Winter weight problem: As soon as the mercury drops, our hunger pangs kick in and we often crave for that piping hot cup of hot chocolate or delicious ghee filled Gajar ka Halwa! Winters are also the time when we generally feel lazy and many of us give up on gym memberships and generally prefer to stay curled up under the blankets. While all of this sounds comfortable and delightful, it also comes with the dreaded weight gain! Low physical activity coupled with a calorie-heavy diet can often lead us to add on a few pounds. Eating right is important, but what should you eat and avoid? Meenal Shah, Senior Nutrition Therapist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund says, “With so much information available in the digital world about weight loss, finding the right information can prove challenging for many. Losing weight can lead to initial enthusiasm. Motivate a person to cut too many calories from their diet, but it is important to understand that consuming too few calories can put a person at risk. Serious health problems create.”
Shah says that in the winter season, the human body needs fuel to function properly, so a diet plan is essential for weight loss. Dieticians/specialist doctors, so that the food they consume does not have any adverse effect on their health.”
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE Weight Loss Tips: How To Avoid Winter Weight Gain – 5 Foods To Eat And Avoid
Prevent winter weight gain: 5 foods to eat
Minal Shah offers some tips to help a person follow a healthy and sustainable weight loss plan, especially during winters:
1) Focus on fiber rich foods: Fiber is essential to any balanced diet as it ensures rapid satiety, thereby helping in controlling the portion consumed of food. Fiber is present in many foods such as local fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
2) Include root vegetables in your diet: Winter is the season for sweet potatoes, beets and carrots. These items have excellent nutritional properties and can be consumed as healthy snacks throughout the season.
3) Consume sesame seeds daily: Sesame seeds are one of the best treats that you can get in winters as they have a good calorie density that fills the body with essential nutrients. It is high in zinc and iron, which also ensure healthy hemoglobin levels. Also, sesame seeds are rich in healthy fats and make for a great snack during the winter season. If you have a sweet tooth, you can explore a range of healthy sweets like Til Ke Laddoos, Kachariyu, Gajak etc.
4) Eat more protein rich food: Beans, milk and milk products, soy, egg, and lean meats like poultry and fish are incredible sources of proteins that keep immunity strong, have an excellent thermal effect on food, and are packed with many more nutrients Those should be added to a winter diet.
5) Consume citrus fruits: Citrus fruits like oranges, kiwi, limes and grapefruit are rich in vitamins that help in boosting immunity in winters. They are also rich sources of phytonutrients and fiber, making them an excellent addition to any diet, even if the person is trying to lose weight.
Winter Weight Maintenance: 5 Foods To Avoid
The foods a person eats have a significant impact on their current and future weight. Minal Shah says, “The above mentioned foods can help a person stay on track with their weight goals, but it is best to avoid the below mentioned foods, as they can badly affect your weight loss goals.” Can.” Here are the food types to avoid:
1) Reduce sugar intake: A hot drink along with a sweet/savoury dish is always a source of temptation during winters. However, most of these beverages are high in sugar and cream. Additionally, sweet treats like pastries, donuts and croissants are dense in sugar and fat, which can effectively lead to unhealthy weight gain. People trying to stay healthy should choose a hot beverage that is not calorie-dense, such as fresh vegetable soup, or a variety of teas such as green tea, mint tea and chamomile.
2) Replace high fat snacks with healthy foods: Winters are usually associated with a wide range of delicious snacks and treats. While it is okay to indulge in them once in a while, frequent consumption of these delicacies can lead to unhealthy weight gain. On a regular basis, try to avoid unhealthy snacks and instead choose healthier options like fresh fruit and vegetable-based snacks, nuts and seeds, which are not only filling but also don’t contain unhealthy calories, added sugar or unhealthy fats.
3) Don’t eat too much red meat/mutton: Mutton is a delicious dish that is consumed by many people, especially during winters. However, mutton has a very high fat content, which can be dangerous, especially for people with comorbidities. Additionally, undercooked mutton can lead to several health complications if consumed on a daily basis.
4) Reduce the consumption of alcohol: Alcohol is often consumed in winters as it produces warmth in the body. Although it is okay to drink in moderation, daily consumption of alcohol can take a toll on a person’s physical and mental health. Some short-term effects of alcohol include dizziness, nausea, vomiting and sometimes dehydration, depending on the type and amount of the drink. In addition, long-term alcohol abuse can lead to serious liver disease, especially if it is not treated promptly.
5) Avoid Cold Foods / Refrigerated Foods: Winter season can also be cold and flu season, especially for people with low immunity. Keeping this in mind, avoiding cold foods is necessary so that unnecessary infection can be avoided.