The holidays may be over, but for many people out there, more than fond memories of family get-togethers and credit card statements remain as reminders. I'm talking about the extra few pounds of fat that many of us accumulate thanks to the delicious treats that are to be found practically everywhere you go from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Parties are a main source of decadent food, but you can also find items like cookies, pastries, muffins, and cake in offices, schools, you name it. The combination of the traditional seasonal treats plus cold weather is a recipe of most people to overindulge. In today's blog, I'll tell you how to get rid of that unwanted fluff you may have added to your body.

Don't beat yourself up - do something about it!

Okay, the mirror and the scale confirm that you went overboard with the bad food there for a few weeks. You can easily chastise yourself for your gluttony and lack of discipline, over and over again. But that would accomplish nothing. Don't waste your mental and emotional energy fretting about things you can't change. The damage is done, and you can't go back in time and say no to the slices of chocolate cake or pie that you ate. So what are you going to do about it? A report several years ago in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that average holiday weight gain wasn't as extreme as is often believed. On average, most American adults gain one pound every holiday season, though overweight people averaged five pounds. The shocking part of the report was that most people never lose this weight. It simply accumulates year after year, which is one reason why many people tend to get heavier as they age. Those people gained the weight just like you did, but they didn't do anything about it. They accepted the weight gain as an 'inevitable' part of getting older. I know you don't have a defeatist attitude like that! Take charge of the situation right now, and whatever you gained can be gone long before the spring thaw.

Get back on a healthy eating plan

If you aren't already back to your normal eating program, get on it today! You can give yourself little treats here and there, once or twice a week, but for the most part you should be eating clean, healthy foods like eggs, chicken breasts, fish, lean cuts of red meat, rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Prepare your meals ahead of time so you never have to resort to fast food or miss meals. It doesn't matter how badly you may have eaten last month. That was then, this is now!

Kick up the cardio

As bodybuilders, most of us don't particularly care for cardio. We'd rather be pumping iron! But take it from me, right now you also need cardio. If you can do morning cardio before breakfast, do it. Otherwise, hit your cardio after your weights, being sure to have a serving of Aminolast first to preserve your muscle mass. On your off days from the weights, come to the gym and really crank up the intensity with some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) style cardio. 30-40 minutes of alternating all-out sprints with less intense recovery intervals will burn up that bodyfat like a furnace.

Use an effective fat burner

With a solid diet and cardio program in place, all you need to amplify your fat-burning results is a good fat burning product. Our new Detonate is by far the most effective product of its kind on the market today. A serving on an empty stomach when you wake up, and one more in the afternoon between meals will help you literally melt the fat away from your belly, lower back, hips, or wherever you managed to pack it on over the holidays.

So as you can see, there is absolutely no reason to despair if you've gained a few extra pounds over the holidays. Getting rid of it just takes a commitment to do it, plus a little bit of work with your diet and cardio. But don't hesitate - spring isn't as far away as you think!