Lose Weight for Cheap Before New Years

Lose weight over the Holidays?  Is it possible to avoid weight gain during Christmas time when you’re surrounded by chocolate treats and holiday parties?  Of course! 

Weight loss isn’t something that you have to put off until your New Years Resolutions, using the tips below you can actually lose pounds without expensive diets or gym memberships this holiday.

Drink Lots of Water

I’ve stopped drinking soda for at least a month. and hopefully I will drastically reduce my intake altogether. Soda is just liquid sugar and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates that are not burned off will turn into fat.

I use a Brita filter, so my water is essentially free. I do buy a 12 pack of bottled water for on-the-go situations, but I am definitely saving money by not buying soda for the house and by not buying it at a restaurant.

Follow A Home Work-Out Plan

If you’re looking for some ways to get some exercise during the winter months, Men’s Health has many different workout plans you can follow at home with a minimal amount of equipment. These are good for either women or men. 

Typically, all you need to perform a great workout at home are two sets of dumbbells, a medicine ball, and a weight bench. Getting in a cardiovascular workout doesn’t have to require a membership to a gym. You can jog, ride a stationary bike, take a long walk, or play your favorite sport. If you want to stay out of the cold, join the mall walkers.

Take Control of Your Snacking

If you are like me, you find yourself wanting to snack all the time. They aren’t big snacks, but the calories certainly add up.

A common piece of advice suggests two snacks per day. A snack in between lunch and dinner, and an after-dinner snack. Snacks are not a bad thing if used properly. They help you curb hunger until the next big meal, which helps you eat less at your next meal.

The problem is that many of us snack on foods that are high in carbs, sugar, and calories, but low in protein and fat. Peanuts are a great snack, because they are packed with protein and curb your hunger for a longer period of time. A couple of pieces of cooked chicken strips or a piece of cheese with a few crackers are all good snacks that will curb your hunger much longer than a bag of chips or a piece of chocolate.

Limit Your Holiday Party Eating

This is where I have a lot of problems during the holidays. I attend about 5 or 6 different parties, and they are almost always hot and cold finger foods. I would much rather have someone hand me a plate of food, and say, this is all you get. Instead, I go back to the buffet table four or five times, because I have nothing else to do but eat.

If it’s your own party, include some activities to keep your company occupied. This will help yourself and your guests not eat so much. If you are at someone else’s party, work on your personal skills and strike up a conversation with someone you normally do not talk to. This will take your mind off of going back five times for more food.

You can also bring along your own healthy side dish that you know isn’t full of fat and calories.

Drink Fewer Calories

If you have a few holiday drinks, you’re probably drinking yourself to a bigger belly and butt : )  Drinking alcohol is one of the worst ways to eat empty calories. There’s no nutritional value, and you don’t even realize how many calories you’re taking in. Not too mention, alcohol can be expensive, especially if you’re buying it out at a restaurant or bar.

I love dark beers, but unfortunately they have the most calories. If you’re a dark beer drinker, try to limit yourself to two drinks. From a calorie standpoint it’s best to go with lower carb light beers.

When it comes to liquor, it’s more about what you mix it with. Try mixing it with tonic water or a diet soda. Some mixed drinks are loaded with sugar to mask the alcohol in it. This is an easy way to eat 100 to 250 calories per drink.

Target Body Weight

So, are you ready to shed off a few pounds? Find out what your target weight should be by calculating your BMI. According to the BMI calculator, based on my current height and weight, I am overweight.

If you saw me, you would say, “You don’t look overweight at all”. I think that’s because our culture cares more about what you look like in clothes rather than hard scientific calculations about weight. Plus many of us are at least a little overweight so can kind of grow accustomed to it.

Holiday Weight Loss

Of course I’m not trying to give you a complex that you’re overweight when you thought you were doing fine. Just remember weight gain can be a slow creeping process that sneaks up on you, especially this time of year! 

So lose some weight during the Holidays this year and put yourself ahead of the game when it comes time for New Years weight loss resolutions!

Erik Folgate is a husband and father living in Orlando who's been writing about money online for 6 years. Digging himself out of $20k of debt after college and his former experience in the insurance industry give him some useful insights into personal finance issues.

All posts by Erik