After the Christmas holidays and copious meals for more than two weeks, the first thing many people decide when starting the new year is to set themselves the goal of doing physical exercise and eating better to cleanse the body but, above all, to get rid of those extra kilos that Christmas brings with it.
According to the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition, the Christmas holidays can make us gain an average of 2 to 4 kilos. For this reason, gyms usually experience an increase in registrations at this time. The same happens with nutritionist consultations.
On many occasions, these excesses cause alterations in the body, such as inflammation, gastroenteritis, constipation, sleep disorders, headaches and general discomfort due to the consumption of alcohol and mixtures of different foods. "Some of these effects appear because we drink little water, do less exercise and the foods are lower in fiber," explains nutritionist Flavia Baridón.
Background that causes alterations in the body
The Christmas holidays cause our schedules and our routine to change completely, which can lead to stress. "When this happens, people want to return to normal in one day but it doesn't happen like that because it depends on each person, but everything requires a process to detach ourselves," says the nutritionist.
The first key step to return to normal is to take stock and identify where you are and act, according to Baridón, "as soon as possible because when we postpone, it doesn't happen and we fall into procrastination because we always find a thousand excuses not to exercise or resume the eating plan, if we had one."
Having a goal, and maintaining it, is another reason that helps to get down to work. "Setting goals works, and also writing them down, because when we complete a plan and it is carried out successfully it is because we have a motivation, and that is what will get us out of laziness," advises the dietitian.
"We also have to see what our habits were like before Christmas because if they have been recent or unstable during the year and have been interrupted in this month, it will be more difficult for us to reincorporate them into our daily lives," she declares.
In addition, it is important to analyze whether our habits, beyond food, favor or not our health, such as sports, how we think, work and the mind. "I always say that emotions, sports and food are the three pillars of health, so we must carefully review the state of these three things because, depending on how they are, they will delay or favor the appearance of diseases," indicates the professional.
A diet as clean as possible
Food is one of the main aspects that must be taken care of. According to Baridón, "in general, we must try to eat as clean as possible, that is, that it has the minimum of additives, of processed foods and that it is as natural as possible." In this sense, an example is that if we eat rice, it is best to eat it naturally, but not puffed or processed in some way.
Legumes, fruits and vegetables are fundamental in a balanced diet. Colorful vegetables are essential for there to be a lot of fiber and, in addition, that the fats are healthy, which we can find, for example, in avocado, nuts or extra virgin vegetable oils without heating.
Avoiding sugar is also essential because throughout the Christmas holidays we have already consumed a lot in general. "We must try to avoid it at all costs, such as honey, refined sugar, pastries, chocolates and sweets because now we must detoxify the body," she explains.
The inflammation that we may feel is a symptom that we have overeaten a lot. "The inflammation mainly takes place in the abdomen, but many people notice it throughout the body, such as in the bags under the eyes, in the face, in the hands, in the feet and in fluid retention," comments the nutritionist.
If we manage to eliminate sugar, alcohol and processed foods from our diet, the inflammation will be reduced. However, it is better to eliminate them little by little so that the change is not so drastic. In addition, drinking plenty of water and staying well hydrated is another of the first steps we must take.
Realistic goals
Setting goals is a way to motivate us to reach the goal we want but in order to achieve them they must be realistic. "If we propose to go to the gym every day but if you know that you are not going to fulfill it, it is better to want to go 3 or 4 days a week," she advises.
The objectives depend on each person, it can be in the field of sports or food. Someone may want to give up sugar or fried foods, or reduce it to one day a week. "The recommendation is to do it progressively, not from one day to the next," she says.
The idea of implementing an eating plan in our lives is a very good option that allows us to organize ourselves day by day and, in addition, buy just what is necessary when shopping at the supermarket, avoiding taking home products that we should not consume and at the same time, save money.
"The way of thinking also comes into play because we can think that how difficult it is to go to eat in a place that is not a hamburger restaurant, but we have to change the focus because they are lifestyle habits," she explains.
Regarding physical exercise, the nutritionist is committed to "including strength exercises but little by little because it is essential in the life of everyone, from children to the elderly." An important point that the professional highlights is that "you should not give the mind time to think when we are about to do sports, but do it ipso facto", but not only with physical exercise, but also with food.