AVOID THE WINTER PUDGE!

Simone Austin Swisse Wellness expert SIMONE AUSTIN shares healthy eating tipsps for when you want to indulge

GOOD CARBS

Craving carbs to keep warm? That’s because our bodies don’t see as much sunlight in winter, and as a result our vitamin D levels are lower. With this, our serotonin levels drop, leading to carbohydrate cravings. Our body’s way of boosting that again is through diet. “Try to pick more nutritious varieties that are high in dietary fibre like wholegrain breads and cereals (barley, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, rolled oats) and include them in your daily meals,” says Simone.

UP YOUR WATER

Not as thirsty? “Sometimes thirst can be confused with hunger and we end up eating when we actually need a drink – and this doesn’t include a warming red wine,” says Simone. Most adults can lose around 2.5-3 litres of water a day, so if cold water ter isn’t appealing, Simone recommends cups of hot t camomile tea or warm milk with cinnamon or vanilla bean as a great alternative.

GET FRUIT-Y!

With less variety of fresh fruit to choose from, you might find you’re tempted to snack on rubbish, but Simone says canned fruit is the best snack. “Try some canned or poached fruit like pears and apples that are still in season, along with fresh oranges, tangerines, mandarins and kiwifruit, which are at their seasonal best,” she says. “A fruit platter can make it

more inviting, and adding some nuts, seeds and a little dark chocolate will cover all the bases.”

GO FOR VEGIES

Warm, hearty foods like slow-cooked soups and stews are great this time of year, especially with their vegetable content. “Vegies are packed with nutrients and generally on the lower side in kilojoules, and can also be good for feeding your gut bacteria,” says Simone, who recommends fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi for this.