By Jill Coleman
One of the 5 tenets of Metabolic Effect is that “Fat loss happens anywhere.” On our YouTube channel, you can see us “dining out” at gas stations, vending machines, room service and The Cheesecake Factory, among others–making choices that can help us lose fat, or at the very least not gain fat.
To “live the fat loss lifestyle” is to not bring your life to a halt in order to eat perfect and attain results at the expense of all else. It’s about understanding that we can learn to make the best choices no matter where we end up. So… why would the holidays be any different?
I know many fitness and nutrition experts are writing on holiday weight loss right now. Of course, it’s timely. But, at ME we know that you also have a life and want to be able to enjoy this time with your family and friends, while also not gaining 10 lbs. So, can you do both? We think so.
First realize that just because it is holiday season does not mean it needs to be growing season
In other words, when you are not physically at a family gathering, party or event, you still have control over your surroundings, what you eat and how you move. You still have a choice to have the right things in your pantry and fridge. So, use the moments that you are not in a tempting situation to eat your protein, veggies, chug water and train intensely. Just because you have an event tonight and another in 2 days doesn’t mean you need to be overindulging in the interim between just because it’s easy to just say, “what the hell!” and give into every food whim. In between parties and big dinner, stay on your ME game.
Here are the 5 key strategies that we use at ME in order to make the best choices possible throughout the holiday season. It is how Jade, Keoni, Jillian, myself and the rest of the ME team interact with food and training during the holiday season. A couple of key insights and rules can help a great deal–and also allow for you to enjoy yourself, no Tupperwares needed.
1) Starch OR booze, not both.
Some would call this too “moderate” or not strict enough, but we know that at a family gathering, asking you to abstain from everything will have you going overboard the next time it’s in front of you. The more you deprive, the more you crave, period. So choose: will you drink (at a 2 glass max) or will you indulge in a single serving of starch (i.e. mashed potatoes or a roll)? You get into the most trouble when you do both–a recipe for fat storage. And though this role won’t have you dropping fat, it at least will not put fat on you. This is one of our “maintain” rules.
2) Choose protein, fat or veggie-centric apps.
Cheese plate. Wings. Antipasti. Raw veggies. Spinach dip (no chips!). Salad. Choose apps (and sides for that matter) that don’t contain a lot of starch. So skip chips, bread, potato-anything, etc. You can feel just as satisfied with apps that aren’t heavy starch–or at least not as heavy. The goal is to feel satiated, not deprived. And by making this choice, we can achieve that without affecting our waistline as much.
3) Three big bites of dessert.
Once again, this is a rule for when you are at dinners and parties (not in between). If you want dessert, look at the desserts available with a critical eye. The WORST feeling is indulging in a dessert that sucks. So be mindful to choose the one you want most. And if none look good, skip it altogether. Have a discerning palate when it comes to dessert 
Then, eat 3 bites only. How big is a bite? I don’t care, just stop at 3. More than anything, this is a practice in mindfulness and also moderation. I guarantee you’ll be just as satisfied with 3 huge bites as you will with the whole thing. Besides, usually we barely taste it after the first couple bites anyway. AND, eating a small amount of something you are craving satisfies the craving, rather than depriving to the point of eventual severe overindulgence.
You can also play “Dessert Defense” like I do, and bring with me a cleaner dessert that I baked, so that I know that at the very least I’ll have at least one thing I can eat, and still feel satisfied with.
4) Pre-meal weights and post-meal walk.
Get it in people. If you don’t work out any other day of the week, fit in a quality weight training workout on the day of a big meal. Usually within a couple hours of an event is best. This way, when you eat more carbs/cals than usual, those macros and cals will preferentially move toward muscle-building, rather than strictly fat storage. Your cells are most insulin sensitive following an intense weight workout, so make the best of it.
Also, talk a leisure walk after dinner if possible. This helps use some of the cals eaten and also gives you some time between dinner and dessert to reset yourself. This is strictly caloric exercise. Slow, easy walking for 30-60 minutes.
5) Prioritize water.
After a big meal or party where you might be doing booze, starch or dessert, drink a liter of plain water before bed. Extra cals, carbs, booze and sodium can make you retain water (duh!), but drinking water can help offset some of that. It’s not a miracle pill, and it certainly doesn’t help us lose fat, but it can decrease the damage by helping our metabolism run more effectively, and balancing electrolytes so that we’re less likely to retain. I try to drink at least 3 liters of plain, regular water every day. And on days of a big meal or party, I drink another liter right before bend after the meal. Yes, you might have to wake up to use the bathroom, but the benefits outweigh the inconvenience, I believe.
There are many more rules and tools we could implement, but at ME, we want to keep it simple and doable. We know that the perfect plan, if it is not able to be followed, is NOT the perfect plan. So let’s make it a goal to maintain and do your best thing holiday. Stay mindful of your choices and understand that one slip-up doesn’t have to leave you throwing in the towel altogether. Moderation works. See how you do and let us know
Are you ready to live the fat loss lifestyle in 2013? The ME Lifestylers Club begins on January 1st, 2013, and it is an on-going membership for those who want to attain fat loss and then keep it off. TONS of value, direct access to the ME coaches and staff to answer your questions, plenty of fat loss programs throughout the year, plus access to an incredible online community for support and accountability–everything you need to be successful long-term. All the details here.
