Winter is the season for getting cozy and drinking hot chocolate. Lazing around all day, enjoying quality time with the family and binge watching holiday movies! But while you do all of that, maintaining your weight can be super tough.
The chilly weather generally calls for comfort foods. And it is so easy to overeat the foods rich in salt and sugars. While it is absolutely ok to have your treats and cheat meals regularly, it is crucial to limit them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, the best foods are the ones that won’t leave you feeling hungry or craving sugar after an hour.
If you enjoy sipping or eating something hot but are concerned about gaining weight, don’t be! Instead, warm up on a cold day with these warm & healthy winter food options to help you manage your winter weight.
And while you are stuck at home, make sure you get in a good workout at your compact apartment treadmill or foldable under-bed treadmill.
5 Low-calorie snack options for the winters
Root vegetables
Finding fresh vegetables during winter is brutal. Also, it may be challenging to consume veggies between holiday meals and parties. But root vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes are readily available because they can withstand harsh and cold weather. Additionally, they make for some very good holiday meals.
Since carrots are filled with a ton of micronutrients and fibre, they can help you lose weight. You can consume them either boiled, raw, or roasted. Another great veggie to roast up on a cold day is sweet potatoes. You have it in a salad or made a soup. Sweet potatoes and carrots are great as they endow you with numerous health benefits owing to its content of vitamins A and C and a boost of beta-carotene.
Fresh vegetables
Many people are not fond of vegetables. They would rather eat meat and drink wine during the winters. While this is fine, eating a range fresh vegetables and engaging in physical activities is the key to combating the winter flu. You can take a thermogenic pre-workout supplement to ensure you maximise your calorie burn and have an effective workout.
Many cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, help since they are packed with vitamin C, which enhances immune function. A way to incorporate these into the diet is to mix them up with eggs and make an omelette or a muffin. A single muffin can get you through any meal and keep you feeling full for a while.
Hot Porridges
To ensure you do not snack between meals, have a filling and nutritious breakfast. The hunger levels increases during winter as the body calls for food to keep itself warm. So, what better than consuming a healthy breakfast such as hot porridge?
Mix up some oatmeal with some seeds, milk and fruits such as dates, apples, or nuts to make your porridge more filling and wholesome.
Soups
Soup is one of the best foods to help you live through winter comfortably. Avoid pre-packaged/ready to consume soups or those laden with salt or cream. These do more harm than good. Instead opt for homemade, fresh soups. Soups help to increase your water intake for the day. Also, since the base would generally be of vegetables with some meat like chicken, it will leave you feeling hydrated and full.
Drink More Warm Milk
Since many people catch a cold during the winter, consuming warm milk and other dairy products will also help you from falling ill. This is because they pack a lot of vitamins, and good quality proteins, along with calcium, to boost your health.
Milk is a great mid-meal snack. It can be consumed as it is – either hot or cold. Or you can add some cereals to it to make for a breakfast meal. Adding some turmeric to its milk will make it an immune-boosting drink. Even other dairy products, such as yoghurt and cheese, make a great meal choice during winter. The choice of milk should be skimmed rather than full-fat milk to help you manage your calories easily.
The above winter foods are an excellent swap for high calories snacks. But to ensure a healthy body and mind, it is important to stay active as well.
