Gourmet Italia, company of the Group Dr. Schär, specialized in the production of frozen ready meals, continues to win over new lovers of taste and convenience with the more than 30 recipes of the M’ama line, created with genuine and selected ingredients. We are approaching the summer holiday season but still have a few weeks to prepare our body by slightly changing our eating habits and introducing half an hour of light exercise every day.
To lose weight effortlessly and without drastic sacrifices Gourmet Italia, with the help of nutrition expert, medical doctor and Diet Coach Barbara David, has identified some useful tips.
Among the many ready meals by Gourmet Italia, we have selected the perfect menu for 3 light sports to practice during lunch break or before dinner. Yoga, Pilates and brisk walking: for each of these light physical activities we have matched a M’ama dish ready in a few minutes, able to satisfy without weighing you down.
Potato gnocchi with tomato and Pilates
A classic of Italian cuisine with only 113 calories, Potato Gnocchi with tomato, and a sport, Pilates, perfect to stay in shape without too much effort. During winter, it happens to get lazy because of the cold and maybe spend the lunch break at the office or in a nearby bar chatting with colleagues instead of taking a long walk or going to the gym. So those who don’t have a perfect metabolism tend to gain weight. But if in winter there are sweaters and coats that partially hide our silhouette, in spring and summer, with light clothes, the body comes back into view. We still have a few weeks before the holidays. So, here is the right opportunity to burn off the extra kilos without too much effort.
Pilates is the ideal sport. Several years ago, when it arrived in Italy from the United States, it immediately became a trend. But even today it is much appreciated, proving that it works great. Pilates essentially aims to strengthen the body, shape it, and correct posture. The work, which focuses on the abdominal and dorsal regions, consists of slow movements to be practiced with great concentration, paying particular attention to correct breathing. The method aims to train the entire body through bodyweight exercises or performed with the help of special machines. It is ideal for lunch breaks.
After exercising for half an hour, it is preferable to have a light meal, perhaps just a first course like Gourmet Italia’s Potato Gnocchi with tomato. Made with potatoes and tomato, ready in 5 minutes in the microwave, they are also perfect for vegetarians.
Chicken slices with grilled vegetables and Yoga
Here is another dish very suitable for the summer months: chicken slices with grilled vegetables contain less than 33% fat and are perfect after practicing yoga. There are many variations of yoga, from the lightest to the most challenging. This practice allows you to use all the muscles of the body. Hatha Yoga, in particular, helps maintain the body in excellent physical condition. If practiced consistently, it helps improve posture and physical shape by focusing on harmony between body and mind. The more energetic variants are suitable for burning off excess pounds and regaining a perfect silhouette.
Chicken is white lean meat recommended in all diets. Grilled vegetables are the perfect side dish: eggplants, zucchinis, tomatoes, and peppers are the vegetables selected for this tasty and light dish by Gourmet Italia. Suitable for higher temperatures.
Venere rice with shrimp and Fitwalking
Only 154 calories, 5 minutes in the microwave oven and here is a tasty first course ready to eat at the office during lunch break. Naturally after going out for a special walk: brisk walking, also known as fitwalking. Some have lost many kilos in a few months with this technique which evidently burns a lot of fat. But what exactly is fitwalking? We could define it as a sort of walking with an extra gear. This discipline was created by Maurizio Damilano, gold medalist in the 20 kilometers race walk at the 1980 Olympics, who says: “Doing fitwalking means making a natural gesture like walking effective and efficient.” Fitwalking can be practiced anywhere: in the park or on the street, in the mountains, at the sea, or in the city. The important thing is to use suitable and comfortable shoes that can be conveniently kept at the office.
But how is this brisk walking practiced? It is enough, at every step, to place the heel first, then the sole of the foot firmly on the ground as if it were a stamp, and finally push off with the tip of the big toe, swinging the arms, either straight along the body or bent. To learn and acquire fluid movements, just watch some tutorials on YouTube. Fitwalking, if practiced correctly and consistently, is very effective for losing weight and at the same time tones the muscles. It is suitable for everyone.
Losing weight is easy with the advice of doctor and Diet Coach Barbara David
First of all, let’s debunk the myth that losing weight requires drastic diets that remove almost all foods, leaving us with a constant feeling of hunger. “The era of starvation diets is now over,” reassures Dr. Barbara David. “In fact, thanks to increasingly in-depth studies on eating dynamics, we have come to fully understand the mechanism of hunger and how to manage it. First and foremost, it must be considered that not eating when hungry triggers heavy psychological dynamics that affect personal food management.” In other words, once the drastic diet ends, one will no longer be able to trust their own sensations, risking eating even when not hungry. “To avoid all this,” continues Barbara David, “it is essential always, but especially during diet periods, never to reach the point of feeling hungry. Avoiding being ravenous at mealtime becomes a priority: consuming frequent, always healthy and balanced snacks will prevent the sensation of ‘true hunger’ caused by a drop in blood sugar. During diet periods, one should eat when hungry and stop when satiated. Fruit, yogurt, and well-balanced energy bars will allow you to reach your goal.”
Water and vegetables: two precious allies for shedding excess pounds
Here is another important tip: “Often people think they are hungry when in reality it is just a state of dehydration not recognized by the rational mind: so I recommend drinking water before meals and before every snack,” Barbara David tells us. “Water also helps quell nervous hunger, that is, not real hunger but due to anxiety, nervousness, or stress. It is good to develop the habit of drinking at least three glasses of water in small sips half an hour before meals.” Besides water, vegetables are another great ally for physical shape. “I suggest always starting the meal with a generous plate of vegetables and then continuing with the first or second course, as preferred,” explains the medical doctor and Diet Coach. “Starting with vegetables allows us to reach the main dish practically already satiated, thus halving the portions we are used to.” Often, in fact, we eat much more than our body requires and the habit of consuming increasingly large portions inevitably leads to overweight. And here is a fundamental trick to lose weight: “90% of the taste comes from the first bite; therefore, don’t suppress your indulgence but try what you like most, even a dessert, while limiting the quantities. With just a simple tasting, you will have full flavor with a significant reduction in calories.” An important fact is that often overweight is a sign of a life without interests and passions: “Those who gain weight often lead a closed, too narrow life, full of obligations and renunciations. Postponing pleasure only strengthens a rebellion process. And from here springs the impulse to cheat with food, to eat too much and poorly. In this case, it is useful to try to step out of your daily routine, to broaden your perspective, to seek a deep sense of satisfaction not only from food but also from other senses: beyond taste, there are sight, touch, smell, hearing — all senses to be experienced fully. Making a list of activities you enjoy and allowing yourself at least one per day is a good start. In this daily time slot, focus on your favorite activity, not on food, tuning in to your more instinctive side. Doing so, getting back in shape will be just a pleasant consequence of your life satisfaction!” concludes Barbara David. Let’s give more space, then, to our passions and dreams. Meanwhile, let’s choose foods that are less caloric and equally tasty, such as those from Gourmet Italia we presented to you, also focusing on light but consistent physical activity.
