5 Ways to Prevent Winter Weight Gain
Jan
25
2010
Winter can be rough on our bodies. Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up in a blanket, fetal position, with a giant mug of hot chocolate in one hand, and remote control in the other? And when a snow storm hits, it’s difficult not to find yourself in the kitchen grazing at whatever catches your eye. It’s far too cold to be going outside for a jog, and the drive to the gym seems to get longer and longer.
Here’s a list of 5 ways how you can avoid gaining those extra winter pounds and get healthy this winter!
- Work out first thing in the morning. No excuses. Not only will you mentally bump it up to the top of your priority list, but you’ll jump start your metabolism and make the rest of your day a fabulous one.
- Swap your morning coffee with hot herbal tea which are high in antioxidants which prevent inflammation of blood vessels and reduce risk for cancer. Check out my previous blog post: A Cup of Tea for Good Health.
- Treat yourself to a “Fiber Flush.” Most healthy adults in the U.S. consume an average of 12-15 grams of fiber a day (American Dietetic Association recommends 20-35 grams of fiber a day), which is half of the recommendation! A few tips include: eat a high-fiber cereal and add some fruits (bananas, berries, raisins, etc), choose breads that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, and steer towards whole wheat pastas and brown rice.
- Keep your eyes wide open for the fruits and vegetables in season. Not only will you save a few bucks, but they are also delivery vehicles for a variety of nutrients. Winter fruits and vegetables include: apples, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, grapefruit, kale, sweet potatoes, peaches, oranges and tangerines.
- Cook a batch of soup over the weekend, freeze in portion-sized containers, and BAM…you save time and that inclination to pick up fast-food on your way home.
Have you tried any of the above? How have they worked for you? What are things you like to do to “Winterize Your Body”?
By Mitzi Dulan with assistance provided by Monica Lobo.
24 thoughts on “5 Ways to Prevent Winter Weight Gain”
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Thanks for the tips!! I’ve been doing the first 4 and so far so good. Honestly the working out first thing in the AM, really makes a difference. I feel much more energized through out the day! I have been trying different types of herbal teas..but I just haven’t fallen in love with any yet. Any recommendations?
Great tips!!! I try to do #5 at least every other weekend.. this weekend it was vegetarian chili, mmm. And I actually just bought some delicious loose-leaf tea at a local shop in Pina Colada flavour. 🙂
Thank you! I was obsessed with doing #5, especially when I lived in Michigan for almost a year…saved a lot of money/time during my internship!
That tea sounds delish, by the way. I’ve never had that before! Definitely writing it down in my “bucket list.” Totally counts!
Always good to save money!!! I love making black bean soup or white bean chicken chili. Making me hungry writing about all of this food!;)
love this post–great tips! I swear during the winter months I drink my body weight in hot tea…I can’t get enough! and now I’m inspired to make a delicious butternut squash soup for dinner! 🙂
Have I need to give you my delish butternut squash soup. Also, the black bean soup in All-Pro Diet is one of my family’s favorites.
Great tips! Definitely do tea every morning instead of coffee.
thanks so much!!
Kristen @ Simply Savor: I agree! I gotta have my hot tea! Definitely satisfies that hot beverage craving for Starbucks winter specials like “Peppermint Mocha” or “Gingerbread Latte”. My motto? Save my money, avoid weight gain! And don’t even get me started with my obsession with hot soup!
Very good advice. Eating fiber is something I often neglect as most people do but I’ve become more conscious about it. Advice #5 is something I haven’t done before. Although I’ve kept canned soup for quick meals, making my own might help me save money and allow me to keep it as healthy as I want it to be.
Definitely make some of your own meals. A lot cheaper, tastier, and you can save on the sodium! Try a yummy black bean soup!!
Carmen – I’m personally a big fan of grean tea leaves that I buy from Chinatown in Chicago, Teavana’s “Matevana”, chai tea and mango-flavored teas!
Mitzi – I’ve recently picked up “All-Pro Diet” and am excited to look up that black bean recipe you mentioned!
Gil – quick fiber tip: try to pick up bread that has at least 3g of fiber per slice! 🙂
Thanks for sharing Monica!!
Great tips! I’m going to try #5 for sure; it’s such a good way to control and be accountable for exactly what goes into your body because you control the contents and portions of your meal. It’s a way to let individuals be responsible for their diets and empower people to eat healtheir because they get to actually think about what’s in their meal!
Nerine – I’m glad you see it that way! That’s exactly how it should be looked at! 🙂
Mitzi – My pleasure!
Love reading your posts! So interesting! Excellent advice on keeping the fat off in the winter time. I have my fiber cereal every morning 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Jen 🙂
Great tips, I like to get to a 6am spin class on Fridays to start the weekend off right! I enjoy hot tea in the mornings too. I also like setting mini goals for motivation 🙂 I hope to accomplish a sprint tri in the future!
I love that you are also a CSSD, do you have any tips for gaining this credential? I’m working on trying to get more experience & an MS in ex phys, any other good resources you would recommend? Thanks so much!
6am spin class on Fridays sounds like a brilliant idea! I’m going to have to give that a try this week :)…as in…tomorrow morning!
Great tips! The winter can be such a sluggish and depressing time. The tip about eating foods that are in season is SO pertinent right now in a myriad of respects. Not only will you save a few cents here and there, but you will gain a TON of vitamin C that will be easily absorbed and utilized by your body in a natural way (vitamin supplements can’t do the same thing as an orange!). It also helps us cut back on our consumption of genetically modified and chemically dependent produce – something SO important, and helps local farmers, as stores are more likely to carry American produce if it is in season (this also cuts back on fuel consumption!). LOVED these, keep them coming!
I completely agree with all of your points! Thanks for sharing:) Mitzi
KRSmith…WOW. Excellent points! Thank you very much for sharing. This makes me want to go to the store and STOCK up on fruits and vegetables in season!
I’ll have the #5 please! Any recipe suggestions?