People tend to pack on a few pounds during the winter months simply because they eat more and move less. Not this Winter! It’s time to make this your best Winter ever to live healthier, get stronger and jump into Spring looking and feeling better.
Although winter weight gain varies, research shows the average person gains five to seven pounds. Some people gain this extra weight because they have Seasonal Affective Disorder—a type of winter depression. But most of us can’t blame winter depression for our tendency to pick up extra weight during the winter months.
The good news is you can do something about it. It just takes a little bit of discipline:
Here are 3 tips:
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. Your child has leftover Halloween candy. You go to a retirement party. You take a 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. You have to say no at some point, 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.
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. This is why most New Years resolutions don’t work, they are short lived and focus on big sacrifices and deprivation….just make it a lifestyle Love the ice cream at 9pm in the evening? Then let’s make a deal. Eat clean throughout the week. No cheating. And then at a few nights a week, have the ice cream. Guilt free. Just enjoy it. Then set the next goal. But you are not allowed to deviate from your plan in the meantime.
Keep moving. Exercise is not an optional activity. Now more than ever you have to get your body in motion. Exercise is a lifestyle and 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 strength training/cardio in at least six days a week.
Not currently working out at Premier? Email us at info@premierfitnessoh.com to schedule your Free 20 minute strategy session to discuss your goals and how we can help.