Winter is a good time to lose weight: 3 tips for controlling calories at dinner parties

Winter is a big challenge for people who want to lose weight because of the low temperature, easy hunger, and many gatherings such as Christmas, Winter Solstice, Year-end Parties, Chinese New Year, and Lantern Festival. In fact, the calorie consumption is more in cold weather than in hot weather. As long as you control your calorie intake in winter, it will be more effective in losing weight than in summer. When faced with endless dinner parties, you should remember the three-word tactic of "cutting off, discarding and leaving", that is, "cutting off" excess calories from dinner parties, "discarding" unnecessary dinner party occasions, and "leaving" places that provide high-calorie foods, so that you won't gain weight in the winter.

How to strictly control calories and achieve "letting go"? It is recommended to start with the continuous dining meals. Liu Canhong, director of the Obesity Prevention and Treatment Center of Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital, said that it is always difficult to control appetite when winter comes. In addition, there are many family and friends gatherings before the New Year, and it is normal for people to have a few drinks, but they consume too many calories without realizing it. For this reason, I have provided some tips on my blog on how to control calories when dining at various common restaurants in winter. They are as follows:

Chinese food

1. Do not eat snacks such as peanuts and melon seeds

2. Start with liquid food, such as unsweetened oolong tea, water or clear soup, etc.

3. Eat vegetables next, such as blanched vegetables, salad or stir-fried vegetables

4. Choose low-fat white meat with bones (fish or chicken or duck)

5. Take only 1-2 bites of each dish, chew slowly, and talk to your neighbors to divert your attention from the food.

6. Don’t eat cakes or other exquisite desserts

7. If you must drink, choose a beer with lower calories (less than 250c.c.)

Western food

1. When ordering salad, only use a small amount of Italian dressing

2. Eat less garlic bread and use small rolls or French bread as the main source of food

3. Avoid fried or baked main dishes, and avoid dishes rich in cream or cheese

4. Choose clear soup, avoid thick soup, and don’t order puff pastry soup

5. Order sugar-free drinks and replace creamer with low-fat milk

Japanese cuisine

1. Choose low-fat sashimi, hand rolls, sushi, and no fish roe

2. Avoid high-fat grilled food, such as saury and eel

3. Choose dishes that are served cold, grilled, or boiled

Hot pot dishes

1. Order less meat-based set meals and try to order your own dishes

2. Avoid all-you-can-eat restaurants

3. Serve a bowl of clear soup. You can dunk greasy dishes in the clear soup before eating.

4. Eat less dipping sauce, or mainly use clear soy sauce

5. Don’t drink the soup

In addition to the principle of controlling calories during dinner parties, you can also keep in mind the following tips on how to lose weight in winter:

★ Do more indoor exercise: In winter, the weather is cold and bad, so indoor exercise is the best choice. It is recommended to do some stepping in place while watching TV, or go to indoor sports venues, such as heated swimming pools, squash courts, billiards, etc. Don’t do too complicated exercise. Develop a habit of exercising so as not to store too much calories.

★ No sugar in hot drinks: When the weather is cold, we love to drink hot soup, hot floral tea or hot coffee to warm our bodies, but when choosing hot drinks, we must be careful not to add sugar. In addition, it is recommended to drink health-preserving soup made from traditional Chinese medicine, but be careful not to make the soup too greasy if ribs or meat are added to the soup. It is best to only drink the soup without eating the ingredients.

★ Water replenishment should be quantitative: In winter, because of less sweating and poor water metabolism, it is best to replenish more water. You should also drink more water during the weight loss period. Water can accelerate metabolism and excrete waste from the body. It is recommended to take 2000-2400cc a day.

★ Take more hot baths: The metabolic rate decreases in winter, and taking a bath can help increase the metabolic rate. However, for patients with chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and asthma, if you want to take a hot bath, the water level should not exceed the chest for safety reasons.

★ Weigh yourself every day: When losing weight in winter, it is easy to neglect your figure because your clothes cover you, so you must weigh yourself every day.