5 keys to avoid getting fat in summer

The summer is full of pleasures, many of them for the palate, and the majority loaded of contraindications for the physical form. Snacks that turn into lunches, coffees that derive in tapas, activities that delay the hour of eating inciting us to sting snacks unhealthy ... Surviving without adding extra kilos to these wonderful moments is possible, if we pay attention to these errors.

Sometimes, we do not explain why we are getting fat if we take salads, products Light, lots of fruit or vegetables ... and yet, we do not notice other ingredients with which we accompany all "apparently healthy" habits and make sacrifices like not having dinner. And the relaxed and social life of summer is to enjoy it, but if you want to keep your line, keep these tips in mind.

5 mistakes that make us gain weight in summer

1. Confuse thirst with hunger: It is typical that in summer, due to dehydration due to heat, we confuse the sensation of hunger with thirst. In fact, statistics say that this happens easily to more than 30% of people, but how to differentiate it? It is very simple: "drink a large glass of water and wait five minutes, if the sensation returns choose a healthy snack like nuts, most of the times it is a mixture of both sensations," says nutritionist Alejandro Cánovas.

2. Free fruit bar: to calm the feeling of hunger eating fresh fruit is highly recommended, but without forgetting that it contains sugars, so it is not recommended to eat more than 4 or 5 pieces a day, although it depends on the condition and physical exercise of each person. "The ideal is to consume four pieces: two at breakfast, one mid-morning and another after lunch," says Alejandro. An excellent way to take vitamins in summer are smoothies because in addition to fruits we can include vegetables, seeds and other super foods depending on the interests, pathologies (cholesterol, digestive problems, hypertension ...) or physical condition (rich in proteins for the athletes).

3. Soft drinks Light: they ask for a lot in summer as a social drink because their calorie intake is much smaller, but we must stop thinking that by taking them we are taking care of ourselves since "they do not make a positive nutritional contribution to the organism". According to nutritionist Alejandro Canovas, "it is much more beneficial to lean on beverages such as tomato juice, which has very few calories and provides nutrients."

Renouncing the canes is another of the problems we face in the summer due to the fear of gaining weight. Contrary to what many may think, it is not necessary to give up cold beer, in fact, many studies have shown that the consumption of beer without alcohol has many benefits, including stimulating the production of good cholesterol, which prevents formation of fatty deposits in the arteries and decreases the risk of heart and brain infarction. It also contains antioxidants that slow down the aging and deterioration of the body's cells.

4. Skip the dinner: having bitten something in the middle of the afternoon should not mean skipping a main meal such as dinner, "although you have to adapt it, proportionally reducing the group of foods that have been taken during the snack", explains the nutritionist.

5. Salads with few calories: "If you have lettuce, it does not make you fat," and that's not always the case. And it is that to call salad to any food that includes lettuce does not automatically reduce its caloric contribution. According to Cánovas, "we must be careful with ingredients such as goat cheese, excess nuts, bread croutons or sauces, since they turn salads into hypercaloric dishes".