A healthy diet to avoid the extra ‘end-of-year pounds’
updated the 13 June 2014 à 23:23With all the Christmas and New Years’ parties rolling around, we are more tempted to succumb to the many exceptionally rich stews and stir-fries. The dishes are not exactly champions of nutrition, and that is why it is better to learn to cook the dishes ourselves to avoid the unnecessary add-ons.
There is indeed a “seasonal trend” in food intake, says Dr. Marie Thirion, pediatrician training and author of Why I am hungry? Fear of failure of crazy diets (ed. Albin Michel).
“Nearing the end of the year, we eat more and more energy rations. Storage mechanisms are at their maximum, where the weight gain happens,” she explains. The energy supply has demonstrated an anti-stress effect. We eat richer food at the end of the year because, at home and leisure, we tend to eat less fruit and vegetables. The cooler, rainy days of winter and December monsoons drive us to seek out what the Anglo-Saxons call “comfort food”.
The solution? “Playing with your cooking to overcome the seeming uniformity of vegetables and fruits in the winter,” replied Caroline Nguyen, dietician responsible for slimming cures and the silhouettes of many women. There are entire books on soups, not to mention the recipes on the Internet and free apps for smartphones – it’s time to put them to the test. We are not obliged to produce a 36-component haute cuisine dish that will scare us off before even the first ingredient goes in, so start off with a simple zucchini and meat broth (or cream cheese), or leeks and potatoes – it’s easy, fast, filling and less calorie- laden than the soup in restaurants. Put together a side of fruits, anything from the classics like oranges and kiwi (full of vitamin C needed to boost immunity) made into compotes, to baked apples, to gratins made from frozen fruit (simply add an egg yolk and a pinch of sugar before baking). This type of dessert diversifies taste, whilst beautifully and healthily replacing cream dessert purchased in supermarkets!
Continue reading our report on how to avoid excess ‘end-of-year pounds:
Physical activity to avoid the extra pounds
Killing stress in 15-minute Tao exercises
Rica Étienne
