I’m not usually in favour of crash diets. They have a rebound effect. You take it off fast then you put it back on just as quickly when you come off the diet. Depriving yourself is tough to stick to for any period of time. So once you cease the deprivation you go in the opposite direction. Let off the leash the desire to gorge is almost impossible to resist.
However for Christmas I make an exception. It’s much easier to diet for Christmas than diet after it. January is a miserable time to start a diet. The crushing anti-climax from Christmas, the usually much worse weather, the sheer dreariness of no longer having something to look forward to. January is never the right time to start a diet nor indeed any other self improvement regime. So do it beforehand. Do it preemptively. Get your post-Christmas diet in pre Christmas!
Knowing this crash diet isn’t going to last long and soon you can feast will help you stay focused; a bit like dieting for a beach holiday. You can cope with the deprivation because you know you’ve got something wonderful to look forward to at the end of it.
The best crash diet that takes weight off fast is a high-protein regime which cuts as many carbs as you can manage. Not as easy for vegetarians and vegans, I know, but it is possible. Cut alcohol completely for a couple of weeks - you can you know. You don’t need alcohol. It’s empty calories and it’s the dieter’s devil. Stick to lean meats or any kind of lean protein. Lots of fresh vegetables but don’t have too much fruit - it’s full of sugar.
Don’t do this diet for more than two or three weeks at the most. Even if you just do it for a week before Christmas that’ll help. You’ll have much more energy this side of Christmas so it’s a good time to diet. And you’ll feel far more confident doing the party rounds in favoured frocks if you’ve managed to drop a few pounds before the jollification starts.
When you hit the festive season give yourself three days of feasting. Pick any three out during the Christmas period. For me that’s Christmas Eve Eve, Christmas Eve and of course Christmas Day. Once that’s over I welcome the rest from feasting and just snack on leftovers. As a child I loved Christmas Eve best so now I have two of them! Hence Christmas Eve Eve on December 23rd. Anticipation is better than arriving. Though picking at food can drive a horse and coaches through a diet regime if you’ve done the pre-Christmas diet you won’t want to pick too much. You’ll welcome returning to more moderate eating.
We need our feasts and we need our rites of passage. Whether you’re religious or not, Christmas is a time people take a break and eat and drink more than the rest of the year. It’s hard to impossible to go against this if you were raised in a culture where Christmas is celebrated and where Christmas is all around you. So why not just accept that and enjoy it. It’s only for a few days.
You’ll enjoy your Christmas feasting much more if you’ve been abstemious beforehand. So happy crash dieting!
Important note of caution: I am not a doctor, dietitian, nor nutritionist. These newsletters are about what works for me. Consult your doctor before embarking on a strict weight-loss regime.