Sunday, December 19, 2010

6 Tips to Beat Winter Weight Gain

This is the time of year when the days are shorter, and for some us, the weather is a bit drearier. Our get-up-and-go appears to have gotten up and went with the sunshine, making it harder to feel motivated to move. But move we must if we are to ward off winter weight. So before you cave into that chocolate craving and only temporarily boost your mood and energy level, mull over these suggestions for surviving winter feeling better — and without the love handles.

1. Stock the pantry

Fill your pantry with satisfying, healthy foods like rice, beans, whole wheat pasta and cereals, dried fruit, vegetables, and cans of tomatoes. These staples help you quickly whip up soups, stews, and other home-cooked entrées that you can enjoy over several nights, saving you time, as well as money and calories on high-fat takeout meals.

2. Sleep longer

The more sleep you get, the more fat you’ll lose. That’s the conclusion of a recent study of dieters published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. When dieters got adequate sleep (seven hours, 25 minutes), more than half of the weight they lost was from fat, and when they slept less (five hours, 14 minutes), only one-fourth of the weight dropped was fat. Dieters who got less sleep also were hungrier when they awoke because they produced more of the hunger-triggering hormone ghrelin, which also reduces calorie expenditure.

3. Drink wisely

While moderate alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits, such as reducing heart disease risk, alcohol also can pack on empty calories and diminish your resolve when it comes to resisting high-calorie foods. If you do drink, stick with lower-calorie light beer or white wine. Soda, with its high sugar and caffeine content and zero nutrients, also can undo your dieting efforts. Instead of soda, drink plenty of water, health experts say. It will make you feel full without filling you with worthless calories.

4. Practice moderation

An occasional indulgence won’t sabotage your good-eating efforts, but make it a small treat, advises the Nutrition Advisory Committee at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. A forkful or two of rich cheesecake or pumpkin pie is better than a whole piece. Also, eat slowly, savoring every bite. You’ll enjoy your meal more and give your brain time to receive the message that your stomach is full. (That takes 20 minutes.)

5. Order coffee carefully

Those yummy, rich lattes and decadent hot chocolate drinks taste great going down, but with their sweet syrups and fat, many contain the caloric equivalent of dessert. A 16-ounce Starbucks White Hot Chocolate has a whopping 410 calories and 12 grams of fat. The same size Dunkin’ Donuts Gingerbread Latte has 330 calories and 9 grams of fat. Stick to Starbucks Bold Pick of the Day, with its measly 5 calories per 16-ounce cup. Or brew your own coffee or tea at home and save calories and money.

6. Exercise more

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people gain an average of about one pound during the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day — far less than researchers expected. However, those who gained weight tended not to lose it over the remainder of the new year, and more weight accumulated over time, increasing the risk for obesity and its related ills. Participants who were the most physically active gained the least weight, and some actually lost weight. The takeaway: Exercise more during the holiday season.

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