Get rid of that stubborn stomach bulge with Dean Hodgkin’s clever
weight-loss tips…
Christmas may be long gone now, but if the
festive pounds are still sticking around, it’s time to take action. According
to the British Dietetic Association, the average weight gain over the festive
period is five pounds, not surprising when you consider that a traditional
Christmas lunch delivers a whopping 956 calories and 48 grams of fat!
Unfortunately, five pounds of fat equates to around 17,5000 calories, which
takes some effort to shift. But fear not, we’ve put together five easy ways to
blast the excess before Easter
- Give it some weight
A decent daily workout will usually burn
around 500 calories, which will lead to you losing around one pound a week, but
you can accelerate your losses by doubling up your workouts. Set your alarm 30
minutes earlier in the morning and take a brisk jog before breakfast. Your
energy levels will recover in time for your evening class, and you’ll be more alert
and productive at work throughout the day.
- Do it on the double
A decent daily workout will usually burn
around 500 calories, which will lead to you losing around one pound a week, but
you can accelerate your losses by doubling up your workouts. Set your alarm 30
minutes earlier in the morning and take a brisk jog before breakfast. Your
energy levels will recover in time for your evening class, and you’ll be more
alert and productive at work throughout the day.
- Try a NEAT trick
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis is the
term used to describe everyday movements such as walking, standing, carrying
and even fidgeting. The good news is research has shown that this can burn up
to 350 calories per day, not far short of most workouts. So, cycling to the shops,
taking the stairs rather than the lift and walking to talk face to face with
your work colleagues rather than emailing them, really will make a difference.
- Clear out the cupboards
An obvious, but often undervalued, tactic
is to rid your kitchen of all those leftover Christmas goodies so you won’t be
tempted to polish them off when you’re feeling puckish. There’s a good chance
you shopped like it was going out of fashion before the festive period, and
your family and friends probably weren’t thinking of your waistline when they
popped those chocolates under your tree. The result? You have enough calories
in the house to fuel the start line at the next London Marathon! Start binning
it today to eliminate temptation.
- Get sweaty
You don’t need us to tell you that exercise
is the best way to melt your muffin top, but remember, not only will working
out lead to fat loss, it also brings a number of other health benefits, and a
lovely endorphin boost. To hit the 500-calorie daily target, aim for 127 minutes
of brisk walking, 73 minutes of Zumba, 63 minutes of cycling, 55 minutes of
high impact aerobics, 53 minutes of skipping, 51 minutes of running (at 10
miles per hour) or just 41 minutes of Tae Kwon Do.
