10 ways to avoid extra winter kilos

Hey everyone! Sorry i've been m.i.a, life has gotten abit busy for me! I had a really bad weekend of eating..

Friday night : buffet @ centre point tower

Saturday night : Pancakes on the rocks

Sunday morning : breakfast buffet @ mounties

That's alot of eating! But i also did:

saturday: 12km coastal run (in 100 minutes)

sunday : 2 hr bush walk @ Manly Dam

So i dont feel too bad about the eating anymore :)

One thing i'm definitely worried about during the colder months of the year - is winter weight gain :( It's so easy to just skip working out to stay home, stay warm and eat comfort foods, and our bodies naturally get more hungry during winter because food insulates our body with fat which keeps us warm!

While it is certainly okay to give your self a break now and again, try not to make a habit of it! If you know you will be skipping out a work out, try to eat sensibly to make up for it, or to make your next workout even harder to compensate.

I found these tips on the biggest loser website i thought i'd share with you all, & a few tips i'm adding in myself :)

- warm oats with cinnamon & brown sugar for breakfast will warm you up real good in the mornings, and keep you full (better then toast!)

- keeping a food diary (i am in my 5th week of keeping a food and exercise diary, and i love it, it's great! i can see where i've gone wrong, eaten bad, not exercised enough, and its very motivating trying to keep that diary positive)

- try to do abit of exercise everyday! even if it's just half an hour on the x trainer, treadmill or bike, your body will thank you for it, remember : a little bit of exercise is better then nothing!

-

& these are the tips from the biggest loser website, enjoy!

Eat a healthy breakfast

US researcher Dr Daniela Jakubowicz has studied the link between eating breakfast and weight loss to show that fuelling up early can help you lose weight and keep it off. Study participants reported feeling less hungry than non-breakfasters. Try wholemeal crumpets with grilled banana and honey.

Watch your portions

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, most people estimate portion sizes inaccurately. For pasta, subjects measured out on average more than half more than they meant to (156%). Weigh and measure your portions for the next week to re-establish a correct portion – and try using smaller plates and bowls.

Snack smarter

Swap a blueberry muffin for a slice of buttered raisin toast – and save 213 calories. Or check out these 15 snack ideas, each under 200 calories.

Choose comfort foods wisely

Try porridge with reduced-fat milk and fruit, and slow-cooked casseroles (made with lean meat and vegetables). Braised lamb shanks, tuna penne bake and apple and rhubarb crumble make excellent low calorie treats.

Slurp some soup

The ancient Chinese believed that the body stores up nutrients during the winter months and eating well at this time was especially important to bring good health for the coming year. Try some of our deliciously warming soup recipes, such as cauliflower and pea, sweet pumpkin, bacon, lentil and tomato, minted pea and spiced vegetable.

Choose healthy drinks

Piping hot drinks are a great way to stay warm, but use reduced-fat milk and limit added sugar.

Make the most of exercise

It’s easier to be active in winter because you don’t have to contend with stifling heat and high humidity. And running or walking outside without strong sunlight means you don’t have to worry so much about sunburn and dehydration.

Recruit a support team

Find at least one person (friend, family member, work colleague, forum buddy) who will support and cheer you on over winter.

Search out the sun

Research has found that the level of vitamin D level in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet can be a good prediction of whether weight loss will be successful. A study by the University of Minnesota found that higher levels of the vitamin, which the body gets from sunlight, predicted greater losses of abdominal fat, among 38 overweight men and women. “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with obesity but it is not clear if inadequate vitamin D causes obesity or the other way around,” said the study’s lead author, Shalamar Sibley. While more research needs to be done, it’s worth getting as many natural light as possible. Try getting off the bus a stop early and walking, wrapping up and having your morning coffee outside or shopping in outdoor markets rather than malls. Make sure you wear UV protection as the sun’s rays can still be damaging in winter.

Warm from the inside

Flavoursome ginger root has been used since ancient times for its warming and soothing properties and its immune-strengthening qualities. Wind down and warm up with some tea with added fresh or dried ginger. Try making your own infusion by mixing 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice and 1 teaspoon honey stirred into a cup of hot water – it’s just 23 calories.

xoxo Betty