How to lose the holiday weight

Eid-ul-Azha typically brings with it feasts of beef and mutton, and all that go with it. The various types of curry and kebabs and delicious sides like breads and pulao means that we find ourselves in a foodie's paradise throughout Eid holidays.

Unfortunately, like all good things, Eid breaks end as well. If you suddenly feel a bit heavier or bloated, or the scales scares you a little, here are some easy ways to get back your healthy self in no time.

Cut the carbs, ditch the calories

Remember, the target here is not to lose a lot of weight at once but shed the few extra pounds. The good news is the 'holiday weight' oftentimes results from more water retention in the body (otherwise known as water weight) due to high sodium and carbs intake and can be shed easily but working on it for only two weeks.

First, you can start with a calorie-deficit diet. Where usually the upper limit set for adult male and female are 2500 and 2000 calories per day, experts recommend cutting those to 1800-1500 calories per day when targeting a weight loss.

One way of doing this is to stop, or at least drastically reduce, the intake of food with artificial sugars, like soft drinks, sugary juice and smoothies, desserts, powdered drink mixes, etc.

In case of carbohydrates, all you need to do is steer clear of the bad carbs for two weeks. Replace the red meat, fried food, rice, and sugar with green fruits and vegetables, white meat, fish, nuts and seeds. Nutritionists recommend chickpeas as a part of almost any good diet as the pack protein while being low in carbs.

It is also high time to add different types of salads in your daily food intake.

Gone are the days when 'diet' consisted of chewing unhappily on carrots and cucumbers. Now, there are countless alternatives and well as delicious recipes online that keep you full for longer while maintaining your energy level.

Once you have completed the first fifteen days with full dedication, you can choose to lighten up a bit. Calorie intake can go up to the normal 2000, and a cheat meal every few days will be acceptable.

Take a walk

No fancy equipment or bone-crushing workout regime for this one; all it asks for is your time. Walking regularly for 45-60 minutes at a moderate pace helps tremendously when you are trying to get in shape. YouTube has a rich collection of videos in this area that help you achieve the step-count within a short time and in the comfort of your home. Additionally, you can make a playlist of your favourite upbeat songs to make it more fun.

Walking is one of the lighter workouts and there is really no excuse for skipping it.

Gym at home

Thanks to the rise of F-commerce, if you cannot go to the gym, it will come to you.

Online workout classes are rather popular these days where trainers conduct sessions with small groups of people through virtual platforms like Google Meet and Zoom. The live session essentially replicate the gym experience within the comfort of your room.

In today's world, there are a million options when you are looking for a healthy lifestyle. Choose wisely, shed the weight.