Some people try to overcompensate by working out more during the holidays. Which can be beneficial for many reasons, but it won’t really help that much in terms of weight management (see “Exercise Does Not Burn Off Bad Diet,” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, via Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.)
Researchers analyzed weight, blood pressure, and other health measurements between the months of November and January for 148 adults. Participants saw an increase in weight (with an average weight gain of 1.7 pounds), body fat, blood pressure, and heart rate by the end of the holidays. Exercise did not protect against weight gain or increased body fat. The average American gains 1.0 to 2.2 pounds per year, most of which can be attributed to holiday eating.
So what do we do if we’re tired of arriving in January ten pounds over our usual, with some sugar-induced acne and maybe a cold to boot — and we don’t feel like starting a sixty-day juice cleanse once the party hats are put away?
Fortunately, I have an alternative.
It’s simple, it’s fast, it’s easy. And it works.