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5 fun ways to ditch the fat
BY Dilvin Yasa
Here’s how to use the holiday rituals of sun, sleep and shopping to create a sleeker physique.
1. Hit the beach
A trip to the local swimming hole often means packing your togs, towel and little else, but Natasha Murray from the Dietitian’s Association of Australia advises planning ahead to avoid the temptation of ice-cream vans and fish-and-chip kiosks. “Pack a small container with summer fruits and salads, some low-fat dairy and plenty of water,” she says. Personal trainer Natalie Carter suggests adding exercises such as kayaking or paddle boarding to your trip. “Soft-sand running is another great fat burner,” she says. Try sprinting 50 metres, then walk back to your starting position and repeat the sprints for 15 minutes.
2. Have sex
Need an extra excuse for quality time between the sheets? Not only is it good for your cardio health, but a study by the University of Quebec in Canada has revealed that a 25-minute sex session burns about 3.1 calories a minute for women, and 4.2 a minute for men. Carter suggests enhancing the pleasure by introducing some Kegel (pelvic floor) exercises: during sex, imagine your pelvic floor as an elevator. “It sits on the ground floor relaxed, then goes to level one where you squeeze and hold for a few seconds before moving up to a new level and holding again.”
3. Socialise
Rather than boozy barbies and late-night dinners, Carter recommends considering your venue and activity choices carefully. “Couple a coffee date with the girls with a brisk walk around the park or go for a bike ride beforehand,” she says, adding that 45 minutes of moderate cycling burns about 400 calories. Murray agrees, adding that it’s a good idea to drink a bottle of water before meeting friends for lunch to prevent you from overeating or reaching for the wrong food. “We sometimes confuse hunger with thirst, particularly on a hot day, so it’s worth ordering food 15 minutes after your drink.” Her biggest tip? Order the cake but share it!
4. Shop the post-Christmas sales
It might wreak havoc on your credit card, but hitting up the sales at your local mall is surprisingly good for your body, Carter says. “Carrying shopping bags for 90 minutes burns more than 350 calories alone and you can help clock up incidental exercise by walking up escalators and extending your shopping hours so you cover more ground.” Just be mindful that a pit-stop at the food court doesn’t undo all your hard work, Murray warns. “Take along some healthy snacks such as carrot sticks or nuts to munch on when you get peckish,” she says. “Make wise food choices at lunch such as a plain hamburger with salad, a jacket potato topped with legumes and vegetables, or if you’re on the run, sushi or rice paper rolls are generally good options.”
5 Go to sleep
In what could be the best diet news ever, researchers at the University of Chicago in the US have discovered that when you sleep less, your body burns calories at a much slower rate to preserve energy. In fact, the average person can burn an additional 2800 calories a week by getting an extra three hours of shut-eye a night. “You may not think sleep can hinder your fat-loss efforts but when you have too little of it, you generally make poor food choices, grabbing sugary and caffeine-laden snacks to pep you up, and your workout is the first thing you ditch,” Carter says. Aim to get seven to eight hours a night and at least one 10-15 minute power nap throughout the day. Be sure to put some thought into how much you’re eating before going to bed, Murray says. “You should be hungry within one hour of waking in the morning. If you’re not, you’re probably overeating.”
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