With the weather cooling down, it’s easy to reach for comfort foods such as creamy pastas and stodgy roasts.

Sydney-based company Eat Fit Food, which helped actor Brandon Routh stay in shape for the made-in-Oz movie Superman Returns, has great ideas for keeping on track with your diet in the winter chill.

“It’s vital you have a nourishing diet and stay away from the typical winter comfort food,” says Eat Fit Food owner Bianca Monley.

“In season this winter are loads of vegies such as baby carrots, leeks, pumpkin, garlic, Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli and silverbeet. These are all great for you and provide essential vitamins and minerals for good health through winter.”

If you think there is no good fruit around in winter, we’ve got news for you.

“Crisp Pink Lady apples, avocados and citrus fruits like oranges, mandarins and lemons are also in season,” Bianca says.

“Winter is the ideal time to make the most of these types of produce, to create delicious and healthy meals that will help you avoid weight gain.”

Eat Fit Food’s top five suggestions for keeping fit during the cooler months …

1. Stay hydrated
Spending time inside during winter means more exposure to climate-controlled environments. Dehydration can cause fatigue and it’s easy to confuse thirst for hunger and start snacking. Keep a bottle of water with you and aim to drink eight large glasses a day.

2. Embrace exercise
Sure, it’s darker and colder outside, but that doesn’t have to end your exercise routine! Regular exercise will improve your mood and help keep your weight stable. If you don’t have a gym membership, there are always heated indoor pools or simply go for a brisk walk three times a week. Just think how good you’ll look and feel when summer returns.

3. Steer clear of hot drinks
There is nothing like a creamy coffee or hot chocolate on a cold winter morning, but that large (480ml) full-cream latte contains 14g of fat and 1130kJ. A small latte (220ml) has half the fat and kilojoules and swap full-cream for skim milk. Another option is black or green tea. Tea has antioxidants and is low in kilojoules.

4. Don’t overeat
It’s common to overeat when the weather is cool and combined with a more sedentary lifestyle, it’s easy to put on weight. To avoid overeating later in the day, begin with a high-fibre, balanced brekkie such as porridge with a pear

5. Beat fatigue
Winter can leave you feeling lethargic. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegies, at least two and five serves respectively per day. Fruit and veg are low in kilojoules and full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to keep you slim and healthy.

Fit for a king

Try these scrumptious, nutritious meal ideas from the Eat Fit Food winter menu.

Morning meal
Scrambled free-range eggs with smoked salmon and avocado.

Warming winter lunch
Sesame-crusted chicken breast with roast pumpkin and snow peas.

Evening meal
Char-grilled salmon fillet on egg noodles with sesame spinach and lemon.

Are you ready to shed those bulky winter clothes? Follow these four diet makeover tips for a healthier, fitter springtime you.

By Carol Sorgen
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic – Feature

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

It’s not unusual to let your attention to healthy eating lapse a bit in the winter. After all, who can see you in those cozy — and bulky — woolen sweaters? But spring is here, and it’s time to get back out there and show the world what you’re made of. Just making a few small changes in your everyday diet can add up to big changes in a healthier, fitter you. Here are four easy tips to get you started.

1. Vegging Out. “Volume is where it’s at,” says Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LD, of Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute in Chicago. That means filling up on foods that give you the most bang — or in nutrition-speak, satiety — for the least amount of calories.

In a recent study, Penn State scientists led by Barbara Rolls, PhD, reported that eating a large low-calorie salad as a first course may help lower the amount of calories eaten in the rest of the meal. Researchers found that when individuals ate 3 cups of low-calorie salad before lunch, they ate less at the entire meal — taking in 12% fewer calories — than when they did not eat a first-course salad. The low-calorie salads included iceberg and romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, celery, and cucumbers, fat-free dressing, and light mozzarella cheese. According to the study results, big portions make you feel as if you’ve eaten a lot, even if you’re eating a low-calorie item.

2. Get Hot. First thing in the morning, that is. Hot cooked cereal like oatmeal has about one-fifth the calorie density of dried cereal, says Jay Kenney, PhD, RD, weight-control expert at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in Aventura, Fla. Hot cereal has just 300 calories per pound; dried cereals pack in a whopping 1,400 to 2,000 calories per pound. “Hot cereal is more filling,” Kenney says. “It keeps you fueled well into late morning, helping you avoid the 10 a.m. munchies.”

Eating a high-fiber breakfast can also help stave off diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, says Victoria Shanta Retelny, pointing out that even though the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three servings of whole-grain foods daily, USDA surveys show that fewer than 1 in 10 people consume the recommended amount of whole grains.

3. Think Green. When it comes to beverages, green tea is a healthier choice than soda, says Molly Kimball, RD, sports and lifestyle nutritionist at the Ochsner Clinic’s Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans. One can of regular soda has about 140 calories, says Kimball, which translates into 9 teaspoons of sugar. Green tea, on the other hand, has 0 calories (if you skip the pre-sweetened variety).

Study findings reported in the January 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition report that substances known as catechins, which are found in green tea, may stimulate the body to burn calories, in turn decreasing body fat. These same catechins are also rich in anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, giving green tea even more of a punch. An added bonus: Green tea can be as satisfying as a frosty cold soda. Look for different varieties; pear green tea, for example, served iced, will make a tasty and refreshing drink in the hot months to come.

4. Chocolate Break. “One square of good-quality chocolate can go a long way in curbing cravings,” says Ochsner Clinic’s Molly Kimball. That means, yes, chocolate is not only permitted in a healthy eating program but actually encouraged. But stick to dark chocolate, says Kimball. Not only does the stronger flavor give you more satisfaction for every bite, but the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and diabetes. Dark chocolate is also a good source of magnesium, iron, and potassium, and it boosts serotonin, which can have a positive influence on your mood

“Having a piece of chocolate every day is relaxing, indulgent … and healthy,” says Kimball. “Not to mention, it tastes good!”

Originally published April 11, 2005.
Medically updated March 3, 2008.

SOURCES: Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute, Chicago. Jay Kenney, PhD, RD, Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa, Aventura, Fla. News release, Penn State College of Health & Human Development. WebMD Medical News: “Green Tea Fights Fat.” Grassi, D. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2005; vol 81: pp 611-614. Molly Kimball, RD, LDN, sports and lifestyle nutritionist, Ochsner Clinic’s Elmwood Fitness Center, New Orleans.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56093

Day 1

Fruit: Apple
Breakfast: Oatmeal with yogurt, raisins, and maple syrup
Lunch: Fillet of Sole Florentine, baked or steamed carrot and beet mélange served over steamed beet tops with a splash of olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt
Snack: Granola
Dinner: Lasagna; salad greens with vinaigrette
Snack: Baked apple

Day 2

Fruit: Grapes
Breakfast: Twice-cooked rice with Prune and Apricot Compote
Snack: Pumpkin seeds
Lunch: Baked potato with Avo-Miso-Tofu Topping; grated carrots, red and green cabbage salad with vinaigrette sprinkled with toasted sunflower seeds or sliced hard-boiled egg
Snack: Soaked prunes
Dinner: Brown rice with aduki beans; steamed broccoli and cauliflower with Walnut-Miso Sauce
Snack: Carob-Tofu Mousse

Day 3

Fruit: Cantaloupe or other melon
Breakfast: Cornflakes, cooked millet, or Millet Breakfast Cake with Orange Sauce
Snack: Filberts or pecans
Lunch: Turkey Breast; Wilted Spinach Salad
Snack: Blackberries
Dinner: Millet Croquettes; Brazilian Feijoada (black beans); salad greens
Snack: Popcorn

Day 4

Fruit: Pear
Breakfast: Cream of wheat or whole wheat toast with peanut-apple butter
Snack: Walnuts
Lunch: Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple Mustard; Warm Red Cabbage Salad
Snack: Apple
Dinner: Pasta alla Boscaiola; salad greens with lemon and olive oil
Snack: Pears in Black Cherry Juice

(Source: enonline.sh.cn)

Note: Recipes above are for reference only.