St George & Sutherland Shire Leader

Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do

Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do
Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do

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One of the best parts of living in the St George and Sutherland Shire is the close proximity to the beach. And when the suns out, the guns come out, well, figuratively speaking anyways.

But what do you do during the winter months? And how do you avoid letting that comfort food turn into arctic blubber that you're going have to work twice as hard to lose in summer?

The reality is: in order to maintain a nice healthy weight in the colder months, you need to maintain a nice healthy lifestyle. So, here are six things you can do during the winter to stay in shape.

1 - Make sure you get regular exercise

This one may seem obvious but it's importance can't be overstated. The best way to maintain a healthy weight or to lose a couple of unwanted kilograms is to maintain an active lifestyle.

According to the British NHS, to stay healthy, adults should try to be active every day and aim to achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.

Whether it's riding a pushbike to work, taking a yoga class, pilates, lifting weights, running on treadmill or even just a daily walk, it is important to stay active.

2 - Drink more water

This is another good tip. If you're looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle staying hydrated is highly advantageous.

In fact, according to Johns Hopkins University, water can help with weight loss in a variety of ways. It can suppress your appetite, boost your metabolism, and make exercise easier and more efficient.

Drinking more water also helps to reduce your intake of other drinks that may not be as good for you, like sugary soft drinks. This will help cut your daily calorie intake.

Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do
Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do

3 - Cut down on alcohol and fast foods

One of the fastest ways to put on weight during winter is to over indulge in high calorie foods and beverages. Two of the worst offenders are takeaways and too many trips to the pub.

We all know that fast food isn't good for you, a single meal can have close to an entire day's worth of kilojoules and be absolutely jam-packed with sugar, trans fat, saturated fats, sodium.

However, we rarely consider how many calories are in the alcohol we drink. A heavy night on the grog can leave you with more than a nasty hangover, but potentially fat that needs to be worked off.

4 - Plan your meals in advance

One of the toughest things to do in winter is find the motivation to eat healthy every night. That's why doing meal prep can be highly beneficial.

Similarly, signing up for a service like HelloFresh - which offers you the ability to tailor your meal plans and delivers fresh pre-portioned ingredients directly to your door - can be highly advantageous.

Not only is it incredibly convenient (and allows you to avoid the supermarket altogether) it also allows you to make your dietary choices at the start of the week, when your will is strongest, and not when you're tired after work.

Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do
Staying in shape over winter is challenging but there are things you can do

5 - Eat more reasonable portion sizes

One of the biggest causes of weight gain is over eating, which is understandable, we're hardwired to eat as much and as often as we can. However, with an abundance of food available, this can lead to problems.

That's why it is important to make sure you're only eating what you need in order to get the right amount of energy for the day.

One strategy is to eat off smaller plates. Another is to look to a service like HelloFresh, which pre-portions the size of your meals for you.

Their recipes are designed to give you all the energy and nutrients you need for your day, without an unnecessarily high number of calories. A typical HelloFresh meal contains 500-750 calories.

6 - Eat more fresh produce and avoid excess 'bad fats'

This is another important one. Your body needs nutrients. That why it is important to fill up on nice healthy fresh vegies.

That's why most of HelloFresh's recipes incorporate plenty of high quality Australian produce.

When it comes to pasta, rice and other carbohydrate-rich products, they also make sure that there is a high proportion of whole grain. Products with a high proportion of whole grain contain more essential fatty acids and are therefore considered to be healthier.

HelloFresh also have recipes that incorporate both healthy meats and fish as well as vegetarian options. In putting together their recipes, they minimise the amount of unhealthy fats, and use low fat cooking techniques to retain as much nutrition in your food as possible.

For more information visit: https://www.hellofresh.com.au/