Most of us put on loads of weight in winter, by eating more creamy and stodgy food than usual. Unfortunately, it is a pain to get rid of the unwanted weight when summer arrives. The trick is to try and eat healthier options during the winter months so that you can maintain your weight through to the summer again.
If you want to lose weight, it is so much easier to eat healthy foods like salads and fruit in summer, but these types of food unfortunately don't satisfy and keep you warm in winter.
The general rule of thumb is to fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with carbs or starches and a quarter with protein. As well as being filling, vegetables are also fiber rich. Vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, cooked dried beans, peas and lentils should be regarded as starches, unless you prefer to count cooked pulses as protein.
Don't eat more than one portion of carrots, yellow pumpkins, parsnips, beetroot, turnip, spinach, Brussels sprouts, bean sprouts or peas with your main meals, as these have a higher GI and a higher kilojoule count. If you find that you are still hungry after your meal, then have about a cup of any of the following, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, mushrooms, cauliflower, green beans, cabbage, broccoli, baby marrows, brinjal, peppers or onion. These vegetables are very low in kilojoules.
Here are some more tips to help you to maintain your current weight during the colder months.
1. Exercise at least three times a week for 30 - 60 minutes at a time. Exercising increases your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which you burn food. 2. Make sure to eat three meals a day and stop when you have had enough, even if your plate isn't empty. 3. Avoid fizzy sodas, milk drinks that are high in kilojoules, fruit juice, alcohol and beverages with full cream milk or coffee creamer and lots of sugar. Try a healthier version of a hot chocolate made with cocoa, low fat milk and sweetener. 4. Takeaways are laden with extra calories, so try to avoid them. You also eat bigger portions than you do at home. If eating out, opt for veggies instead of fries, and once you have had enough, ask for a doggy bag.
Sticking to the above advice, you should be able to avoid gaining weight during the colder months.
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