At Matthews Internal Medicine, we know that losing weight and keeping it off can be tough for many of our patients. It’s always worth the effort though. Living a healthier lifestyle can help you stave off a variety of diseases, but we understand that your motivation can lag sometimes. This is especially true during the winter months.
Nothing throws off a weight management program and exercise routine quite like snow and cold temperatures. Some people expect to gain weight during the winter months, but you don’t have to! Here’s a look at how you can try to prevent weight gain during the winter and stay healthy all season long.
Avoid Alcohol
It can be tempting to enjoy a cold night in with a drink or two, but it’s far too easy to drink too many calories during the winter months. After all, there are also holiday parties to contend with. Whether you’re with family and friends or at the office holiday shindig, drinking too much is a common diet hazard during the winter months. Alcohol is full of calories. Beer offers a bunch of empty calories, while mixed drinks with full-calorie sodas can have a debilitating effect on your weight management plans.
You don’t have to cut out alcohol altogether, but just keep in mind that there will be many events and chances to drink this winter. You don’t need to party hard to have fun. Pace yourself and drink water between your alcoholic beverages. It will slow you down a bit and help you consume less empty calories.
Don’t Go to a Party Hungry
We mentioned holiday parties, but alcohol isn’t the only hazard to be found there. If you’re trying to lose weight, common holiday treats like cookies and candy aren’t exactly going to help you reach your goals. The typical party appetizers don’t tend to be too healthy either. If you want to avoid temptation, make sure that you’re only going to a party after you’ve eaten. Having a healthy meal or even just snacking on filling fruits and vegetables can help you cut down on the calories you consume at holiday events.
Workout When You Can
Because of these holiday food and beverage temptations, exercise is even more important than usual in the winter. You need to stick to your fitness plan, even if the weather outside isn’t great. It also gets dark outside earlier, which can kill motivation for some people, but push through and get to your workout. You’ll feel great afterwards and wonder why you even considered skipping it.
Weigh Yourself Daily
During the winter months it’s even more important to hold yourself accountable. That means weighing yourself every day and keeping a close eye on your progress. If you step on the scale each day, you’ll also be quick to notice if you’ve actually been gaining weight. You can take stock of your habits the last few days and figure out what the problem could be. If you follow some of these tips, a cold winter won’t be able to derail your weight loss plans.