Winter Weight Loss Tips

Winter weight loss seems difficult due to the perceived lack of fresh produce, closed Farmers Markets, chilly, rainy days that make outdoor exercise difficult and comfort foods that help ease the winter blues brought on by the lack of sun. 

Some simple winter weight loss tips are:

1. Fill up on healthy grain hot cereals!  Check out the bulk bin section at Fred Meyer’s, PCC, or Whole Foods. Cook a huge batch of grains at night in your slow cooker, and a hot breakfast will await you. The remaining cereal will be just as good heated up on the following mornings to save time.
2. Fill up on herb teas, brewed coffees, Americanos, lower fat lattes, or water! Many find comfort in a daily high calorie coffee extravaganza. The local barista is your friend and knows your order. You could lose a pound a week by heeding this one tip!
3. Fill up on winter fruits! There are so many more fruits available than apples, oranges, and bananas! Get out of your rut. Include grapefruits, pomellos, kiwis, pineapple, figs, grapes, pears, and pomegranates.  Prepare chopped fruit salads, or add fresh fruit to chopped greens!
4. Fill up on winter vegetables! Be sure to include cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli raabe, Brussels sprouts, fennel, cabbage, carrots, celery, kale, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, radicchio, radishes, rutabagas, shallots, sweet potatoes, show peas, artichokes, turnips, and various winter squashes! Steam them, bake them drizzled with olive oil, add them to stir fries, stews, or in salads for extra crunch.
5. Fill up on Soups! Soups should be a weekly addition to your menu. Winter vegetables taste great in soups. Pair them with a variety of meats, beans, lentils, grains, garlic, rice, pastas, and your favorite herbs. You have a meal in one pot. Always fix a huge batch of soup and freeze the extras into lunch size servings! Healthy lunches for grab and go!
6. Fill up on Crock Pot Chilies and Stews! During the winter, your crock pot deserves a spot on your kitchen counter. Slow cooker stews full of winter vegetables or chilies paired with winter squash, will warm up your winter mood. There are many great slow cooker recipes to try.
7. Avoid your Favorite Comfort Foods! Winter months are gloomy. Many of you suffer from a bit of season affect disorder which is cured by indulging in your favorite comfort foods! The easiest way to break this habit is shop from a grocery list that does not include your go to comfort foods of choice! It’s easier to pass the salt and vinegar chips at Safeway, than in your kitchen cupboard!
8. Join a gym! If you dislike the chill of outdoor exercise, consider joining a gym, purchasing a piece of equipment to use indoors, trying Wii Fit Games or Zoomba, or walking in the mall. Just find something you enjoy doing daily that will increase your movement! This will lift your mood and make those comfort foods less tempting.

These are just a few winter tips to help with weight loss. You don’t need a new diet that requires you to give up all the foods that you love, or use out of season produce from half way around the world. Eat local, eat real, cook from scratch, and get moving!