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Bye Bye Winter, Hello Sunshine!

Burr! It’s been a cold winter in Georgia. I can’t recall it ever being this cold. But you’re talking to a person that keeps the portable heaters all at all times plus the central heat. I’m always cold! When you think about the winter do you envision your self-exercising in or outside and eating healthy? Probably not. Matter of fact your excuse is “It’s too cold to exercise.” So now that we’ve established that you don’t like exercising in the winter what about the food you eat? Cold, dark winter nights lead many women to over eat, crave fattening comfort foods and let’s not get started with the Holidays. I won’t revisit that lecture, but I will say that the average holiday plate has 3000 calories!

Did you know that a lot of the foods we eat, we eat them because of the season? Here is a list of some of the foods that are considered to be the worst fattening winter foods a person can consume:

• Macaroni and cheese
• Beef chili
• Creamed based soups
• Casseroles
• Stews loaded with beef
• Pasta with thick creamed sauce
• Fried foods
• Crusted top and bottom pot pies
• Heavy frosted cakes and or syrup fruit filled pies

As always there are alternatives to these foods by replacing some of the ingredients with healthy and nutritious foods without sacrificing the flavor. These foods are high in calories and saturated fat and can add several unwanted inches to your waist.

That leads me to a question. Why do you think we don’t crave (desire) these foods in the spring/summer time? In my opinion, during the summer months it can get hot, humid and sticky (at least in Georgia) and I like to feel light, cool and refreshed. Not weighed down, bloated, tried and uncomfortable which is what normally happens after you eat a fattening meal. Maybe that’s why we tend to gain weight in the winter months.

Spring/summer is a time to really get in shape.  Women all over the world aim at looking their best in the summer and why not. It’s a time to show off that great body you’ve worked so hard to obtain. To me the sun is my biggest motivation. It’s something about sunlight that makes me feel happy want to get outside and do something.(We’ll discuss summer outdoor activities later)

As winter closes make a pledge to decrease the fattening foods and start becoming active. That way when spring does arrive you won’t have to work so hard to get swimsuit ready!