WELLNESS
TEXT
AMY SELBACH
TIP YOUR glass
NOT the SCALES
Excess is everywhere when it comes to the holiday season. No matter what country
you hail from, there seems to be a different party every day of the week between
late November and early January. “The more the merrier” does not just apply to
people but to food and drink as well. Every holiday season, the average person
gains between two to four kilos. Unfortunately, the sad truth about fat is that it is
much easier to put on than it is to take off. Here are a few tips to help you battle
the bulge this holiday season.
1. Eat a healthy dinner before you go
to a party
Don’t arrive to that holiday party on
an empty stomach. When you are
starving you are likely to eat anything
that comes your way. And, most
of the things coming your way at a
holiday party are filled with sugar,
fat and salt. My favourite quick
bites before a party, especially one
where you will be drinking alcohol,
are hydrating salads like cucumber
salads or raw capsicum salads. Drink
a healthy smoothie on your way so
you feel hydrated and satiated when
you arrive.
2. Make Food Trades
You want to enjoy your favourite
holiday foods but you don’t want
to gain weight. I completely
understand. The holidays trigger
64.
emotions of childhood, family
traditions and our favourite fun
recipes. A great way to still have
the foods you love is to make sure
you cut out the things that aren’t so
important to you. For example if you
are going to a party that night, don’t
have the bread with your soup for
lunch, cut out your afternoon latte
and skip your afternoon snack. You
have just saved 400 calories that you
can apply to something way more
fun like a slice of pie or a peppermint
martini.
3. Start exercising BEFORE the New
Year.
Every January people flock to gyms
and fitness studios determined to
finally lose those last 10 pounds.
I witness this first hand at my own
studio every year. But what if people
starting flocking in every December
instead? That statistic that the
average person gains 2 to 4 kilos
over the holidays alone would no
longer apply. How awesome would
it be to have even less to lose going
into the New Year because you had
already lost some or avoided gaining
it because you started in December?
Exercise is the only way to truly
burn off calories from eating holiday
goodies, so start early.
4. Cut Your Drink Calories in Half.
This is one of my favourite tricks for
staying hydrated and cutting calories
in your beverages. If you are drinking
wine make it a spritzer by adding ice
and soda water (Let’s face it—no one
is drinking “fine” wine in Nairobi but
if you are, dismiss this tip). If you are
drinking a cocktail think of replacing
your tonic or juice with soda water
and a twist of lemon or lime. If you
have access to quality essential
oils, grapefruit essential oil can
make an instant greyhound without
the calories (it’s also an appetite
suppressant). Wild orange essential
oil can make it a screwdriver and
others such as lemon, peppermint
and lemongrass can also add an
interesting twist to a cocktail with
no calories and numerous health
benefits.
My favourite
quick bites
before a party
are hydrating
salads like
cucumber
salads.
Amy Selbach is the founder of the
Taut Body Technique and owner of
Taut Body Fitness Studio in Village
Market Shopping Center, Gigiri. She
is a certified holistic health coach,
personal trainer and Pilates and Barre
instructor, specializing in cross-training, holistic nutrition and weight loss.
As a new mom, she can relate to the
journey of weight-loss and staying fit
during pregnancy and post pregnancy.
She also conducts workshops on
brand-building, and entrepreneurship
through workshops and business
incubators.
Contact her at [email protected]