Mastering Winter Wellness: 5 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain

It is normal for weight to fluctuate during the course of the season and especially during the Christmas holidays, where eating is a favorite occupation of all. Yet we often become alarmed when we realize that the trousers start to seem tight, the zips don't close, so we start to ask ourselves: how can we not gain weight in winter? The answer is not a cleansing juice, a body detox or the fasting diet. It's a lot simpler than that, trust us (and it costs nothing). Try one or all of the experts' suggestions and you'll be back wearing the clothes that no longer fit in the blink of an eye, experimenting with all the tricks to lose weight after the holidays .

1. Add more activities to your day

Specifically, increase your NEAT movement , which stands for non-physical activity thermogenesis, which includes all activities performed during the day that are not structured exercise, sports, sleep or nutrition. For example, "everyday activities you might not even think about, like walking, cleaning, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or casually fidgeting," says Lacey Dunn, a dietitian and personal trainer. While these activities may seem insignificant when you think about the calories you eat and burn, studies show that NEAT can account for 6-10% of total daily calories burned in sedentary people and up to 50% of daily calories burned in active people. “A lower NEAT can reduce the amount of calories you burn throughout the day, which will get you out of a deficit and cause you not to lose weight or even gain weight,” says Dunn.

The diet also naturally reduces NEAT movement because the body tries to compensate for the lack of energy by preserving it, Dunn says. Stress can also reduce NEAT. The easiest way to increase NEAT is to walk more every day. “You can monitor your NEAT by using a fitness watch tracker to track your steps to ensure your NEAT levels remain consistent,” says Dunn. If you average 5,000 steps a day, add 1,000 each week. Plan a 30-minute walk each day or break it up into two or three 15-minute walks. Refill your water bottle every hour (this helps you move and drink more water!), park your car further away when you go to the grocery store, and cook more dinners at home instead of ordering takeout.

2. Track your food for a couple of weeks

Tracking your food is one of the most effective things you can do to stop weight gain. “Sometimes adding this mindfulness step is all the change you need,” says registered dietitian, Elisa Bremner. This is because people often track their food while they are dieting or following a weight loss program, but after the program ends, so does the tracking. Then the extra calories start to trickle back in. “Calories still matter more than anything else, especially as you get older and your metabolism slows,” says Cheryl Mussatto, registered dietitian at Eat Well to Be Well. When you're no longer focused on what you're eating, it's easy to grab an extra handful of chips here or a larger portion of ice cream. You need to make a food diary, take photos or use a calorie counting app, which is useful because it forces you to record portion sizes, which means you have to measure what you are eating, it can help you reduce 100-400 calories or more every day. And don't forget drinks, alcohol should be drastically reduced to occasional consumption. Monitor yourself for a short period to identify behaviors that may be hindering your goals. Check food labels: " fat-free" does not mean sugar-free or vice versa. Many packaged food products such as drinks and yogurt are labeled "fat-free" yet have added sugars resulting in increased calories. Instead, look carefully at the nutrition facts panel to make better choices. Remember that too much added sugar is stored as fat, so try to keep your intake low by opting for natural treats and including adequate protein and fiber to keep you satisfied after meals. Aim for about 8-10 grams of fiber per meal and 15-25 grams of protein per meal. Needs will vary from person to person. Avoid ordering takeaway during this period.

4. Prepare more balanced meals and stop limiting certain foods
"Try to make sure that half your plate is made up of colourful foods, fruits and vegetables, and that your proteins and grains/starches are supporting actors in a hypothetical movie cast about your diet" says Mandy Enright, author of 30-Minute Weight Loss Cookbook: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes for Sustainable Weight Loss. Most people do the opposite, filling half their plate with protein or grains and adding a few vegetables on the side. This simple swap of making half your plate with vegetables instead of grains can save you 100-150 calories per meal. “Put emphasis on the timing, quality and quantity of your foods. Our bodies love consistency, so try to eat at about the same time each day. Ideally, plan to eat about every 4 hours. Eat more foods healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein,” says Enright.

“Make sure your meals contain an adequate volume of protein, fiber, and fluid. These are the components that can help you feel full on fewer calories, potentially making it easier to maintain the calorie deficit needed for fat loss,” says Summer Yule registered dietitian "Look for lean meats, poultry, and fish (these foods are very protein-dense, meaning they contain a lot of high-quality protein relative to their calorie content). Non-starchy vegetables add lots of fiber and fluid volume to meals for very few calories. Dairy, eggs, legumes and fruit are other nutrient-rich components to add to your meals. Forbidding yourself from eating ice cream and then arriving at the weekend to binge is counterproductive. "Give yourself the freedom to enjoy the treats at any time of the day is the key to stopping the cycle of restricted binge eating that makes it difficult to lose weight,” says dietician Diana Savani. “Allow yourself to eat anything at any time, but be mindful of portion sizes and eat without distractions, so you can savor the food and enjoy every bite. Most people will eat the amount of food they are served, even when hunger levels are relatively low. For better portion control, try eating from a smaller plate and slowing down the pace of your meals," she says. “Assessing your hunger and satiety levels before, during and after your meal can also be very helpful in avoiding eating past your fullness point and eating closer to your daily calorie needs,” says Savani.

5. Go to bed earlier and keep stress low
“Look beyond what you're eating and evaluate your sleep and stress levels. Excessive stress and poor sleep can increase cortisol levels and affect hunger hormones, which can contribute to weight gain. Additionally, our bodies can confuse signals of hunger, thirst, and tiredness. So if you're feeling tired, you might be snacking when you might actually need a glass of water or a nap," says Lauren Harris-Pincus, founder of NutritionStarringYOU. com and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club.

Aim to sleep 7 to 8 hours a night and put systems in place to help you do this. Start moving your bedtime back in increments of 30 minutes at a time, don't look at your phone at night, and if you do, set your screen to the night light setting to reduce blue light exposure. Exercising regularly is associated with better sleep and lower stress levels. Even five minutes of cardio exercise can reduce anxiety.