4 Fat Loss Mistakes Santa Makes
Santa Claus is coming to town!
And when he comes, I’d like to have a chat with him. Not about presents or my status on the “naughty” or “nice” list, rather–I want to give him some fat-loss tips!
I’m a little concerned about Santa’s health this holiday season…
Amidst the hustle and the bustle of the season, it seems that Santa has forgotten some of the basics of proper health, fitness & fat loss.
Are you guilty of the making the same mistakes Santa makes?
4 Fat Loss Mistakes Santa Makes
Mistake #1: Not enough sleep!
Santa may know when YOU are sleeping (And I hope it’s at least 8 hours/night!) but the problem with Santa’s holiday schedule is it doesn’t leave much time for HIM to sleep! From late hours of holiday prep in his workshop to midnight deliveries on Christmas Eve, Santa is seriously lacking in the sleep department. When it comes to optimal health, fitness & fat loss, this is a problem!
The Fix: First, Santa (and you) must prioritize sleep. Make rest and recovery the focus of your fitness plan. Individuals who are stressed (It’s a LOT of pressure to be responsible for presents worldwide!) often have sleep issues, thus disrupting the production of the hormone leptin, which helps regulate appetite and causes your body to feel full. (Ever crave fatty, sugary treats and/or eat more when you’re tired/stressed?! No wonder Santa eats all those cookies!) Set a daily bedtime and keep it! Trade your long duration, moderate intensity workouts for short duration, high intensity resistance training. Add slow, leisurely walking to your daily routine as much as possible. Limit caffeine consumption, and focus on increasing magnesium intake to help with sleep and stress.
Mistake #2: Not enough water!
What’s up with all the milk Santa’s drinking? For optimal fat loss, he really needs to ditch the 12,000 glasses of milk and bring his water bottle along instead. Santa’s not the only one with beverage issues, though! You may not be guilty of filling up on milk, but if fat loss is your goal, you need to watch those Christmas cocktails (They add up quick!) and all the other sugary beverages we reach for during the holidays.
The Fix: Eliminate caloric beverages and drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water EVERY DAY. Hydration is a major key for fat loss. It’s basic, but it’s true. Dehydration takes away from your exercise performance and leads to fatigue and increased cortisol levels. In addition, if you don’t drink enough water, your body will hold on to water. Think of water as your fat flushing tool. I love the phrase, “pee white, pee right.” If your urine is clear, that means you’re drinking enough water. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces daily.
Mistake #3: Too many cookies!
Milk and cookies, milk and cookies, milk and cookies? When children wake up on Christmas morning, all evidence points to SANTA as the culprit for eating the entire plate of cookies they left out the night before. From house to house, that’s a TON of milk and cookies…and WAY too much sugar for someone to consume. I know it’s not his fault…studies show that a lack of sleep really can cause hormonal responses that actually make Santa (or you) CRAVE fat-filled, sugary treats when tired or stressed. But when it comes to optimal health, fitness & fat loss, milk and cookies (fat + sugar = hormonal fat storing BOMB) are among the WORST things Santa (or you) could be eating.
Fat Loss Fix: Instead of asking you to give up milk & cookies completely, let’s make a couple of fat loss friendly swaps to satisfy your sweet tooth without all the extra sugar and fat storage. First, try unsweetened almond milk instead of cow’s milk, and try a no calorie sweetener like Stevia instead of sugar. Second, instead of inhaling who knows how many dozens of chocolate chips on Christmas eve, consider your worth (Yes, your health is worth much more than a quick sugar fix!) and treat yourself and your family to a healthy version of your favorite Christmas cookie instead. (Shhhh…Santa may not even know they’re healthy!) Try a healthier way to enjoy a chocolate chip cookie using this recipe using one of my favorite ingredients, oat bran! Or even go the guilt-free peanut-butter route with this quick & easy recipe.
Mistake #4: Not enough protein!
Sugar isn’t the only nutritional issue that Santa (or you) has going on. From what I understand, the North Pole is seriously lacking in their protein intake (this may explain even more about those darn milk & cookies cravings!). Protein satisfies hunger, balances cravings, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and is very beneficial for fat burning. Protein contains amino acids, which are crucial to our bodies’ ability to build and maintain muscle. Remember, increased muscle = increased metabolic potential.
The Fix: Eat a lean source of protein at every meal, and eat it before all the desserts! Getting a quality source of protein at every meal may sound basic, but it’s key to boosting your metabolism. In addition to building lean muscle mass, eating protein releases the fat burning hormone glucagon, which directly opposes the action of insulin and helps burn fat.
So, how do you measure up? Are you on track for a #healthyholiday?
What’s the ONE thing Santa got right?
Santa may be making lots of mistakes this holiday season, but if there’s ONE thing that he DOES have going for him, it’s this: at least he’s lifting that heavy bag of presents! That’s right…
When it comes to fat-loss, LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHT is important!
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