After weeks of excessive binging, raging parties, family drama, sleep deprivation and noggy drinks, you may see a rather haggard creature staring bleakly back at you in the mirror.
Although it’s not uncommon to pack on five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, most people gain one or two pounds during the holidays. That may not sound like a whole lot of weight, but the real problem is that people never lose the weight they put on during the holidays. Over a lifetime, even modest incremental holiday weight gain often leads to obesity and related health problems such as hypertension, stroke, Type II diabetes and other maladies.
If you’re one of the many Americans who has had one too many sugar cookies, here is a seven-step detox to cure your post-holiday weight gain, legendary bloat and molasses-like blood.
But before we begin, kudos to you for checking out this article. Just by reading you’re taking an important first step to get your body on the right track for the new year. (Also, happy New Year!)
So let’s get you that much-needed post-holiday detox, eh?
Step 1: ICEBOX CLEANSING
Toss your holiday leftovers. They’re stale anyway. Besides, you don’t even like fruitcakes.
Step 2: DETOX
If you feel especially bloated, it is likely due to the sugar, refined carbs and salt you’ve been sucking down at holiday bingefests. Extreme detoxes aren’t necessary after the holidays (or ever, really). As such, I’m not going to tell you to sip your meals out of a straw for the next six months.
However, it’s important to clear your body of excess sugar, salt and toxins that have built up over weeks of holiday abuse. Excess salt causes fluid retention and puffiness; refined sugar causes spikes in blood sugar (and associated cravings); and excess alcohol and caffeine cause dehydration.
After weeks of abuse from sweets and carb-loaded goodies, your liver and muscle glycogen is likely topped out, and you’re retaining water, causing bloating and puffiness. Cutting your carbs will allow you to jettison the unneeded water (and weight) rapidly. Eat plenty of filling protein and healthy fats instead.
After being bombarded with salt, carbs and sugar over the holidays, your body’s balance – and cravings – will be out of whack. The only way to make these cravings go away is to wean yourself off of sugar and salt, so cut the cookies and corned beef, champ.
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