Look good in your skinny jeans without the sweat
The time to
huddle under sweaters is over! With spring on our doorstep can summer be far
behind?
Watch those
hidden fat fields
Sure, you're
feeling virtuous, ordering the Caesar salad and soup instead of a burger at
lunch. But beware! Your supposedly slimming salad dressing is laced
with fat and calories. And the croutons and cheese only pile on more fat.
Instead, opt for clear chicken or vegetable soup and some grilled paneer or
fish with a side of stir fried veggies. Similarly ditch calorie-laden
daiquiris, margaritas and milk shakes for diluted fruit and vegetable juice.
Skip meals
to….pile on the pounds
Skimping on
breakfast or foregoing lunch to slip into that LBD is as pointless as trying to
traverse a busy street blindfolded. As the days get warmer your metabolism
slows down, making you burn fewer calories. Eat every couple of hours
to rev up a sluggish metabolic rate and your tummy will be flat enough
to bare when summer comes calling. When hunger pangs strike, eat home-made
popcorn, idlis (minus the coconut chutney) and fruit.
Eat what you
like
You won't win
any awards for denying yourself your fave foods. All you'll do is end up feeling like a martyr and bingeing after a
week of abstinence. If you want to bite into a potato, go ahead, as long as it
hasn't been deep fried or mashed with butter.Love chocolate? Eat one or two
squares of the dark variety after dinner. Craving pizza? Indulge in one or two
slices of thin crust with loads of veggies piled on.
Long cool slim
drinks
Hot days mean
sipping on long cool beverages but watch out for hidden calories. Three iced
teas have as many calories as a portion of French fries and burger! Instead,
have a vodka with tonic or a rum and diet coke. Better still indulge in a glass
of red wine. It has multiple heart health benefits as well. If you're a
teetotaler, nariyal panai and nimbu pani (minus
the sugar) are almost have calorie-free.
Ban fad diets
We understand
your long-awaited summer holiday is just two months away but surviving on
cabbage soup or pineapple and papaya is not going to get you on the plane. A
hospital bed sounds more probable. Women need between 1,200 and 1,800 calories
a day, men between 2,000 and 2,500. Eating anything less than 1000 calories
will only send your metabolism into starvation mode, making your body hold onto
fat stores, making weight loss impossible.
Treat yourself
Though ice
creams and sundaes are obviously off the menu, you can indulge in some low-fat
ice cream or home-made fruit sorbet. Just blend together soft pulpy
fruit like strawberries, mangoes, pears and peaches, add some sugar substitute
and freeze. Indulge in scoopfuls after meals for a delicious, guilt-free treat.
Beware liquid
calories
Milkshakes,
frappuccinos, cappuccinos and hot chocolate are delicious. But they're also a
minefield of calories and rarely fill you up. Instead opt for skimmed
milk cold coffee or fruit smoothies whipped up with yoghurt. They are
equally delicious and have less than half the calories of their more sinful
alternates.
Get moving
You've heard
it before, exercise—even small bursts of it—can trim your waistline.
Hate the gym? Liken walking on the treadmill to slow death? It's easy to
incorporate exercise in your daily routine without even realizing it. Just get
off a couple of stops before your usual halt and walk the rest of the way. Take
the stairs to your flat or office. Walk your dog –even if you don't have one.
Cool off in the swimming pool, join a Bollywood dancing class, the options are
limitless.
Come on get
moving. The skinny jeans are waiting….
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