Three Ways to Drop the Holiday Weight

If you’ve had too much merrymaking during the holidays and would like to unload some of the after effects of lots of feasting, here are some ways to do that safely. Holistic nutritionist JJ Virgin recommends you do this when you’re feeling ready to give your goals that extra push and accelerate fat loss. It’ll also help give you that reboot you need at the beginning of the year.

1. Double Up on Loaded Smoothies
Eating by the plate, sans the plate? With a loaded smoothie, you get the magic trifecta in a fast, portable meal replacement. I want you to break your overnight fast with a loaded smoothie by 9 or 10 a.m. But to really increase your fat-burning results, have a second loaded smoothie in place of lunch or dinner. If you really want to go that extra mile, eliminate fruit in loaded smoothies (except for lemon and lime). This minimizes fructose intake to really accelerate fat loss.

2. Swap (or Minimize) Starchy Carbs With Non-Starchy Veggies
Eating by the plate is a powerful fat-burning strategy on its own. But we’re dialing things up a few notches here to make fat loss fast. To get results more quickly, limit slow, low carbs to 0-1 serving per day. I’ve found that most people do better with one serving during their evening meal, which helps them sleep better. 

Instead of slow low carbs, increase your intake of non-starchy veggies. Aim for at least five servings per day (ideally 10—you can get more in your loaded smoothies). One serving equals 1 cup raw veggies or ½ cup cooked. You’ve got lots of options here, including:

3. Increase Your Fasting Window to 16-18 Hours
When it comes to weight loss, what you eat matters, but so does when you eat. When you close the kitchen after dinner and then have a loaded smoothie by 9 or 10 a.m., you create a nearly effortless 12-14-hour overnight fast.

While this tactic is incredibly effective for fat loss, increasing your fasting window to 16 or even 18 hours can deliver even better results.

With that schedule in mind, here’s how your day might look:

• 12 pm Loaded smoothie
• 3 pm Loaded smoothie
• 7 pm Dinner
• 8 pm Close the kitchen for the evening

With that plan, you’ve created a 16-hour fasting window… and you’ll be sleeping for eight or nine of those hours. During your fasting hours, you’ll only have non-caloric beverages including filtered water, unsweetened organic teas, and black coffee.

Final Thoughts
If losing holiday weight is on your to-do list, these three strategies provide everything you need to lose weight quickly. Of course, other things beyond food matter too, including great sleep, stress management, the right nutrient support, and consistent movement. Incorporate smart lifestyle strategies with these three weight loss hacks and you’ll be beach-season ready (even if it’s still freezing outside).

Blessings of health and wellness,

From all of us at RISE