5 Ways to Burn Fat This Holiday Season
Holidays don't have to be the reason for a slow metabolism. Keep your metabolism roaring by following these five tips to burning fat:
1. Don’t panic; just eat. “Guilt is fattening.” Instead of obsessing over yesterday’s overindulgences, think about what smart food choices you can make today. To stay on track, cook meals that you can repurpose (make extra chicken breasts tonight for chicken tacos tomorrow night), or ones you can freeze (double a soup recipe and stash the extra for busy days – see below for some tasty options). I like using crockpot recipes for make-ahead meals. Need some ideas? Start with our roundup of healthy and delicious slow-cooker recipes below:
Soup Recipes
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Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Phase 1 or 3)
-
Hot and Sour Turkey Soup (Phase 2)
-
Thai Beef and Noodle Soup (Phase 2)
-
Curried Coconut Carrot Soup (Phase 3)
Slow-Cooker Recipes
-
Harvest Chicken Stew (Phase 1)
-
Balsamic Turkey (Phase 1 or 3)
-
Pork Roast with Pepperoncini (Phase 2)
-
Fragrant Shredded Beef Stew (Phase 2)
-
Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs (Phase 3)
-
Eggplant Stew (Phase 3)
2. Make time for breakfast. To keep your metabolism up, be extra diligent about eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. And don’t forget, don’t fast before going fast! If you’re a morning exerciser, maximize your burn by fueling up before you hit the gym. Click here to read how to manage your hectic eating schedule.
Here are some quick breakfast options:
- Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie (Phase 1)
- Mushroom and Spinach Omelet (Phase 2)
- Eggs and Toast with Tomato and Red Onion (Phase 3)
- Oatmeal 5 Ways (Phase 1, 3)
3. Snack smarter. How you handle that 4 p.m. snack craving is crucial. If you normally use that time to fill up on fruit, move your peach to lunch and have a fat-based snack instead, like nuts, seeds, or avocado. The healthy fat will help keep your blood sugar levels stable, so you’re not craving carbs come dinner. To read more what snacks will help set your metabolism on fire, click here.
4. Redistribute the amount of food you eat throughout the day. Many people tend to eat a little at breakfast (or worse, skip it), a little more at lunch, the most at dinner, and skip snacks altogether. If you want a fast metabolism, check out these yummy, and filling lunch recipes below:
- Chicken Dill Saute (Phase 1)
- Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans (Phase 1, 3)
- Jicama Tacos (Phase 2)
- Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad (Phase 3)
5. Have a post-party plan. Even if a few too many cocktails fall into your mouth or your face lands in a pie, you’ll be okay. Just get back on track so that it doesn’t turn into a season-long binge. The next day, focus on eating tons of fruits and vegetables to reset—try one of these amazing smoothie recipes for breakfast. Then enjoy the season.
-
Strawberry-Pineapple-Spinach Smoothie (Phase 1)
-
Kale-Lemon-Ginger Protein Smoothie (Phase 2)
-
Blueberry-Almond Butter Smoothie (Phase 3)
Holidays don't have to be the reason for a slow metabolism. Keep your metabolism roaring by following these five tips to burning fat:
1. Don’t panic; just eat. “Guilt is fattening.” Instead of obsessing over yesterday’s overindulgences, think about what smart food choices you can make today. To stay on track, cook meals that you can repurpose (make extra chicken breasts tonight for chicken tacos tomorrow night), or ones you can freeze (double a soup recipe and stash the extra for busy days – see below for some tasty options). I like using crockpot recipes for make-ahead meals. Need some ideas? Start with our roundup of healthy and delicious slow-cooker recipes below:
Soup Recipes
- Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Phase 1 or 3)
- Hot and Sour Turkey Soup (Phase 2)
- Thai Beef and Noodle Soup (Phase 2)
- Curried Coconut Carrot Soup (Phase 3)
- Harvest Chicken Stew (Phase 1)
- Balsamic Turkey (Phase 1 or 3)
- Pork Roast with Pepperoncini (Phase 2)
- Fragrant Shredded Beef Stew (Phase 2)
- Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs (Phase 3)
- Eggplant Stew (Phase 3)
2. Make time for breakfast. To keep your metabolism up, be extra diligent about eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. And don’t forget, don’t fast before going fast! If you’re a morning exerciser, maximize your burn by fueling up before you hit the gym. Click here to read how to manage your hectic eating schedule.
Here are some quick breakfast options:
- Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie (Phase 1)
- Mushroom and Spinach Omelet (Phase 2)
- Eggs and Toast with Tomato and Red Onion (Phase 3)
- Oatmeal 5 Ways (Phase 1, 3)
3. Snack smarter. How you handle that 4 p.m. snack craving is crucial. If you normally use that time to fill up on fruit, move your peach to lunch and have a fat-based snack instead, like nuts, seeds, or avocado. The healthy fat will help keep your blood sugar levels stable, so you’re not craving carbs come dinner. To read more what snacks will help set your metabolism on fire, click here.
4. Redistribute the amount of food you eat throughout the day. Many people tend to eat a little at breakfast (or worse, skip it), a little more at lunch, the most at dinner, and skip snacks altogether. If you want a fast metabolism, check out these yummy, and filling lunch recipes below:
- Chicken Dill Saute (Phase 1)
- Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans (Phase 1, 3)
- Jicama Tacos (Phase 2)
- Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad (Phase 3)
5. Have a post-party plan. Even if a few too many cocktails fall into your mouth or your face lands in a pie, you’ll be okay. Just get back on track so that it doesn’t turn into a season-long binge. The next day, focus on eating tons of fruits and vegetables to reset—try one of these amazing smoothie recipes for breakfast. Then enjoy the season.
- Strawberry-Pineapple-Spinach Smoothie (Phase 1)
- Kale-Lemon-Ginger Protein Smoothie (Phase 2)
- Blueberry-Almond Butter Smoothie (Phase 3)
