How to lose weight after the holidays

Resuming healthy eating habits and getting back to daily physical activity is the best way to get rid of the extra weight gained during the summer.

The scales never lie and they are a very reliable reflection of holiday excess. For a few weeks, ice cream for dessert, toasts to the sun with sangria or beer, fried food, too much salt, sugary soft drinks and lack of exercise are no longer the exception but the norm. As Marina Domene, nutritionist at SHA Wellness Clinic tells us, “it is normal to end the summer with some extra weight. During the holidays we tend to have a greater social life, we have more lunches and dinners out, alcohol and sugar consumption increases and physical activity is reduced. This is why, according to the latest studies, we gain two or three kilos on average”.

But, as Marina explains, “weight gain after the holiday period is not alarming. It is usually accompanied by an uncomfortable feeling of bloating due to the consumption of food that is saltier than usual, causing fluid retention.

When it comes to nutrition, there is no such thing as a miracle. That is why at SHA we are against both extreme diets and radical advice and we know that the best tools for shedding the extra kilos gained during the holidays are healthy eating habits and daily physical activity. The expert gives us the keys: “it is advisable to increase consumption of red fruits, for their antioxidant properties, and green leafy vegetables, especially those with a high water content, such as radishes or cucumbers. It is also essential to recover an adequate protein intake and opt for complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, millet or buckwheat. To stay perfectly hydrated, it is important to include herbal teas in the diet because, as well as providing water, they help to calm anxiety. Kukicha or daikon teas and infusions of fennel or ginger help to reduce fluid retention and inflammation”.

Technology for weight loss

The combination of a healthy diet and a personalised training programme are the cornerstones for shedding the extra kilos and returning to our pre-holiday weight. But, as Marina points out, “there are certain treatments that can help us in the process. For example, lymphatic drainage massages to reduce fluid retention and activate blood circulation, mesotherapy to combat localised fat accumulation or radiofrequency, which helps to tighten the skin and stimulates collagen production, which is essential when you want to lose weight”.