Newswise — For most, summer is the time to put away layers of winter clothes and spend more time outdoors enjoying the warm sun, but if you are feeling the effects of winter weight gain, choosing from your summer frocks can become more of a chore than a relief. Thankfully, it's not too late to shed those extra pounds you've been battling since New Year's Day. "This time of year offers us a greater variety of healthy foods to choose from which makes this an ideal time to lose and keep weight off," says Lynn Goldstein, R.D., of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Wahida Karmally, P.H., R.D., C.D.E., C.L.S., a registered dietitian at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, adds that "Every season offers us new ways to improve our diets and the summertime is no exception." Lynn Goldstein and Wahida Karmally offer the following tips to help trim the fat this summer:
* Take advantage of the warm weather to increase your exercise regimen. Play a game of Frisbee®, volleyball or tennis; take long walks; or swim laps.
* Make seasonal vegetables the focus of your meal. Indulge in salads and steamed vegetables. Season vegetables with spices, lemon and balsamic vinegar, a little Parmesan cheese and low-fat dressings. Make these the largest items on your plate and add small portions of protein and/or starch.
* Grilling your food is a great way to add flavor while reducing fat and calories. Grilling meats allows some fat to drip off, which lowers fat and calorie content. Try wrapping fish or chicken in foil and add vegetables and seasonings to the grill.
* Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruits. Bypass cakes, cookies and ice cream and opt for fresh berries, melons and even some of the more exotic fruits that are available instead. Fruit is fat-free, high in nutrients and fiber, and a natural energizer.
* Try "Calorie Banking." Cookouts with family and friends should not signal a diet disaster. By cutting back on your calories a week before special occasions, you can indulge a little more and enjoy yourself. However, try to restrict high-fat foods such as potato chips and mayonnaise-based salads.
* Stay away from empty calories. It is important to drink plenty of fluids during these warm summer months but juice, whole milk, regular soda and alcoholic beverages are high-calorie drinks that you want to stay away from. Alcoholic beverages contain empty calories and may stimulate your appetite. Instead fill up on water, seltzer, juice diluted with seltzer, low-fat milk or iced tea.
NewYork-Presbyterian HospitalNewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,242 beds. The Hospital has nearly 2 million inpatient and outpatient visits in a year, including more than 230,000 visits to its emergency departments -- more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more information, visit www.nyp.org.
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