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Winter is the perfect time for a break and to embrace comfort dishes like stews. While we deserve it, winter weight gain can be a problem.
Here we speak to dieticians, fitness trainers, and other health experts for their top tips on how you can keep your winter weight gain at bay.
1. It all starts with you…
The best place to start when it comes to maintaining or losing weight is, unsurprisingly, with you. No diet or fitness routine is going to suit everyone, so tailoring a plan that is perfect for your goals is the best place to start.
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Dr Danny Meyersfeld, CEO of DNAlysis Biotechnology, explains: ‘There is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to weight loss. Dietary and lifestyle changes are made so much easier when you can get nutrition and diet advice matched to your genes.’
Speaking to trained professionals who can help create a bespoke diet plan will ensure that any weight loss is both healthy and sustainable. It can also provide insights into which foods, supplements, and lifestyle choices benefit you personally, allowing you to manage your weight effectively.
2. Get back to basics with benefits
Going back to basics can be the key to success. Dr Riekie Smit, an aesthetic medicine practitioner who specialises in weight management, simply recommends eating your greens. She explains: ‘This will not only keep the weight off, but also keep your immunity levels high.’
Dr Smit also recommends continuing to exercise, even though it may not be the ideal weather for it. She suggests that if outdoor exercise is not a viable option, opt for indoor exercise programmes – either at the gym or at home.
Regular exercise is also advised by Dr Rosetta Guidozzi, a general practitioner from Johannesburg. She says: “The trick is to remain motivated during winter, even if you change the type of exercise you do during the winter months, it is important to at least continue with activity.’
Dr Guidozzi also stresses the importance of a good nights’ sleep to prevent poor habits. She explains: ‘Sleep deprivation will lower immunity and can lead to less favourable food choices.’
Clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioural therapist, Dr Colinda Linde, stresses that it is important that any exercise and healthy habits remain realistic. She recommends starting the day with stretches, which warms you up and can be done from your bedroom. She adds: ‘In this way, you consciously include exercise in your daily routine, with the option to also add something outside of the home such as the gym, a walk, or a run.’
3. Small steps for big change
It is important to remember that maintaining or losing weight healthily is about much more than a ‘diet’ or ‘program’.
Adoption of long-term lifestyle changes in daily eating and exercise habits should be the ultimate goal. The key is to start with small incremental changes that are sustainable.
4. Use top tools and speak to experts
Start simple and keep track of what you eat, do some monitoring, and use the tools available to you for some inspiring dishes that are healthy.
Try spicing up your menu this winter with some alternative, healthier dishes, such as stews and casseroles. Or perhaps a change in your usual exercise routine may give you a new lease of life – try downloading an app for new, fun suggestions.
Weight loss apps, such as Lose It!, My Diet Coach, and MyFitnessPal, will be useful in giving you exercise and diet ideas, as well as helping you to stay on track with your goals.
There are also plenty of websites, such as ilivelite, that can offer tips, support, and further information to guarantee a healthy winter.
Other options include speaking to a personal trainer, nutritionist, or dietician to help pinpoint your goals and work on these.
If you are worried about your weight, start off with speaking to a doctor or another qualified professional who can offer sound advice.
