Banish holiday pounds without beating yourself up

The holidays may seem like a distant memory, but your new lil’ muffin top is telling a different story.
 
If you’ve recently discovered that your J-brand jeans no longer button, don’t despair; you’re changing them out for Lycra anyway. Yes missy, we’re going to help you slip back into a fitness plan you can stick to – and it doesn’t involve running through the streets in a plastic sweat suit, we promise.  
 
Meet Angela Parker
 
Angela Parker is the founder of LA-based Body Inspired Fitness. She believes that “It’s never too late to improve on the quality of your life, regardless of your situation” (in this case, holiday bloat).
 
Angela offers custom-made programs for people of all fitness levels, including kids, teens, pregnant women, seniors, real athletes, and couch potatoes.  
 
Here are her top five tips to get you back on your fitness track:
 
1. Manage Expectations!
You may have packed on an extra 2-6 pounds over the holidays, so anticipate that before you weigh yourself. Next, be realistic about how long it will take you to shed those pounds. You can expect a weight loss of about 1-3 pounds a week depending on how much garbage you cut out of your diet and how quickly you get into your fitness routine. Managing your expectations is the number one way to stay positive and focused on your goal.
 
2. Throw The Crap Out!
Just do it. You don't actually need to hold onto that stocking candy or tin of caramel popcorn. Bring any unopened goodies to work. You’ll be amazed at how fast interns can graze through a pile of holiday treats! Remove temptation to avoid falling back into your holiday cookies-and-cocktails routine.
 
3. Make a Freakin' Plan!
It’s next to impossible to shed those extra holiday pounds if you don't have a plan. So, stop what you are doing right now and create a plan for the next few weeks. What will you eat? Not eat? When will you workout? What will you actually be doing during these workouts? How can you plan for more sleep? When will you hit the grocery store? Without a plan, you will find yourself nearing summer and wondering why the bikini aisle makes you run screaming.
 
4. Get Sweaty Already!
If you really want to get back into your pre-holiday duds, you gotta sweat your #&% off, plain and simple! Say it with me…C-A-R-D-I-O!  Spend the next 7 days getting sweaty! Spin classes, boot camp, running, hiking with light weights, a dance class... anything that makes you pour sweat is a good thing. Then, after those seven days, pull back and focus on your strength work. It's a little trick that will help you shed a few quick pounds and get rid of the bloat.
 
5. Cool it With The Booze!
Is it fair to say you've started to become a little too comfy pouring a drink everyday at 5pm? I'm about to say something most of you will cringe at... no more liquor, booze, cocktails, beer, wine, ANYTHING for one month. I know. I know. But seriously you've consumed enough liquor over the last 6 weeks to last you for a while. I promise with this one trick you will drop the weight faster, have better workouts, enjoy super restful sleep, and get rid of those dark circles in a jiffy! Get your friends on board by having a contest with a prize. Whoever can go the furthest without a drink wins!
 
Bitchworthy

Enter Angela’s Body Inspired 2011 Makeover Contest! Valued at close to $4,000, the grand-prize winner will spend an entire week with Angela herself and includes:

• 2 personal training sessions each day
• Daily routine nutritional coaching
• A 10 day Paleta cleanse
• A pantry makeover
• A new workout wardrobe
• A beauty makeover – includes hair, makeup and airbrush tan
• A customized workout plan for 3 months with support and monthly check-ins with Angela

Contest ends February 1! For more info and how to enter, go here.

Julie Foreman Hayes, SELF Feature Editor
Julie is the co-author of Green My Parents, a sustainability manual for kids, a team member for green business giant Opportunity Green and a writer and marketing consultant for all things healthy, wealthy and sustainable at Funnygreen.com. She is a Los  Angeles native and is working daily on becoming a better vegetarian.