KEY POINTS:
Looking your best is not usually top of your list of priorities when the weather is chilly. Many of us let the kilos creep on during winter and when it's warm enough to start peeling off the layers of clothing we realise there's an extra layer of fat
there that's not going to be easy to shed.
Here are five tips on how to stay looking good when the temperatures plummet and the comfort food calls.
1) Don't use the weather as an excuse to become a couch potato. We tend to put on weight during winter because we don't move as much as we do when it's warmer, so we don't burn off the kilojoules we're consuming. We convince ourselves it's too cold, wet or dark to go for a walk or run and it's hard to drag ourselves out of bed on a chilly morning to get to the gym.
Firstly, don't be a wuss - once you get moving you'll warm up. If you really can't face exercising outside, find alternative workouts to do under cover. Buy an exercise DVD, hire a treadmill or exercycle, invest in weights or a skipping rope or crank up the stereo and dance around your living room. You could head to a heated indoor swimming pool or join an indoor netball or basketball team.
If you have a gym membership, don't let it go to waste while it's cold. Find a gym buddy so you can motivate each other to work out.
Set yourself a schedule of when you are going to exercise each day and stick to it.
2) Comfort food is not your friend. In winter we often steer clear of healthy foods such as salads and instead seek solace in more appealing, calorie-laden dishes such as chips, pies and creamy pastas. These can be your downfall, especially if you are not burning off all that extra energy.
Don't overdo carbohydrates in winter - eat them only in the morning or afternoon. If you eat carbs last thing at night they're less likely to be burned off and instead will be stored as body fat.
Eat more vegetables with your evening meal, especially super-healthy ones such as cabbage, broccoli, spinach and brussels sprouts. They'll also provide fibre, which will help you feel full. When you do have carbs, choose those that have a low GI, such chickpeas, fruit loaf and lentils.
If you hanker after warm and filling foods, you can't beat casseroles (with the fat trimmed off the meat) and thick soups. Homemade soups are best but if you're buying ready-made soups, avoid those containing cream.
3) Don't let yourselfget down. Suffering from the winter blues can cause you to pile on the pounds. The cold dreary days and lack of sunshine can lead to low levels of a hormone called serotonin that affects mood. When our serotonin levels dip we subconsciously try to counteract this change in our feelings by eating foods we know will lift our mood, such as carbohydrates.
You're also likely to suffer low serotonin levels if you're not getting much exercise, so one way of boosting your mood and reducing your cravings is to get moving. Trying to get as much sunshine as possible will also increase serotonin. Not enough sunlight makes you feel tired and less inclined to exercise, so it can become a vicious cycle.
4) Drink enough fluids. Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day can go by the wayside when the temperature drops. It's important to keep up your fluid levels - becoming dehydrated puts extra strain on your kidneys. They then need help doing their job properly, and it's your liver that comes to the rescue. Then your overworked liver isn't as good at doing crucial things like metabolising fat.
If you can't handle drinking cold water in winter, have it warm, with a slice of lemon. If you want a hot drink have green tea or herbal teas and if you can't get through the day without a coffee, restrict yourself to one, have it made with trim milk and leave out the sugar.
5) Don't hide under baggy winter woollies. Covering up with layers of clothing makes us less conscious of our bodies and it's easier for the weight to creep on without us noticing. Instead of wearing shapeless jumpers, opt for fitted winter clothes that will encourage you to want to stay in shape.
If you are worried about being warm enough, invest in some thermal underwear to keep you cosy without being bulky.
To really keep yourself on track, try on your swimsuit once a week. This is a foolproof way of motivating you not to gain weight.
- Detours, HoS
