Winter weight gain is a real thing for many people, but as we near spring and the temperatures begin to rise, many people may be looking to prep their bodies for summer. If you are one of those people, now is the perfect time to get your waistline in order.
The Robinsons—who founded Urban Housecall, a multimedia health and wellness platform, are committed to providing practical tools to help individuals achieve, reclaim, and maintain health.
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Here are 4 of their top tips to help us all decrease our winter waistline in prep for those warmer months:
The food choices we make change when we hold ourselves accountable for every calorie we are consuming. Studies show that people who write down or log everything they eat and drink lose twice as much weight as people who don’t. And it doesn’t matter how you log it—scrap paper or a mobile app. What is important is that you maintain the record.
We often end up overeating. The average recommended calorie intake is only around 2,000 calories per day. Light snacks throughout the day will prevent you from going overboard at mealtime.
It is important to know that you can make healthy swaps while cooking and still enjoy your meal. Use egg substitutes when the recipe calls for eggs, non-fat dairy when the recipes call for heavy or whipping creams, whole-grain bread for dressing, and bread pudding; and also opt for low-sodium broth when using it to marinate or flavor your food.
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Try adding 30 minutes of exercise to your routine at least 4-5x per week. And to help burn even more calories, make sure to include weight training when possible. Additional exercise can help offset any extra calories you consume. Don’t have any exercise equipment or a gym membership? There are plenty of great activities that don’t require any extra equipment at all.
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Try engaging in fun activities with family and friends. A quick game of flag football can burn approximately 200 calories or the equivalent of one serving of dressing. Yard work, like raking leaves for 45 minutes can burn off close to 400 calories or the equivalent of a piece of sweet potato pie at dinner.
Finally, try taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walk up the escalator when you are out. You can always park a little farther away and make time to take an extra stroll in the parking lot or around the mall to burn off those extra calories.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes.. She is Dannon One Yogurt Every Day Nutrition Advisor.
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