How to Overcome Winter Weight Gain

In order to fight Winter weight gain, we have to discipline ourselves to follow some rules.

1. Banned language:

For the next several weeks, do not allow yourself to say, “Just this once.” If you pay close attention, a ‘just this once’ situation comes up practically every day. You go to a retirement party. You take your spouse out for a birthday dinner. Someone brings a meal by your house because you’ve been sick. Your co-worker brings in the leftover pizza from last night’s party. Your child has leftover Valentine’s Day candy. You have to say no every single time. Otherwise, you will never get ahead.

Just grit your teeth, resist what others are having and make good food choices. I’m not saying it is easy. I am saying it is necessary.

2. Plan your occasional splurge and do not deviate from the plan.

Unending deprivation is never a good idea, but you have to be intentional about the time, place and food that you let yourself splurge on.

Love the hot wings at your favorite restaurant? Then let’s make a deal. Eat clean for ten days. No cheating. And then at the end of those ten days, go have the wings. Guilt free. Just enjoy them. Then set the next goal. But you are not allowed to deviate from your plan in the meantime. If you do, you lose the wings.

Don’t waste your fun calories on something that doesn’t compare to those wings!

3. Keep moving.

Exercise is not an optional activity. Now more than ever you have to get your body in motion. Exercise is very effective at preventing weight gain—and that is what we’re after right now. Don’t even worry so much about losing pounds; just work to keep the winter scale-creep from happening to you. Try to get some cardio in at least 5 days a week and weight train at least 2 times a week. Yes that means you are moving everyday!

Remember: Spring is coming. Let’s be ready for it and leave winter weight gain behind.

Sources

1http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/5-tips-to-avoid-winter-weight-gain

2http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discipline