14/05/2022
Getting ready for winter
Ever since autumn, our bodies have been carefully preparing for the cold: we've been gaining weight and becoming more passive. These processes are designed to help us survive the winter, protecting us from hypothermia and loss of energy. But we want to stay slim and keep our spirits up! A good diet that won't disrupt your body's functions and will have tangible results is a sure-fire way to help you lose weight.
Beware: the winter diet.
With the advent of winter, subcutaneous fat production in the body intensifies. So the body stores a source of energy for long periods of cold weather. While to our ancestors this protection mechanism was just in time, today 2-3 extra pounds bring only grief and stimulate cravings for dieting. But in wintertime, diets should be handled with care.
Take care of your health.
The fact is that in the cold season we lack vitamins and nutrients. Therefore, even a slight reduction in the daily diet can have a negative impact on physical and mental well-being. In addition, we should not forget that adipose tissue itself produces the hormone leptin, which is involved in regulating appetite, weight, reproduction and even mental health. Dramatic weight loss will lead to a hormonal imbalance, with unpredictable consequences.
For a successful winter diet, you need to follow a few rules.
* Most importantly, proceed step by step for effective weight loss. Change your diet gradually, without drastic restrictions and innovations. * Avoid starvation, in winter it is sure to be detrimental. Instead, try eating smaller meals, but more often than usual. For example, eat three meals a day, followed by a second breakfast and an afternoon snack. * Keep an eye on the amount of food you eat, and remember that you should get up from the table with a feeling of light hunger (and not with complete indifference in the face of an overcrowded stomach). In the latter case, you will suffer from overeating, but the former gives you a healthy approach to your diet.
How does it feel to be full?
The fact that the signal of satiety is formed in the brain only 15-20 minutes after the stomach is already full. That's why nutritionists advise to take lunch breaks at least 30-40 minutes to chew food in a quiet environment and stop in time. If you stuff your stomach in a hurry, you risk overloading it. * Choose fresh food over canned food. Canned foods contain salt and soda, which retain moisture in the body and keep you full. In addition, excess salt prevents the excretion of toxins.
Diets for extra pounds.
So, if you're determined to shed all that extra weight, start with your daily diet.
Soup is good for you.
Our first course is soup. Not only is it a source of easily digestible protein, but it's also a great way to 'cheat' your stomach. Soup adds volume to the stomach, which activates special receptors on the walls of the stomach and signals a full stomach. As a result, your appetite will be slightly suppressed and you will eat 20-40% less than usual for the second meal. Ideally, preference should be given to soups based on lean meat, vegetable broths, vegetarian soups. Try for example this recipe: * 1.5 l of water, 2-3 medium carrots, 2 tomatoes, frozen cauliflower, green beans, a few sprigs of celery, leeks. Boil the ingredients in broth, you can add some thyme, cumin, coriander to taste. Season lightly.
Make the second course a little lighter
When it comes to the second course, it is usually something caloric. Don't hold back your culinary imagination, cook as usual. Pay attention only to the complementing ingredients. Use light mayonnaise instead of ordinary mayonnaise (mix ordinary mayonnaise with sour cream), use less fatty milk, cottage cheese and sour cream. You can also use them (or kefir) for gravy. Replace animal fat for frying potatoes with vegetable oil. This is harmless and also keeps the skin hydrated during the winter. Spice things up with spices - they activate the secretion of digestive juices and your metabolism. As a result, the food will be fully digested.
