The holidays were joyful yet officially over; you're left with bits and pieces of torn Christmas wrapper lying on the floor, noche buena leftovers filling the refrigerator to the brim with the excess still spread across the dining table, and your stuffed, bloated self sitting helplessly on the couch, wondering how you could ever recover from that sinful food binge. Worry not, we give you simple tips to start getting back to your pre-December shape just in time for the new year:

Write your fitness goal down.
Be specific and take note--this makes it real and thus makes you accountable. Set how much weight you are aiming for as well as a deadline to attain it. Say for example, you hope to lose 5 pounds by the end of January. This then dictates the kind of workout and diet you plan to undergo. So long as you see your target and track your progress, you are well on your way.

Go and get moving.
The bed may be so tempting after every food binge but try your best to get up and get going. The faster you walk away from that Christmas spread and take a light walk outside, the faster your digestive system works, burning the extra calories and relieving the feeling of fullness. Walking or any kind of physical activity also helps clear your mind, putting you in a positive mindset, causing your body and brain to feel better. An improved mood then facilitates smarter food choices and reduces triggers for emotional eating.

Drink lots of water.
Hydration is key if you want to control your appetite and maximize your weight loss, besides the fact that you need your H2O for your overall health. First know the difference between hungry and thirsty, and reach for your water bottle before a spoonful of anything. Increasing your water intake also helps flush out the "bad" stuff, powering up your metabolism and moving digestion along. Studies have as well shown that drinking water before meals naturally led to people feeling fuller and thus eating less.

Enjoy the rest of the festivities and wishing you luck on controlling the holiday weight!