Let's be honest: over the next six weeks or so, all thoughts of a diet are going to absolutely fly out of the window. Summer's come and gone, the need for a delicious summer bod has gone with it, but ahead of gym memberships and weight loss pledges come the New Year, it might not be a good idea to gain a ton of weight over the holidays.
Luckily, when it comes to eating well and losing weight, there might be a way to do both without too much of a fuss. At least, that's according to Emma Taylor, a 39-year-old from Sydney who works as weight loss support for 123Diet. All you have to do is eat a ton of these foods over the winter holidays.
1. Oven-cooked turkeyYou might be eating this already, but Taylor confirms that your Thanksgiving and Christmas centrepiece is ideal for losing weight over the holiday season, provided you don't eat the skin. It's low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and high in vitamin B, zinc, phosphorus, tryptophan, selenium and protein. "Turkey can be a part of a healthy eating plan, especially since it is a good source of protein. We need protein to build and repair cells and keep snacking urges curbed," explained Taylor.
If your holiday turkey isn't enough protein for you, then Emma Taylor explains that eating seafood is a great way to stabilise your protein intake, as there's no better protein-to-calorie ratio than your creatures of the ocean. As Taylor explained: "If you increase your protein consumption and decrease your carbohydrate consumption, the body can actually burn an additional 150 to 200 calories a day."
Look, there are two types of people in this world: people who like Brussels sprouts, and liars. So instead of those awful green buds of misery, why not switch things up with some celery? Chewing on celery burns more calories than eating celery gives you, and they're full of delicious nutrients. Emma Taylor says it'll make a great replacement for the unhealthy chips and dip you find at every holiday gathering.
Now, things get interesting. Taylor says that adding herbs and spices to a chickpea dish makes for an awesome holiday side dish. "Chickpeas are a great source of protein and fibre, making them a great fat burner," she explained. "The high fibre content in chickpeas helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthful digestive tract while allowing you to feel fuller longer." Hey, why not dip that celery in some hummus? That'll be fun.
Let's be honest: over the holidays, that second stomach gets a good runout with tons of delicious desserts, and the vast majority of them will have chocolate in them. But a really sneaky way to lose weight at the holidays is to swap out chocolate with raw organic cacao. It's one of the highest plant-based sources of magnesium and even contains more calcium than cow’s milk, Taylor explains. "This secret super-food is the perfect ingredient to use as an alternative to anything made with chocolate. Cookies, brownies, cakes, the possibilities are endless, just add cacao and enjoy bountiful benefits with no guilt at all with this healthy swap."
Well, this is certainly food for thought, isn't it? Look - I'm sure that most of us this New Year will be looking at our waistline, looking to shrink that way down, but this holiday season, why not get a head start?