The festive season is full of temptation. We asked an expert how best to achieve moderation when it comes to Christmas – and blitz that festive belly fat
WORDS: Megan Graye
It can be hard to avoid putting on weight in the run up to Christmas, never mind losing it! With all the celebrations, family get-togethers, Christmas doos and big dinners, it’s easy for temptation to take over when it comes to diet and exercise.
But there is a way to still have festive fun whilst sticking to those healthy habits. We asked an expert how best to approach shifting some weight ahead of Christmas – without being a party pooper!
How do I reduce my belly fat?
“You can reduce belly fat – but not because you’re specifically reducing this area.” That’s what Josh Clamp, Health and Performance Coach, Registered Nutritionist and Men’s Health business owner says. He specialises in sustainable lifelong modifications to diet and exercise.
“You reduce it by creating a sustained calorie deficit which helps you lose weight,” he says, but stresses that “you cannot ‘spot reduce’”, (meaning you can’t choose a particular area to lose weight on). “You can train specific muscles to make them larger, or more defined, but fat loss happens generally across the body.”
Some of us find it harder to lose weight on our stomachs because of our genetics, explains Clamp. “Different people lose fat in different areas quicker than other people, but it’s not because they’re not working as hard. Some people lose or put on weight around their abdomen or hips more, other people in their legs – and that’s true for both men and women – different people have natural patterns of fat deposition.”
Keeping weight off around your tummy is about more than just aesthetics though; it’s important to not have too much weight around your stomach for health reasons. “Carrying more visceral fat around the organs and tummy actually puts you at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, for example, than if you just generally had a higher adiposity that was spread across your body,” he explains.
So, how do I approach losing some weight without ruining my Christmas?
“Small changes done intentionally prevent ‘sod it’ syndrome,” says Clamp who believes it’s all about setting long term, realistic and sustainable goals. “If you cut out all the foods you enjoy, make it unachievable and unrealistic, you’re inevitably gonna give in, and have that ‘start again next week’ vicious cycle of yo yo dieting.
Clamp suggests seven small steps to improve your health and begin losing weight. Here’s what he recommends:
- Track your food
“Getting an understanding of how much you’re actually consuming can be really revealing as an experience,” says Clamp who suggests monitoring your calorie, protein and carbohydrate intake. “Having an understanding of the amount of energy that different foods contain and the amount that you’re eating can be really important, especially when getting started.”
“As a caveat to that, numbers are useful to have an awareness of, but they don’t tell the full story, and it’s important not to get obsessed over them,” he says.
- Monitor your portion sizes
“Often the problem with blokes is that we love big portions of rice with naan bread and some chips or garlic bread,” says Clamp. “But actually knowing your portion sizes is a crucial way to help achieve that calorie deficit which is going to help you lose weight.”
“Specifically monitor carbohydrates- that doesn’t mean cut them out – it just means monitor them,” he adds.
- Focus on high fibre foods
“Fibre helps you feel fuller for longer, supporting your gut health, helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or helping with your longevity – it pretty much helps everything!” explains Clamp.
“Not enough men eat enough fruit and veg,” he adds. “Only about 10% of men in the UK meet their fibre targets – and it’s actually an incredibly important nutrient for your gut microbiome, your immune system and for weight loss.”
Clamp believes there are many barriers to eating fruit and veg. “We are in food environments inundated with bulk processed junk, and it’s harder to access healthy fresh foods, especially in the UK – healthy food is often more expensive as well – but it doesn’t have to be avocados from Peru, it can be your carrots, your frozen peas.”
- Everything in moderation
“Try to have less of the high fat, sugar and salt foods,” says Clamp. “Don’t cut them out – if you have the odd celebration or the odd mince pie, that’s OK – but just try to have less. Often people say ‘I’m gonna not have any sweets, cake, chocolate biscuits’, or they have a whole packet. Know that it’s OK to have a couple, but only a couple.”
Clamp believes that guilt or shame around food needs to be scrapped as it only perpetuates our unhealthy behaviours. “No food should be guilty or guilt-free. Everything’s OK in moderation. You need good healthy behaviors and you’re also allowed other foods. As a nutritionist, I have pizza and alcohol and sweets, I never feel guilty about them and nobody should.”
Clamp suggests the 80/20 rule (where you are healthy and make good choices 80% of the time and allow for 20% flexibility) so that these human imperfections are actually baked into your diet. “If that’s part of your plan, you’re going in with the right mindset, saying I’m allowed this and I’m not gonna feel guilty because of it.”
- Exercise:
Clamp recommends getting a range of exercise in: particularly cardio (such as increasing daily steps, running, swimming, or cycling) and weight-based resistance training. “The national guidance is 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, whether that’s 30 minutes a day for 5 days, or longer sessions on a few days.”
This doesn’t have to be done immediately and can be worked up to, says Clamp. “That’s not necessarily the advice that you want to hear if you wanna [lose weight] before Christmas, but small habits built consistently will last at least a year rather than losing lots of weight quickly and putting it back on.”
- Try some non-alcoholic drinks
As enjoyable as it can be, alcohol can really hamper our ability to lose weight. “Firstly there’s the direct calories that you get from alcohol; and secondly, it impacts your judgment and decision making – making you more likely to consume other dense foods meaning you end up having extra food that you’re eating during the night, and probably the next day.”
Again, moderation is key here, says Clamp. “You don’t need to be teetotal, but just be mindful of it and know some good alternatives,” he reassures. “I’m a huge fan of Guinness Zero, for example, so it’s just about knowing what works for you.”
- Sleep
“The importance of sleep is foundational for short term and long-term health – but also your willpower and ability to make smart decisions when it comes to everything else we’ve been talking about,” says Clamp.
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The right attitude
Overall, Clamp suggests a more long term approach to losing weight if you want a healthy lifestyle that actually lasts.
“Perhaps the best way to lose belly fat before Christmas is to take it slow, give yourself a year and work towards next Christmas!”
