The New Year is over and the scales are tipping the wrong way? Here are some golden rules to use to get back in shape.
This question is asked every year: after eating goose liver pate, Christmas logs and chocolates during the year-end holidays, how long will it take our body to get rid of all these excesses? Nutritionist and expert Alexandra Murcier gives us some answers. Our bodies store more in winter
The drop in temperature
reduces our physical activity, and the holiday season dramatically accelerates weight gain. Family gatherings around the fireplace, aperitifs and sumptuous dinners (appetizers, main courses, cheese desserts) make our bodies “gain weight” and unable to keep up.
The cold weather also forces us to eat more calorie-dense foods to keep our body at the right temperature (after Christmas, skip the salad and go for the tartiflette).
Finally, letting go of things because of the holidays (“I’m taking care of myself because I’m on vacation”) definitely impacts our weight. When we’re not at home, we adapt to other people’s habits and recipes (and who cares if they put double the butter on their pasta?). “Weight gain during the holidays is mainly due to water retention due to a diet high in salt and sugar,” says Alexandra Murcier.
But there’s no need to feel guilty or go on a diet after the holidays. Nutritionists assure that a simple rebalance at home is usually enough to get rid of the few extra pounds you’ve gained.
Weight gain during the holidays “Beware of the yo-yo effect”
The desire to get back to a normal metabolism (and weight) is understandable, but you should be careful not to rush things.
“You should avoid trying to lose weight too quickly, because denying yourself too much will eventually slow down your normal metabolism. The result? And we store more, which explains the weight gain after crash diets and the famous yo-yo effect, “she warns.
From the point of view of behavioral science, it is not recommended to combine dieting with detox treatments. “It is also not desirable to deny yourself something, because this behavior often leads to frustration and then even more severe overeating,” she says.
After all, experts warn that it is better to avoid crash diets in order to prevent symptoms of deficiency.
“Therefore, the best thing is to resume a healthy, balanced diet and slowly but sustainably return to your ideal weight,” she concludes.