Winter weight gain. Let’s not worry about what we eat or drink, or whether we hibernate on the sofa during winter, we’ll fix all the problems as soon as the weather improves. Sound familiar?

It’s too cold. It’s wet. It gets dark so early. We know all the excuses, but in reality, that’s all they are. If the desire to lose weight or get fit is strong, you’ll find a way around the excuses.

Think about the results you want for your future health, weight and wellness. Chances are that you really don’t want, every spring, to start again. If that’s what has been happening for the last, say, 5 years without achieving the results you want, it’s clearly time to make a change.

There is no doubt that drinking a glass of iced water with a lunch-time salad sounds far better in summer than in winter, but there are always options.

Sub out the iced water for herbal tea.

Swap the salad for:

• chunky soup
• casserole or stew
• grilled steak and steamed vegies
• curries
• bolognaise sauce on zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash
• roasts – both meat and vegies
• slow-cooked pulled beef or pork
• lasagne with cabbage, zucchini, or eggplant layers

Nutritionally, these swaps are more similar than you’d expect, so your weight loss progress can continue through the cooler months.

If keeping a photo or an item of clothing motivates you to keep working toward your goals, make sure you put it in an area where you see it all the time. Try on the item of clothing each week to either ensure it still fits, or to see how close you’re coming to wearing it again.

Getting out of bed at 6am is definitely easier in the summer than the winter, as is putting on

shorts and T-shirt rather than 5 layers for your morning walk. If you’ve got a dog, you’ll know that they want to go out whatever the weather (most dogs, anyway, though we’ve all met a princess or two). Layer up and go out anyway.

Healthy Inspirations centres are dry and sheltered, so pop in for some exercise and check how your weight loss is progressing – you might be surprised.