Winter is a time when weight loss becomes difficult because unlike in summer where the *occasional* heat suppresses our appetite and the nice weather entices us outside into calorie burning activities, winter is very much a sedentary time of year. It is bitter outside so we feel like snuggling up on the sofa, munching our way through something comforting and watching our favourite film.

That’s why winter can really take its toll on any weight loss programme so we decided to change all that and offer 4 fantastic recipes that will leave you feeling cozy inside without destroying all your hard work.

Low fat macaroni and cheese

This takes around 15 minutes to make and is so simple that anybody can really do it. You might be thinking pasta and all that cheese and sauce really can’t be good for my waist line but if you make a few small tweaks you can still enjoy the same comforting warmth and flavours with less calories, fat and carbs.

Take a look at this recipe which uses low fat cheese and non fat milk

Sausage and mushroom stew

This is another quick and simple dish that takes just 25 minutes to make so there’s no excuses even after a long day at the office. This recipe helps with weight loss because it opts for chicken sausages with the skin removed so any fatty juices that were contained inside will no longer make it into your body and undo your hard work.

Get the recipe here

Turkey chilli

A hearty, healthy alternative to beef chilli, it takes a little longer (around 30 minutes) depending on how quick you are in the kitchen. The recipe we suggest serves 4 so if there are just two of you (or one even) then consider making the recipe as it states and freezing the other portions to take to work as a nutritious and warming alternative to a sandwich and to save you time after work if you are in a particular rush.

See the recipe

Lentil and black-bean soup

Whilst it isn’t always advisable to eat soup if you are trying to lose weight (the psychology is more harmful than the ingredients because our body doesn’t feel full because it feels like it is just drinking something rather than consuming a hearty meal!) but in this case a chunky soup can be a healthy way to warm up after being out in the cold.

Just 127 calories a portion and it’s really cheap to make – try this low fat soup recipe

Eating a healthy breakfast helps to nourish your body after it hasn’t eaten anything for an entire night – if you look at the word breakfast you can see that it was invented to break the fast [of the night].

It kickstarts your metabolism helping your body to better cope with any foods you consume later in the day and if you choose to eat the right things for breakfast then it can really help you lose weight because you are getting your day off to a good start digestively and this has a knock on effect later on in the day.

Remember that your body has been eating up its reserves of carbohydrates during the night so you need to replenish them or risk becoming run down and lethargic. If you are in any way looking to gain muscle then breakfast is a key meal because it will stop your body from feasting on your muscle after it runs out of carbohydrates to eat.

It is proven that eating breakfast will help cut down your calorie intake for the day because you may feel less tempted to grab a cheeky chocolate bar with your mid-morning cup of tea or a biscuit with your afternoon cup of coffee.

If you struggle to find the time to eat breakfast then you really need to look at your morning routine so that you can squeeze in grabbing a nutritious breakfast before heading out the door. Common reasons why we think we don’t have enough time is because we get up too late, leave too many things to do in the morning, watch TV or check emails. The truth is we have time to eat breakfast if we make the time – look at things that can be done the night before, get to bed a bit earlier so that you can get up that little bit earlier, promise yourself that you will only check your emails or watch TV after you have eaten breakfast.

Quick breakfast ideas

• Granola bar and apple
• Slice of wholegrain toast with nutella
• A low fat fruit muffin

Better breakfast ideas

• Scrambled egg on wholegrain toast
• Sweetened brown rice warmed
• Bagel with a low fat cream cheese
• Natural muesli with a selection of fresh fruits

There are a number of apparently healthy cooking oils so knowing which one to choose can be challenging, or at least it was until we produced this handy guide which summarises each one for you.

Canola oil

Canola oil is a derivative of rapeseed oil and whilst it is hugely popular in the USA it has only really started to gain traction here and so isn’t that widely available but it is likely that one of your local supermarkets stocks it. It is known for it’s ability to lower the risk of heart disease because it is low saturated fat (which is great for weight loss) but high in the right sort of fat (monounsaturated fat).

It is easy to cook with because it is relatively bland so won’t interfere with the real flavours of your food and it is suitable for stir frying, marinading and even sauteing.

Olive oil

Olive oil is the most popular oil but there are quite a few varieties but all are really good for you. Anyone who is indigenous to the Mediterranean countries will be familiar with copious amounts of olive oil and this helps them to live much longer than many other individuals from other parts of the world. This is because olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat which is good for your heart and helps to lower cholesterol levels – many varieties are also rich in antioxidants.

The downside to olive oil is its obvious and strong taste and for many this can be a turn off because it has an impact on the dish they are creating. It is widely available though and relatively cheap, giving it an edge over some of the other oils we talk about.

Olive oil can be used for cooking and low/medium heats but for maximum health benefits you should really consume uncooked by drizzling it on a salad or using it as a dipping sauce with wholemeal bread for example.

For the best results you should opt for extra virgin olive oil but this can often be more expensive.

Sesame oil

This is a good alternative to using high fat butters, margarine or lard. It has a higher temperature allowance meaning it is suitable for cooking at high temperatures when preparing something like a stir-fry.

It is high in monounsaturated fats but low in that nasty unsaturated fat making it a good choice as a cooking oil if you are looking to lose weight.

The downside to sesame oil is it’s pungent taste which can taint many delicate dishes. Also a great number of people seem to have an allergic reaction to sesame oil in a similar way that peanut oil is rarely used for cooking.

Sunflower oil

Using sunflower as a cooking oil can be really good if you are looking to lose weight because it is cheap and readily available at nearly every supermarket. It is fairly innocuous and suitable for cooking up to high temperatures but it is also very low in saturated fat which means it is better for your heart and your waistline when compared with alternatives like butter or margarine.

Cooking oils to be avoided

• Coconut oil
• Palm oil
• Wheatgerm oil

All of the above have high levels of saturated fat so are unsuitable for anyone that is looking to lose weight.

Understanding the ‘ground rules’ is key to successful healthy eating – so today we are going to cover the basic food groups that you need to look out for.

Learn to love wholegrain
It is recommended that you eat around 6oz of grain each day and the easiest way to do this is by eating a wholegrain cereal for breakfast, or grabbing two slices of wholegrain toast before you dash off to work in the morning.

Vegetables

For best results you need to mix up your vegetable intake and keep your body guessing. We all know that we need 5-a-day meaning that in some form or another we need to consume 5 different portions of either fruit or vegetables each day and this isn’t just for weight loss or dieting it can also help keep your immune system working and has actually been linked to lowering the risk of cancer. Experts recommend that you eat dark vegetables like broccoli, spinach and beetroot as well as the more common household favourites like carrots. Remember that raw vegetables are far better for you than cooked vegetables ever will be.

A top tip is to buy frozen vegetables because they are often cheaper, are easily stored and have all the same (if not more) nutrients than their fresh counterparts.

Fruits
Fruit ties in with vegetables because you need to consume at least 5 portions of either fruit or veg a day in order to keep your body healthy. Remember that with fruits like strawberries and raspberries you need to eat a good hand full for it to class as a portion. If you can eat fruit rather than drink it then this is better for you as often (even premium smoothies) have had the fruit processed removing some of the goodness and really concentrating the acidity which has an impact on your teeth too.

Remember that fruit is high in natural sugars so be sure to monitor your intake to avoid getting too much sugar.

Milk
There is a good reason why children are made to drink milk here in the UK and that’s because it provides our body with calcium which aids bone growth, bone strength, teeth strength and it also takes care of our complexion and gives us healthy hair and nails. So how does it help with weight loss? Well it is a handy alternative (particularly if you opt for skimmed milk) to sugary fizzy drinks or artificial fruit squashes but more importantly, calcium has been proven to be an excellent fat fighter for your body.

Meat
Be sure to incorporate meat into your weight loss diet because although many dieters will tell you to avoid it because it is fattening, meat is an essential component in weight loss. Meat is high in protein and provided you select the right cuts and cook them in the right way (grill it) then you can get yourself one tasty, healthy dish.

If you are trying to lose weight then you really need to avoid cooking with things like butter, lard and high-fat oils. Read our guide to cooking healthily with oils – cook yourself thin

Watching what you eat doesn’t mean you have to develop a hate relationship with food, but rather learn to love the foods that you can enjoy and enjoying the results that they help to deliver.