eat well and stay fit until summer

8 Ways to Eat Well and Stay Fit Until Summer

The average person packs on one to five pounds each winter, according to some studies—and usually doesn't take it off when the mercury rises. With soaring rates of obesity among American kids and adults, eating well and exercising through the cooler months—when fresh ingredients and activity opportunities may be limited—are more important than ever. But fear not! You can serve your family's favorite comfort foods without making anyone fat, and you can all get exercise without booking hours at the gym. Here's how.

Look for whole grains, in pastas, breads, rice and so on. For the same amount of calories as their simple carb cousins, whole grains fill you up faster, pack a denser nutritional punch, and give you a longer, more even energy boost. If your kids won't swallow whole grains alone, try a mixture: half white pasta, half whole wheat; a high-fiber whole grain cereal mixed with a more sugary one; white rice mixed with brown or wild.
Use fat-free half-and-half rather than milk in casseroles like macaroni and cheese for a creamier consistency, fewer calories and no fat.
Opt for fat-free or low-fat cheese and sour cream in casseroles if you're going to eat them right away. (The cheese shrinks when refrigerated.)
Add jicama, chayote or apples to muffins, brownies, soups, salads and other foods for a Caribbean crunch.
When baking, use a fat-substitute (like Smucker's), replace the fat with equal amounts of applesauce or prune puree, or look for fat-free mixes (like No-Pudge brownies). Cut the fat further by replacing the eggs in the recipe with liquid egg substitute.
Think very hot and very cold when choosing snacks and drinks. They're harder to overconsume than room-temperature foods. Stock up on sugar-free cocoa or flavored coffee or tea, hot vegetable or chicken soup and frozen fruit pops or bananas.
Rethink the old advice to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It's still true, but you don't have to do it all at once. New research finds that several five- or ten-minute blocks of vigorous activity per day work just as well to burn calories, lift mood and keep you and your family fit. Race your kids to the mailbox, take quick family walks, go sledding—any way to squeeze more action into your day.
Go outside every day, even if only for a few minutes. It will make you feel like exercising, and a few minutes of sunlight each day can improve mood, preventing you and your family from reaching for sugary foods. Plus, shivering burns calories.Source: Lisa Dorfman, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.