Stating that metabolism slows down with the early darkening of the weather compared to the summer months, experts point out that meals and snacks eaten late at night on New Year's Eve can cause weight gain. It is necessary to listen to the recommendations of experts in order to get up from the crowded New Year's Eve tables, which are gathered to welcome the New Year with family and friends, without gaining weight.
Nutrition and Diet Specialist Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital said that New Year's tables are meeting times where we welcome the new year with our loved ones and have a pleasant and varied meal. Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse said:
Food eaten late turns into weight
"It's time for a brand new year and new beginnings. So on the night of December 31st, we get together with our family and loved ones and set the table. There is a wide variety of dishes on this table, from soup to roast, rice to dessert, and there is always too much on the New Year's table. Especially on weekends and holidays, since there are no regular hours and procedures, you may be a little more relaxed and not pay attention to what you eat. But there is another aspect of New Year's Eve: It's when the food is eaten late at night."
Metabolism slows down due to early darkness
Stating that eating late at night causes weight gain, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse said, "With the early darkening of the weather, our metabolism slows down a little and prepares itself for sleep. When you load your body prepared for sleep with nutrients, it perceives what you consume as nutrients that need to be stored and can make you gain 3 kg in one day!" she warned.
Stating that fat storage is inevitable when fatty foods such as fried foods, fatty pastries and desserts, nuts are consumed after dinner, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Köse said, "Since fluid consumption decreases, metabolism slows down even more."
Vegetables are a must, the amount of fat should be considered
Stating that fresh or cooked vegetables should definitely be included in a healthy New Year's table, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse made the following suggestions:
"The group that should be at the top of the New Year's table is vegetables. Vegetable consumption can be neglected in winter, so it is necessary to prepare fresh greens such as arugula, lettuce and parsley or cooked green leafy vegetables such as spinach, purslane and broccoli.
Pay attention to the use of oil in vegetables that can also be prepared as appetizers.
To avoid digestive problems, boiled, baked or grilled cooking methods should be preferred over frying and roasting. Oils rich in omega 3 and omega 9 such as olive oil or hazelnut oil should be used.
Care should be taken to eat slowly!
The crowded dinner tables where we come together with our loved ones are time periods where long conversations are held and therefore meals are eaten for hours. You should eat as slowly as possible, so you can consume less after-dinner snacks.
Soup, which is one of the indispensables of the table, can be preferred legume soup. The duration of satiety can be extended with lentil and tarhana soups, which will also offer the opportunity to cook without oil.
It is useful to pay attention to the amount of oil in the saucing process. Whenever possible, use healthy cooking options for main courses. December 31st falls on a Saturday this year and you have a little more time for preparation. Thus, you can spend a little more time cooking and prepare your meals without frying at all.
Snacks should not be exaggerated!
It is also necessary to pay attention to the consumption of snacks after getting up from the New Year's Eve meal. Although nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts and cashews contain beneficial fats, more than a handful are unfortunately stored as fat. Especially when these nuts are consumed late at night, there may be difficulty in digestion as metabolism slows down. Chickpeas have a very low fat content. You can use your preference in favor of chickpeas.
Watch out for chips and popcorn!
You should also be careful with chips and popcorn, which are other snacks. Consuming these snacks after a meal is a burden on the digestive system. Isn't it time to eliminate chips from your life? Popcorn consumption should not exceed 1 bowl.
Avoid sweets!
When we look at chocolate, candy, biscuits and treats, consumption will be inevitable as we come across them in abundance in New Year's packages. You can consume a handful of dried fruits coated with chocolate in the treats you prefer. Since it will be in the form of chocolate coating, the calorie rate you will take will decrease and at the same time it can reduce your sweet cravings. We do not recommend consuming sweets because they will return to you as fat after a day.
Don't let the drink bother you!
You should also pay attention to the drinks to be consumed this evening. Carbonated drinks, which are a source of calories, will upset your stomach. Instead, water, freshly squeezed fruit juice, herbal teas or decaffeinated coffee can be preferred.
If fermented drinks are consumed, you should definitely consume 2 glasses of water before going to sleep because edema will be waiting for you a day later. You need to increase water consumption on New Year's Eve to avoid edema. Apart from that, if you will consume red meat, do not neglect to drink plenty of water to make it easy to digest."
Make new resolutions on January 1
Stating that healthy nutrition and physical activity are essential to stay healthy and fit, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse said, "Maybe January 1st can be a new beginning for you. You can start the day with a brisk 60-minute walk before the foods you consume late at night turn into fat and become permanent. Of course, provided that you have a late breakfast with eggs beforehand... After your walk, gather your energy with a snack of yogurt and fruit and spend your day with light activities."
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gizem Köse made the following recommendations for the first day of the new year:
Get rid of edema!
"Set your water consumption to 2 liters to get rid of the edema of the night before.
You can consume parsley and pineapple due to its anti-edema effect. You can also detox instead of a meal consisting of parsley, cucumber and mint or pineapple, cinnamon and mint.
Be sure to consume vegetables and yogurt for your evening meal, your metabolism will be fighting to get rid of the effects of the night before, it is useful to prefer easily digested foods for a quick recovery."