Winter can be the hardest season for clean eating. It is a time for being inside surrounded by the delicious smells of kitchens and restaurants. We look for warmth and comfort in hearty soups and heavy meals and sauces. We use up more energy in the colder months just to keep our body temperate up, which means we feel the need to eat more. Feeling cold can trigger cravings for those warm and tasty foods, so here are a few simple things you can do this season to keep yourself on track with your weight loss and to feel healthy and clean.
1. Eat what is in season. You may have your go-to meals and snacks but with the changing seasons you should change up what you eat a little bit. It’s a good idea to take advantage of what fruits and vegetables are in season to get the most benefits from them. Instead of a tropical fruit smoothie, try something dense and green with kale or something rich in flavor and antioxidants with pomegranate. Both of these foods are in season this time of year and can be used in salads and snacks as well. Beets are also a great choice and very versatile – they’re excellent for juices and in salads. Believe it or not, salads will warm you up just as much as soups or stews. As long as your body is provided with something to burn for heat, it’s up to you what you choose to eat. Some other great options if you’re looking for something different are nuts and seeds. Try heating them in the oven for a delicious, warm snack.
2. Warm up with hot drinks. After a long, cold day you don’t always have to turn to food to warm you up, especially when you don’t really have an appetite and you’re just looking to have something. Hot drinks like water with lemon or tea will not only feel good, but they’re good for you. Lemon and ginger in tea or warm water can help boost your immune system in cold and flu season by flushing out toxins, warm you from the inside out and they’re great for weight loss. They’re also a better alternative to coffee or hot chocolate, which have a much higher amount caffeine and sugar.
3. Keep a level head. Remember that cravings are psychological. Your brain may try to convince you to eat certain things when you’re cold, but that doesn’t make them necessary. By definition, a craving is just an intense, urgent or abnormal desire or longing. Your body needs fuel, but even in these cold months dense foods don’t always have to be high in calories or carbs.
Cravings are always hard to manage but especially more so this time of year. But when you are able to satisfy hunger with something healthy instead of whatever you are craving, you won’t derail your weight loss.
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018
