WAYS TO PREVENT AND AVOID WEIGHT GAIN THIS WINTER
The winter, with it’s holiday season and wide array of festive, fat filling foods, is usually a time most folks pack on some pretty serious poundage. People get less active, tend to eat more, and consume more empty calories than in the warmer months which can easily add back on the 20 or so pounds you might have lost last summer.

But on the other hand, the body can require up to 1000 additional calories per day during the coldest months to keep warm and to fend off wintertime viruses. So here are a few tips and ideas to help you stay healthy without gaining weight this winter.

1. Think Lean: During the winter, high fiber along with lean protein such as fish, turkey, and chicken is the way to go. Sufficient amounts of lean protein, as well complex carbohydrates, are important to prevent the breakdown of your stimulated metabolism that offers a fat burning module for the body.

2. Stock up on Vegetables: People eat more vegetables in the summer than in the winter, but it’s important that you get at least five to seven servings of vegetables each day throughout the year in order to stay healthy and lose or maintain a healthy weight. Fresh vegetables aren’t as readily available in the winter so remember to buy frozen instead of canned as these are usually the freshest of the two and keep plenty on hand for snacking. You might also want to think about light lunches and healthy dinner sides, such as, green salads topped with onions and cucumbers, barbecued zucchini, and steamed carrots or broccoli.

3. Indulge in Fruits: Even though fruits, such as oranges, usually grace the holiday dinner table, their consumption also goes down during the winter. But like vegetables, it’s important to maintain the minimum number of servings, at least four, of fruits in your diet the entire year. Strive to buy the freshest available when shopping or consider buying dried fruit which goes great with hot oatmeal.

4. Keep Moving: For most, winter is a time for sitting in front of the fireplace or watching television under a warm blanket while sipping on a hot, high calorie drink. Granted most outdoor activities shutdown during the winter and it’s hard to get motivated to drive to the gym when it’s 20 degrees on the outside. But to prevent weight gain over the winter months, exercise is a must. If you’re not shoveling snow for an hour a day you’ll need to find some creative ways to burn off some calories and keep your metabolism in gear.

Probably the best option here is to set up a home gym which can be anything from a treadmill in the corner of the den to an entire room devoted to exercise. Whatever you decide, the key to avoid gaining weight or to even lose weight this winter is to keep moving and not go into hibernation.

5. Drink Enough Water: As temperatures drop so does water intake. People simply aren’t as thirsty during the winter as they are in the summer. But drinking a sufficient amount of water each day not only helps you to lose weight, it’s also important for overall health. Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water daily, even during the winter months.