Holiday feasts ahead? How to count calories without gaining extra weight
Should you count calories during the holidays? (Photo: Freepik)
Ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, many people who follow a diet or count calories worry that festive feasts could undo all their efforts.
The Daily Express answers what the main mistake people who count calories make.
What you need to know about weight loss during the holidays
Fitness trainer and sports nutritionist Jess Hugo says that a few days without strict control will not ruin your progress.
The expert shared a key tip for those who are in a calorie deficit ahead of Christmas. According to her, during the holiday week, it’s best to completely stop counting calories.
“If currently in a calorie deficit and you're freaking out cause it's literally 20 days to Christmas, which is absolutely insane, here is what I would be doing when navigating the week of Christmas,” the trainer explained.
She notes that even experienced people who have been counting calories for a long time can roughly estimate their intake, but entering numbers into apps like MyFitnessPal during the holidays is not necessary.
Jess advises using the time before Christmas to stick to a routine, while treating the holidays themselves as a short diet break - a time for rest, social events, and mental reset.
The specialist emphasizes that a few days of eating above your usual calorie intake will not ruin your shape or erase your progress. You can return to a calorie deficit after the holidays, with the start of the new year.
“Also, like your birthday, Christmas literally comes around once a year. It is your opportunity to have a break, have social events, and not actually worry about how much calories is on the food on the table,” the trainer concluded.
Nutrition experts increasingly stress that a healthy relationship with food and the absence of constant stress are just as important as strict adherence to a diet.
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