The holiday season is definitely a time when over indulgence takes place. Dinner parties, drinking festivities and family gatherings tend to fill up your diary for a few weeks and before you know it, your waist line has expanded and some unwanted weight gain has kept you company! So now that you are ready to get back on track, here are five simple tips to help you get rid of the excess weight…

1. Make a plan and set small realistic goals: Start pre-planning your week by identifying what you want to achieve. Think of small achievable goals like eating more fruits and vegetables, controlling portions or exercising more often. As motivating as it may be to lose weight quickly, the ways in which the weight loss is achieved is not usually sustainable. Eventually, you will regain the weight! A gradual, steady weight loss is the way to go.

2. Re-stock your fridge and pantry: Start by writing down a healthy shopping list and get rid of all your temptation foods. As I always say, out of sight – out of mind! Choose the basics – wholegrain breads and cereals, healthy snacks such as rice crackers and unsalted nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy products and last but not least, lean meats!

3. Exercise, exercise, exercise! Aim to exercise for 45 minutess 3 to 4 days a week as a start then work your way up to 5 days a week for 60 minutes.

A few ideas to get you started:

• To increase fitness- walking, jogging, swimming, cycling
• For relaxation and toning - tai chi, yoga, pilates
• For coordination- dancing, Karate, Tai Kwon Do, gymnastics, aerobics, aqua aerobics, tennis
• Team sports - soccer, football, netball, basketball, hockey

4. Do not skip meals: Many are under the impression that skipping meals will help with weight loss but that is never the case! Skipping meals can increase your risk of overindulging as your hunger levels are on a high. Subsequently, you are unable to control your meal’s portion or food choice due to extreme hunger! Another important tip is never to skip breakfast. Breakfast serves as your body’s kick-start fuel which gives your metabolism a boost!

A few simple choices for breakfast include:

• High fibre cereals with low fat milk and fresh, tinned or dried fruit.
• Wholegrain or wholemeal toast spread with low fat cheese spread of fruit spread topped with banana slices.
• Fruit smoothie made from fresh or tinned fruit, reduced fat milk and yoghurt.

5. Limit alcoholic beverages: You’ve probably had your year’s worth of alcohol within a month so from now on, try to control how much you drink by setting a weekly allowance of no more than 4 standard drinks per week.

Examples of a standard drink:

• A pint (425ml) of light beer
• A small glass (100ml) of wine
• 285ml of regular beer
• A glass of port or sherry (60ml)
• A nip (30ml) of spirits or liqueurs

Alcoholic beverages contain anywhere between 80 – 150 calories per drink so controlling any extra calories that your body does not need is an important goal for weight loss. The best substitute? WATER.

Remember: Successful weight loss requires motivation and commitment! Don’t just think “short- term” but focus on a long term plan which revolves around eating a huge variety of healthy foods and staying physically active. Finally, avoid detox and fad diets with false promises because they are the perfect bait for people wanting a quick fix!