Feast on a fruit burger!
And it’s just one of the healthy swaps to help you shift the lockdown pounds
DID YOU begin lockdown with good intentions about diet and exercise but still end up overindulging with cakes, biscuits and maybe too many glasses of wine?
If so, you’re certainly not alone. A recent WW survey found that half of us have gained weight at home during the coronavirus pandemic — with 42 per cent putting it down to a disruption in their usual routine.
Researchers discovered, unsurprisingly, that as restrictions ease and the world edges back to normality, many of us are eager to get into shape and lose our lockdown love handles.
‘Now is the ideal moment for a big, fresh start,’ says Julia Westgarth, head of programme at WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers.
‘We have all been dealing with different challenges over the past few months — whether it’s juggling working from home with home schooling or suddenly finding yourself alone for long periods. And when we’re stressed it’s easy to turn to the fridge for comfort.
‘No one can change the past few months, but now we have the chance to have a real clean slate; we can choose to start taking control of our diet and health.’
Losing excess pounds has never been more important since obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to being overweight, emerged as clear risk factors for developing lifethreatening Covid-19 complications.
It has been found that those who are obese have a 37 per cent higher
risk of dying from the virus if they become infected.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is actively considering measures to reduce the nation’s waistline — including prescribing the WW plan to overweight people. The pioneering myWW programme is based on mouthwatering foods that are abundant in summer, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood and lean meats that are perfect for barbecues and picnics. There’s never been a better time to overhaul your lifestyle and enjoy the best seasonal produce.
That’s why the Daily Mail has teamed up with WW for this exclusive summer series to help you lose a stone by autumn.
Starting today and continuing in tomorrow’s Mail On Sunday and next week’s Daily Mail, we share tempting suggestions for easy summer meals to help you shed extra lockdown weight.
Today’s recipes focus on clever food swaps to ensure you’re tucking in to filling and tasty meals that are also waistline-friendly.
Instead of serving up pulled pork, for example, which can be loaded with saturated fats, try this delicious recipe for a pulled jackfruit burger. Jackfruit, a tropical fruit similar to breadfruit, has a SmartPoints value of zero. It is a popular vegan alternative to meat because of its plump fibres and ability to take on the flavour of spices and seasonings. It can be bought canned or in pouches in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets.
But while jackfruit alone is ZeroPoint-rated, 120g of pulled pork is five SmartPoints on all three WW colour plans.
Other tweaks include using reduced-fat Cheddar and mayo. You’ll barely spot the difference but your bathroom scales will.
Following WW’s eating programme, myWW, which is scientifically proven to be successful — will not only help you lose up to two pounds a week but also to eat more healthily. You’re encouraged to choose fish, lean meat, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables plus wholegrains and legumes — foods that will satisfy your hunger but help you shed pounds.
Next week, we will bring you expert advice on how to navigate the pitfalls of a barbecue buffet — plus a large helping of delicious WW al fresco recipes.
So why not take your first steps towards a lighter, healthier you and try today’s tasty recipes?