how does water help me lose weight?" Well, an adequate amount of water will help the body break down fat for energy. Water helps with appetite control (in most cases, when you think you’re hungry, your body is actually telling you that it’s thirsty). Staying hydrated will reduce water retention. If your body doesn’t get an adequate amount of water, it will hold on to the water it has. What's an adequate amount of water? Medical experts recommend drinking half an ounce to an ounce of water for every pound you weigh on a daily basis. For example, if you weighed 150 lbs, you would want to drink somewhere between 75-150 fluid ounces of water per day. (128 fluid ounces = 1 gallon)

5. Exercise!!!: Wondering how to shred that winter coat and fight seasonal setbacks? Cardio is the most beneficial way to shred unwanted holiday pounds. Most think of cardio as the negative component of working out, but if you make cardio part of your daily routine, you can make it fun and fantastic. Running is the most effective form of cardio, and it burns twice as many calories as an elliptical. If you can’t run due to injury or are looking for an alternative, search around for a CYBEX Arc Trainer at your local gym. The Arc Trainer’s footplates move in a biomechanically correct path of motion, and the machine is designed to be gentler on your joints while increasing muscle activation, making it a great combination of both cardio and cross training. Other beneficial forms of cardio include, but are not limited to: walking, elliptical, stationary bike, Stair Master, and Jacob’s Ladder. If you're looking to boost the effectiveness of your cardio or training, try adding the Shred Fast Stack to your routine to help you burn fat while preserving muscle. Together, Carnigen and Lipocide make for an amazing fat-loss solution by accelerating your metabolism, curbing appetite, and promoting recovery.

6. Motivation and Focus: Here are a few ways I like to spice up my winter workouts to fight seasonal setbacks:

• Music Mashup:   Make a new playlist! Stop listening to the same old mix tape and amp things up with some fresh tunes. Try FIT Radio if you're looking for a playlist to match your workout routine, whether it's yoga or crossfit. Spotify has a new feature that helps find your running tempo and get songs with a beat that match it, while RockMyRun can actually speed up or slow down your music in real time as your tempo changes.
• Find a Partner:   Sometimes two is better than one. Having a workout buddy (or buddies) with similar goals can help you both stay motivated on days when you feel less than stoked to go to the gym. By working together, you'll both do your part to lift each other up and keep yourselves on track.
• Fresh Gear:   Try a little retail therapy and buy some new gym/workout gear to compliment your goals and physique. A new sports bra, compression pants, running shoes, or lifting gloves may be just what you need to "lift your spirits!" #gympuns
• Change of Scenery:   Switch up your running trails/routine, cardio equipment, or gym. Being in the same location can become boring and stale, so try a new place or path to revive your senses.
• Download a New App   There are so many cool tools and tech at your disposal today to help you reach your fitness goals and improve performance! Check out some of these highly rated apps: Nike + Run Club (running), Strava (competitive, biking/running), Digifit iCardio (heart rate), Fitbit (mobile app w/o tracker records health info), Endomondo (workout tracker), Jefit Workout (workout calendar and scheduled exercises), Map My Fitness (GPS tracker w/ health stats), Fitness Builder (weight lifting), Runtastic Six Pack Abs (intensive core focus), Pear Personal Coach (workout orator), Vida Health Coach (online nutrition/health coaching), and MyFitnessPal (calorie tracker/weight loss). Don't see a good fit here? A quick search through the app store might help you find just what you've been looking for!

Related Article: 7 Ways To Avoid Extra Christmas Pounds