How to lose weight in Winter - Improve Your Wellness Part 1 with FBO

Improve Your Wellness Part 1: How to Lose Weight in Winter

Losing weight at any time of year is no easy feat.

However, losing weight in winter can be even more challenging!

Why? Well, because the cold weather makes it so tempting for us to snuggle up indoors, abandon clean eating and essentially hibernate until spring.

But, needless to say, this isn’t good for our health or fitness levels.

Concerned that the shorter days are going to affect your weight loss goals? Don’t be — we’ve got you covered with these simple yet effective tips for losing weight in winter.

1.   Eat Winter Produce

First of all, the great thing about winter is that the markets are full of more dense root vegetables, fresh greens and high-quality protein.

It’s time to put down the packaged salad and load up on these seasonal, local foods, especially kale, broccoli and Brussel sprouts.

After all, these low-calorie veggies contain so much fibre that they’re incredibly filling, therefore, you won’t have to worry about overeating high-calorie foods.

2. Drink Water and Hot Teas

Chilly weather can cause you to feel thirsty without even realising. Because of this, we often mistake dehydration for hunger.

If you make sure you’re drinking plenty of water during the winter months, you can avoid unnecessary snacking and stick to your weight loss plan.

Plus, you can include hot teas into the mix, which will keep you feeling warm and hydrated. Win-win.

3. Work Out At Home

Leaving the house to do anything can feel like a massive effort in winter — never mind to burn calories.

That’s why there’s no shame in swapping your usual outdoor run or exercise class to a video workout you found on YouTube instead.

From yoga to Zumba or even HIIT, as long as you’re still exercising for at least 150 minutes per week, it doesn’t matter that it’s indoors.

4. Do Some Fun Outdoor Activities

Following on from the previous point, it’s still important to get outside as much as you can.

In addition to helping you lose weight by getting you moving around more, the fresh air can work wonders for your soul.

Why not arrange some fun things to do outdoors with your loved ones that you’re going to enjoy? We’re talking about ice-skating, sledging and going to winter festivals, to name a few examples.

And a bonus? You get to bundle up, which makes you work harder if you do end up doing a strenuous outside activity, like ice-skating. Hello, weight loss.

5. Catch Up On Your Sleep

Lastly, shorter, colder days are a perfect excuse to catch up on some zzzs.

In fact, you should go to bed earlier during the dark evening hours and wake up earlier.

How come, you ask? Well, waking up earlier means that you’ll get more morning sunlight, which has a positive effect on your sleep cycle.

More sleep also results in a slower metabolism and stops you from late-night snacking. Hurrah!

How to Lose Weight in Winter: The Takeaway

Sure, you have to commit to losing weight in winter a little more than if you were trying to lose weight during the rest of the year.

That said, it can be done if you just follow the above tips and persevere.

Even if you’re not struggling, consider treating yourself every now and again (without the guilt).

After all, your mental health is just as important as your physical health — and sometimes we all can’t resist the comfort foods of winter!

Look out for the next blog post in the “Improve Your Wellness” series, “Part 2: Top Tips for Better Sleep,” coming very soon!