Beat Winter Flab


Michael Finch |

Your mom was right: Get half your kilojoules from fruits and veggies and you’ll keep the winter weight at bay.

It’s the most common complaint I hear: “I end the season fit and start the season fat.” After years of battling winter weight-gain, I finally found an answer that’s easier than, um, pie: The 50/50 diet. It’s a plan that’s increasingly popular with dieticians and one that makes eating well and staying lean a pleasure.

It works like this:

Before every meal, mentally divide your plate in half. On one side, pile all the fruits and vegetables you want. Fill the other side with equal parts protein – fish, chicken, soy or meat – and carbo-dense foods such as potatoes, pasta or rice. Still hungry when your plate is clean? Go back for more fruits and veggies.

The diet works because the plant matter is high in fibre and low in kilojoules, so you’ll feel full without getting fat. Plus, fruits and veggies deliver vitamins and antioxidants to keep your immune system strong and your muscles healthy through the cold months.

I started following the 50/50 guideline before I got pregnant last year and stuck with it after giving birth; I was back at fighting weight three months after delivering. Others who have tried it sing similar praises. Give it a whirl and start next season without the spare.

Selene Yeager
Eat well and stay lean through winter
Beat winter flab

READ MORE ON: weight loss

Copyright © 2024 Hearst
..