Twelve Days until Christmas Countdown: Day 5
Christmas; the season of family, happiness, good TV and eating LOTS of food. This is the time of year when any diet becomes… what diet!? The average Brit eats an extra 3000 calories on Christmas day and can gain up to 4lbs during the festive season, 34% of whom are still desperately struggling to shed those pounds all the way through until Easter*.
From Christmas dinner, to work parties, to family get-togethers, food is unfortunately the centrepiece of all celebrations. But it doesn’t have to be like that; the change in routine can provide a perfect time to get fit, not fat this Christmas. The Slimming Clinic can help you achieve your weight loss goals quickly and effectively. Read The Slimming Clinic’s daily three top tips on cutting out calories, keeping fit and cooking healthy meals for the twelve day countdown to Christmas…
1. Diet: Don’t let this time of year put you off your diet or give you an excuse to pig out on rubbish. You can still join in the festive fun with healthy seasonal snacks such as Satsuma’s which are high in Vitamin C and roasted chestnuts which are low in fat.
2. Fitness: If we are lucky enough (or unlucky, whichever side you’re on) to get a dump of the sparkly white stuff this year, get outside in the garden and build snowmen with the children, it will keep them entertained and help make this festive season a real family occasion.
3. Healthy Recipe: Roast pork with couscous & ginger yogurt (284 calories & 6g fat per portion).
Ingredients:
- 2 pork fillets, each about 500g/1lb 2oz, trimmed of any fat
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tsp grated ginger
- 250g couscous
- 100g sultanas
- zest and juice 1 lemon
- small bunch mint, chopped
- 200g fat-free natural yogurt
Method:
1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Brown the pork in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat for 4-5 mins, turning twice. Mix the oil, 2 tsp cumin, cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger and some seasoning, then rub all over the pork. Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for 30-35 mins or until the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a skewer.
2. Mix the couscous with the remaining cumin, the sultanas, lemon zest and juice, then season and pour over 400ml boiling water. Stir well and cover for 5 mins, then stir in the mint.
3. Stir the remaining ginger and a little seasoning into the yogurt. Thickly slice the pork and serve with the couscous and ginger yogurt.
To read more on this recipe click here.
The Slimming Clinic operate 27 clinics nationwide, specializing in medical weight loss and cosmetic treatments. They are the UK’s largest chain of specialist medical weight loss clinics.
* Statistics found on 01/12/2014 from source: http://www.womanandhome.com/galleries/diet-and-health/34798/1/0/how-to-keep-the-pounds-off-over-christmas#k0tyrW3QIKIk55AC.99