Fall is the time of year when many people begin to crave warm and cozy comfort foods. As it gets cold in many parts of the country, it is too easy to sidle up to a large plate of mac and cheese or warm bread and butter. Luckily, there are ways to stay fit and healthy while still enjoying some fall comfort foods. Some people may still find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle during this season; for those who are struggling, we have some tips to enjoy the fall comfort food without letting it affect your health.

 

Make Healthier Comfort Foods

It is not necessary to sacrifice delicious comfort foods altogether in order to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. It is completely possible to make meals that are healthy, taste amazing, and still have that homey feeling associated with comfort food. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. In most recipes, you can make substitutions and tweaks that will result in a more nutritious meal.

 

Altering a recipe is not a complicated matter. Some simple changes are often all that is needed to significantly change a meal’s nutritional value for the better. For instance, a dish that contains a lot of meat, such as a stew or casserole, can be made more beneficial by simply reducing the amount of meat and replacing it with more vegetables. Pasta dishes are known to be full of carbs and potentially fattening, but it is possible to make one that is less so. Simply replacing typical, enriched pasta with whole-wheat pasta will boost the nutrition of the dish by increasing the amount of fiber, and it will also reduce the caloric value of the dish as well.

 

Reducing salt, sugar, and fat in dishes is vital to reaching or maintaining a healthy weight during comfort food season. This can be done in a plethora of ways. Tons of dishes contain salt, and for many of these, it is possible to use half the salt, or even eliminate it all together. Limiting sodium intake is crucial to a good diet. In baked goods, it is possible to reduce how much sugar goes in by up to one half. If more sweetness is desired, spices, nutmeg, or some almond extract can be added as a substitute. For reducing fat in baked goods, half the amount of butter. If necessary it can be replaced with mashed banana, prune puree, or applesauce.

 

Keep Active

Cold weather tends to make people become more sedentary. When it gets chilly out and the sun hides behind the clouds more often, it becomes tempting to just stay inside wrapped up in some blankets with a good book. However, it is vital to fight the lethargy and keep the body moving in order to fend off weight gain.

 

Knowing you have a set time to be at the gym or that your fitness friends always do the 5:30pm class will keep you motivated to get out of the house and continue your workout routine.

 

Get Help from A Nutritionist in Kansas City

Staying on track with a diet takes not only discipline but knowledge of nutrition and an understanding of how the body works. There’s a lot that needs to be learned and understood in order to have a truly healthy diet and exercise plan. This is why it is beneficial to enlist the help of a professional nutritionist. You will learn how to enjoy foods that are good for you without feeling like you are missing out on and of the comfort foods. In Kansas City, AYC Health & Fitness is a great place to get started with nutrition help.

 

Call AYC Health & Fitness today at 913-642-4437 or click to book a consultation.