Let’s face it, when the weather starts to get cooler, and mornings are darker we’re much more motivated to stay under the doona a little longer.
This may mean that you miss out on your morning workout, walk, run or meditation session. This change in morning routine is not setting yourself up for success that day.
It’s raining at lunchtime so instead of meeting a friend for a ‘walk ‘n talk’ you choose to meet for lunch and end up eating food that’s not on-plan.
After work is all too hard. All you want to do is get home, put on your PJ’s and crank up the heater. Who said a glass of wine?
Of course, these are all choices. If you want to get through winter and face Spring without feelings of guilt and frustration about your shape and weight, then you need to make some decisions now.
Let’s look at some reasons why you could put on weight over winter and some strategies to give you control over your choices.
1. Our metabolism may increase slightly over winter to burn more energy to help us keep warm. This may make us feel hungrier but doesn’t mean that we should eat more. It certainly isn’t enough to counteract the extra calories (particularly starchy and sweet carbs) that we may be inclined to consume.
2.In warmer months we eat more salads so try these food swaps for winter to manage between staying warm and staying satiated:
*Front-load all meals and snacks with a decent protein serve
*Chunky soup, casserole or stew full of meat and vegies
*Grilled meat with steamed vegies
*Roast meat and vegies
*Curries with cauliflower rice or zero noodles
*Bolognaise sauce with zucchini noodles
*Slow-cooked pulled pork or beef
*Lasagna made with mince, and layers of cabbage, zucchini or eggplant
*Frozen vegies and berries as the fresh food options are not as varied in winter
3.Remember the nightly 12-hour non-eating window. Ensure that you leave 12 hours between finishing your last meal at night and your first meal the next day.
4. Never arrive hungry at a party or meeting, and if you are tempted – always drink a glass of water first. Specialty coffee drinks can be a trap so watch out
5.We can hide underneath big bulky jumpers. Check yourself out when getting changed or having a bath or shower. Monitor how your clothes are feeling and fitting, particularly the waist. This is a reality check!!!!
6.Less sunlight can affect hormones, especially melatonin the sleep hormone that can make you feel sleepy and is often related to increased hunger levels. Lack of daily rays can make you SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which can prompt appetite.
7. Ensure you have warm clothes for outdoor walking and exercise. Have exercise clothes and shoes packed the night before. Layers work well as you warm up you can take off and wrap around your waist or shoulders and continue your exercise. Getting your dose of outdoor activity helps regardless of whether the sun is shining or not.
8.Having an accountability buddy will keep you motivated and accountable to each other. Having a coach that you report to each week also adds another layer of accountability. Make the experience as enjoyable as possible.
9. Daily journaling of everything you eat and drink, plus exercise, sleep and stress, will give you greater control. The only thing better than journaling is pre-planning, especially your meals.
10.Remaining positive will allow you to stay focused on where you see yourself at the end of winter. Most people put on up to 3 kilos over winter. This is not normal. It’s a result of your choices. Set yourself up for success by making these choices now.
If you already have a few more kilos than you feel comfortable with, it’s far easier to put on more. Don’t let this be you. The best time to take action is right now.
When Spring arrives, you don’t want to be panicking and saying, “OMG why didn’t I start or stay on-plan over winter”. You’ll want to be smiling and feeling confident and pleased with yourself.
Join our 12 Week Transformation Challenge to help you get through Winter and come out smiling and confident for Spring. Register below.