Eat a lot during the Chinese New Year without gaining weight. Doctors do this to lose weight

During Chinese New Year, it is most appropriate to eat hot pot around the stove. However, why do some people get fatter the more they eat hot pot? Some people can lose weight by eating hot pot? Dr. Yang Zhiyao, who has many years of experience in weight loss clinics, said that the key lies in the "order" of eating hot pot. As long as you adjust the order of eating, and even combine it with supplementary products before the meal and light exercise after the meal, you can easily pass the "fat" barrier during the New Year holidays.

Eating hotpot around the fire with family and friends is the most common way for many people to gather during the Chinese New Year. (Photo/Site data screen)

Weight loss physician Yang Zhiyao said that every winter, hot pot becomes the first choice for most people's dining together, but eating an all-you-can-eat hot pot, including soup, rice, hot pot ingredients, meat slices, drinks, etc., can consume up to 3,000 calories in one meal, which exceeds the daily calorie intake standard of 2,500 calories for adults.

In fact, the calorie content of the hot pot soup itself is quite high. In addition, when all the ingredients are cooked in the soup, the fat in the ingredients themselves is also absorbed into the soup. If you do not carefully select the ingredients and eat them with discretion, you can easily consume an alarming amount of calories. Weight loss doctor Yang Zhiyao provides 8 tips for enjoying "slim" hot pot. As long as people follow them, they can easily enjoy hot pot without gaining weight.

Tip 1: Choose soup carefully to reduce calorie intake

When eating hot pot, deciding what kind of soup to eat at the beginning is also an important factor affecting the calories. For example, a bowl of ginger duck soup has 160 calories, while a bowl of seafood hotpot soup has only 60 calories, a difference of 100 calories. If you like to choose high-calorie soups, the accumulation over a long period of time will be very alarming, and it will accumulate in the body and become a heavy burden.

Soups such as mutton hotpot and ginger duck are quite high in calories. (Photo/Site data screen)

Dr. Yang Zhiyao recommends that it is best not to drink the soup when eating hot pot, which can also reduce the intake of many extra calories. However, even if you don’t drink the soup, you still can’t avoid drinking some soup while eating the hot pot ingredients, so if you want to reduce your calorie intake, you still have to start by choosing the right soup.

Tip 2: Less processed seafood and mushrooms are low in calories

In addition to the soup, what ingredients are added during cooking is also an important factor affecting calories. Simply put, to reduce the calories consumed, it is best to avoid processed foods, including meatballs, hot pot dumplings, tempura and other hot pot ingredients, and try to replace them with natural foods such as mushrooms, tofu, vegetables, seafood, etc. As for meat, it is best to choose fish and chicken as the first choice, and it is better to eat less high-fat meat such as beef, lamb, and pork.

Tip 3: Eat vegetables first, then meat

You also need to pay attention to the order of eating. It is best to start with vegetables first. The fiber in vegetables can form a fiber layer in the stomach that blocks the absorption of fat and increases the feeling of fullness, thereby reducing the total calorie intake. After eating vegetables, eat protein ingredients such as tofu, seafood, meat, etc., and finally eat starch, which can effectively reduce the accumulation of calories and fat.

Tip 4: Enjoy the original flavor of the ingredients and avoid dipping sauces

In addition, when eating hot pot, the various sauces on the table are hidden calorie mines. Take the shacha sauce that Chinese people love most when eating hot pot. One tablespoon of it has as much as 130 calories. If you use about 2 tablespoons of it for an average hot pot meal, you will consume 260 extra calories. Other foods such as fermented bean paste and sesame paste are also high in calories. One tablespoon of fermented bean paste has 30 calories, while one tablespoon of sesame paste has 55 calories.

It is recommended that people should minimize the use of dipping sauce when eating hot pot. Not only can you enjoy the original flavor of the food, but you also don’t have to worry about taking in too many calories from dipping sauces, which could put a burden on your body or put you at risk of obesity or weight gain. (Photo/Site data screen)

People who are worried about gaining weight should try to reduce the use of dipping sauce when eating hot pot. Not only can you enjoy the original flavor of the food, but you also don’t have to worry about taking in too many calories from dipping sauces, which can burden your body or cause the risk of obesity or weight gain.

Tip 5: Choose the right time to avoid dinner time

In addition, the time you eat hot pot is also an important factor that affects the formation of body fat through calories. The body's metabolism starts to increase after getting up and eating breakfast, and then gradually decreases over time. According to this principle, the later you consume calories, the more calories you will absorb due to your lower metabolic rate. Therefore, when people choose to eat hot pot, it is best to eat it mainly during lunch. In short, the earlier you eat it, the less likely it is to cause fat accumulation and weight gain.

Tip 6: Refuse to eat all you can to gain real benefits

The all-you-can-eat culture that is prevalent in Taiwan is actually a very unhealthy way of eating. In order to eat enough, most consumers often ignore the fact that they are full and continue to eat large amounts. If people cannot control themselves, it will easily cause stomach discomfort in the long run, and their appetite will gradually increase, which will not be worth the cost.

Tip 7: Auxiliary products block heat absorption

In addition to changing eating habits and controlling appetite, people can also use auxiliary products containing chitosan and white kidney bean ingredients on an empty stomach about 15 to 30 minutes before eating hot pot to block calorie absorption and avoid obesity.

The function of chitin is to reduce the absorption of fat, while white kidney bean has the effect of preventing the decomposition and absorption of starch. However, it should be noted that before people decide to use the above-mentioned auxiliary products, they should seek the consent of a doctor and avoid over-reliance on them. In addition, when using it for the first time, you should observe your physiological condition to ensure that it does not cause any discomfort before deciding whether to continue using it.

30 minutes after eating hot pot, people can choose to do some activities to help consume the calories absorbed. For example, taking a walk after a meal, doing rhythmic gymnastics, yoga and other light exercises are all good choices.

30 minutes after eating hot pot, people can choose to do some activities to help consume the calories absorbed. For example, taking a walk after a meal, doing rhythmic gymnastics, yoga and other light exercises are all good choices. (Photo/Site data screen)

Tip 8: Do some light exercise after meals to burn extra calories

If you really have to eat hot pot at dinner time, in addition to following the above principles, carefully choosing the soup and using less sauce to reduce calorie intake, you can choose to engage in some activities 30 minutes after eating hot pot to help consume the absorbed calories. For example, taking a walk after a meal, doing rhythmic gymnastics, yoga and other light exercises are all good choices. In addition, avoiding going to bed within 2 hours after a meal can also reduce fat accumulation.

【Doctor's Tips】:

Wen Qingyan, a physician from the Taiwan Obesity Medicine Association, said that friends with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, gout, and diabetes problems should avoid drinking too much hot pot soup and avoid drinking soup that has been boiled for too long. It is recommended to choose fresh ingredients, avoid consuming foods high in sodium, and minimize the use of dipping sauces, such as processed dumplings and meatballs, shacha or bean paste seasoning sauces, and soups.

In addition, friends with high blood lipid problems should try to avoid eating meat rich in fat, such as pork belly, bacon and other parts. Patients with gout should also drink more water after enjoying hot pot to help metabolize salt and prevent the gout problem from worsening.

★《Avoid toxin accumulation! 》When buying hot pot ingredients, remember the "3 musts and 4 don'ts"