Have you found the numbers on the scale going up recently, instead of down? It’s pretty common for this to happen during the colder months, but if you’ve been achieving weight loss success it can be pretty disheartening to watch all that progress slip away.
The good news is that even though losing weight in winter can be a bit harder, there are some simple strategies you can use to continue making progress towards your goals.
It all starts with creating healthy habits around your winter menu.
Start with soup
Soup is an excellent first course for your main meal, and while it may feel a bit counterintuitive to have more than one course when you’re trying to lose weight, it can actually be a big help. Just like a big summer salad before your evening meal helps you feel full more quickly, preventing overeating, soup fills the hole!
There are an unlimited number of soups you can make, with many providing a warm, healthy and nourishing filler.
Looking for some soup inspiration? The Soup Recipe Pack has 13 great recipes you can try this week!
Choose herbal tea
We often drink less water during winter, and the resulting dehydration can leave us feeling lethargic. Sometimes we even confuse feelings of thirst with feelings of hunger – causing us to eat when a drink of water is all we needed!
If the thought of a glass of water is really too much in the cold, then choose to hydrate with a nice hot cup of herbal tea. If you skip the sugar you can have as many cups as you like per day.
The best part – each cup counts as a cup of water!
Fresh is best
Choose to eat fresh whenever possible. This doesn’t mean you need to eat raw, but that you should try to eat real food, fuelling up on fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs wherever possible.
A quick way to lift any meal is to grow a small selection of your favourite herbs on the windowsill in your kitchen. That way, fresh and colourful ingredients are only moments away.
Whatever you do, avoid heavily processed foods – those that come in packets, particularly if they have numbers in the ingredients list.
Load up on protein
Protein helps you to feel full, so it is always a good idea to include enough of it in your diet. It is particularly helpful when you’re on a weight-loss journey, though.
It doesn’t matter whether you follow a paleo, vegetarian or even vegan diet, there are excellent protein options available. If you find yourself routinely falling short of your protein goals, whip up a breakfast smoothie and add some protein powder for a quick top-up.
Get yourself a slowcooker
Eating healthily all day only for it all to turn to custard in the evening? It can be super tough to slog it out at the office all day only to have to come home and create a healthy meal from scratch!
If this is you, invest in a slowcooker and find some go-to recipes you can create over and over that fit these criteria:
- Easy
- Healthy
- Tasty
You can even cook double the recipe. Use the second batch for lunch the next day or freeze it for another busy night.
Meal prep is your friend
Following on from the point above, it really helps to have a meal plan before you go shopping each week.
This can help you stay focussed on buying only what you need, which means you save money and spare your belly the burden of being filled with supermarket junk food! Be honest – I know it calls to you!
It also means you’ll know exactly what you’ll be preparing each day so you can plan your time accordingly.
Keep warm
Ok guys, I know this isn’t strictly a healthy menu tip, but it is definitely a piece in the winter weight loss puzzle!
It’s fine to go for a run outdoors when it’s chilly. Just don’t sit around the house freezing all day, because you’ll find yourself craving warm, filling meals (usually carbs) or loads of hot chocolate full of sugar.
Rather keep yourself at a comfortable temperature, either through heating your room or wearing enough cosy clothing layers to keep you feeling comfortable.
Sticking to a healthy menu for weight loss in winter can feel like a challenge, you if you create good winter menu habits using the tips above, you can still succeed at your weight loss goals.
Ready to learn more about creating healthy habits that fuel massive change? Join the Healthy Habit Hierarchy Academy (H3A) today!
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You’ll get access to self-paced online courses and take part in fun monthly challenges. Exercises, worksheets, and a huge vault of exclusive member-only resources help to further propel you towards everything you’ve ever dreamed possible.
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