I don’t know about you but when the beanie season arrives, all I want to do is EAT!!!! It’s very common to feel hungrier at this time of year and there are very good reasons as to why. The colder weather leads to a drop in our body temperature, which means our appetites get stimulated as a result. This is because eating helps to generate internal heat, subsequently leading to a rise in body temperature.
During winter, the body works harder and spends more energy just trying to keep you warm, so your desire to eat more comes from your body’s natural increase in energy use. However, there is no need to use this as an excuse to overeat! There are other effective ways to keep warm, such as wearing extra layers of clothing or EXERCISING, which you will probably agree is preferable to an extra layer of fat from eating too much!
So how do we deal with these cravings? Eating regular meals and snacks containing protein and fibre are very important. These leave us feeling satisfied and our blood sugar levels stable and therefore we have less desire for unhealthy unrefined carbs and sugary snacks. As well as healthy snacking, our choice of main meals during the winter is important.
Eating seasonally is both warming and satisfying, leaving you feeling full and without cravings.
Porridge is a great choice for a warming breakfast, with some stewed apples and cinnamon – delicious, nutritious and satisfying.
Lunch could be a warming bowl of soup with plenty of seasonal vegetables, such as carrots, onions, butternut squash, with some lentils, beans or chicken for protein.
For dinner, a hearty stew with lean meat, vegetables, such as cabbage served with some brown rice would be a great choice. Because all these meals are filling, it should be easier to control your portion sizes too.
Comfort food, can be healthy as well as satisfying and this kind of food can be effective at keeping cravings and overeating at bay.
Hopefully you now understand exactly why you feel hungrier during the cold winter months, how you can deal with any cravings resulting from this, and the advantages of eating hot food at this time of year.
The benefits of following these principles mean you can stay healthy, feel great and have a better chance of avoiding unwanted winter weight gain, especially if you also keep your temperature where it needs to be by putting on an extra jumper or doing one of our early morning workouts!
Need some winter food inspiration? Checkout our 6 Week Bikini Body Detox Plan, its PERFECT for the cooler months and to get your body ready for Bikini Season! Click HERE
