Avoiding Winter Weight Gain
Like many 50+ women in the Northern states, I tend to pack on a few extra pounds between November and March. I call it my hibernation fat, but I feel and look a lot better without it. This year I’m on a plan to keep off the five pounds I worked so hard this summer to lose.
Here are some of the things I’m doing, based on research and my own personal experience. Maybe they can help you, too.
- I exercise almost every day. To keep from getting bored, I do exercises I enjoy and try to vary my activities among things like swimming, walking, gym classes and yoga. If I am watching TV at night, I do some floor exercises and use light weights.
- I eat protein and fat with my first meal of the day—hard-boiled egg, chicken breast, low-fat cheese, high-protein cereal, whatever. A heartier breakfast seems to make it easier for me to tolerate the cold weather.
- I plan an evening snack. A little cereal or a piece of whole wheat toast is fine, and the carbohydrates help me sleep better. I naturally tend to need more sleep during the winter months.
- I make a pot of cabbage, bean or some other soup regularly. It really does fill me up without a ton of calories.
- I take a fiber supplement every day, usually in late afternoon. This helps reduce my cholesterol and keeps me from overeating in the evening.
- I take a multivitamin, fish oil and vitamin D to help boost my mood and energy levels, and I use natural weight loss aids as needed, often before I eat a high-carb meal or snack.
- I weigh myself every day. It’s not fun, but it keeps me honest.
- I visualize how I want to look and feel about myself regularly.
- I remind myself why maintaining a certain weight is important to me, which includes health reasons as well as just wanting to look and feel better.
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Maintaining your weight throughout the winter months can be difficult, but the rewards extend well beyond looking and feeling good when spring finally rolls around. Keeping your weight within a healthy range as you get older may be the single most important thing you can do to avoid disease. Healthy eating, lifestyle habits and nutritional supplements can all help you avoid winter weight gain. Start now and you won’t need to lose weight later!
