Why is this you ask? Very simply we stop eating when we feel full. This satiety feeling comes from the volume of food, not the calorie content. The secret to colourful vegetables and fruit is their water and fibre content, making them low-energy, dense foods relative to their volume.
So overall, you consume fewer calories but still feel satisfied. Add fruit to breakfast, snack on vegetables or fruit, and followthe simple rule of half your meal being colourful vegetables.
A few favourite recipe makeovers include:
Porridge — frozen berries, toasted seeds/nuts, trim milk and natural yoghurtMac and cheese — bulk up with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach or frozen peas and use trim milk for your cheese sauceCasseroles — add onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, frozen peas and canned tomatoesLasagne — add layers of spinach and cooked pumpkin, substitute mince with canned lentils and use a lite cottage cheese-based sauce
2. Put mindful eating into practice
How we eat is just as important as what we eat. If you find you often eat or snack when you are not hungry ask yourself why? Is it the colder temperature? Winter boredom? Stress eating? Or bad habits? Identifying the “why” helps you put strategies in place to stop these unnecessary calories.
On the other hand, when you do eat, really savour and enjoy the moment. Mindful eating is well recognised as a tool to help weight loss and management, particularly by controlling over-eating.
Seeing an accredited dietitian can help develop your mindfulness, but limiting distractions such as phones, TV, computers and work when you eat is a great starting point.
3. Rethink that drink
Comforting drinks such as milky coffees, hot chocolates, mulled wine, and let’s face it, alcohol in general, are liquid calorie killers. Limiting high calorie drinks is one of the easiest ways to lose or manage weight.
Swapping out your daily, regular latte over one year can result in as much as 6.2kg loss in weight! This winter learn to love herbal teas, hot lemon drinks or plain coffee and tea.
If you need something a bit more substantial opt for a hot cup of chicken or tomato soup, still low in calories but extremely satisfying.
Lastly, don’t forget water. You may not feel like it as much in winter, but at the end of the day water is first choice.
4. Get out and about
If you are finding it hard to motivate yourself this winter then it’s time to change up your usual routine and try something new.
One of the best ways to help with this is to sign up for an event, team sport or join a club. There is plenty on offer in our own backyard. It’s just finding something you are going to enjoy.
Another option is to move more and sit less. Break up sitting time by standing and stretching regularly. Or replace short car journeys by walking, cycling or scooting. You will be amazed how your body responds by mixing up your normal activity.
5. Check up on sleep and stress
Less sunlight during winter months does nothing for our sleep patterns or mood. However, with a bit of creativity or change in routine you can still get a bit of sunrays and vitamin D. A short walk in your work break may be all you need, or making the most of weekend light.
Perhaps it’s more about taking the time out to acknowledge and deal with stress. Whatever the culprit, it’s quite astounding how much a lack of sleep and stress play on our health, wellbeing and weight, and does need to be addressed.
