During the winter months, many of us tend to gain a few more kilos than we’d like. The colder weather makes for cosy nights with loads of comfort foods and no motivation to go out into the cold and exercise. Thus, allowing ourselves to eat a little more while reducing our daily exercise can gradually lead to weight gain.
The following are 8 ways to help you keep off gaining your winter weight:
1. Eat moderately
Wintertime comes with a lot of festivities which include loads of food and sweets. You shouldn’t deprive yourself from these types of foods but make sure to limit your intake. Don’t over fill your plate and eat so much that you won’t be able to move afterwards. Have that piece of cake but don’t have a second or third piece. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy all your favourite foods in a moderate way, without feeling guilty.
2. Keep exercising
Sometimes the last thing we want to do in winter is go outside and exercise. If this is the case, opt for a home workout instead. If the weather looks nice and you don’t feel like staying indoors, go for a quick walk to keep you moving!
3. Maintain healthy eating
The go to healthy food people tend to go for are salads. However, in winter, during the cold months, we tend to want food that warms us up. Thus, opt for making soups or curries with wholegrain rice instead. Plan your meals in advance to make sure you have time to cook your healthy meals.
4. Drink more water
In winter we tend to drink less water because we forget we need it. However, staying hydrated is essential because we often confuse dehydration for hunger. If you notice yourself reaching for food, try drinking water instead. Drinking water helps keep you hydrated and full.
5. Say “no”
If you really want to be able to maintain your weight, you need to learn to say no. If someone offers you a cookie and you take one, but then they offer you again, be firm in your “no” to keep you from overeating.
6. Get enough sleep
When we start feeling sleep deprived, cravings for carbs start emerging. Thus, aim to start getting around 8 years of sleep at night to ensure you’re well rested to stay away from fatty foods.
7. Stock up on healthy foods
If you go home after a long day and find nothing to eat, then it might be easy to order a delivery or to make a quick pizza. Instead of doing this, make sure to have several healthy snacks to help you cook up a quick and healthy meal.
8. Accept slip ups
Nobody is perfect. If you eat something that’s not considered healthy for you or you have more than one piece of cake, accept that everyone can slip up occasionally, and move on. The most important thing is that you get back on track and keep working on your goal.
Try out any of the above to help you keep that winter weight off during the colder months!
If you think that you can benefit from professional support on this issue you can reach out here.
Mandy Brincat is a Gestalt psychotherapist who enjoys working therapeutically with adults on various issues, such as general mental health and wellbeing. She also has experience working with children with anxiety and day to day stressful problems.
References:
- How to avoid winter weight gain. Bhf.org.uk. Retrieved from https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/weight/avoiding-winter-weight-gain.
- Kelly, D. (2017). 9 Ways to Fight Holiday Bloat (And Never Feel Deprived). Life by Daily Burn. Retrieved from https://dailyburn.com/life/health/winter-weight-loss-tips/.
- O’Sullivan, J. (2018). Keeping the Winter Weight Off | Dr. Joanna McMillan | Dietlicious Health Blog. Dietlicious.com.au. Retrieved from https://www.dietlicious.com.au/blog/Keeping-the-Winter-Weight-Off.html.