Life Coaches Central: Where Coaching Insiders Blog About Real Issues

Whenever winter rolls around, a lot of us tend to eat like chipmunks meaning we have habits of storing and collecting loads of food for winter use. The problem with this is an overload of calorie consumption. In the winter, especially in New York the days seem shorter because at 7 p.m. it starts to get dark. I know that when my days end, the last thing I want to do is go workout at a gym. It's cold and dark and I don't want to be running into hot buildings and back into 30 degree weather. In fact all I really want to do is eat and sleep. So if you're like me and your workout regime is non-existent during the winter months consider some ways to cut calories - like tossing the crust of your slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and hollowing out the inside of your morning bagel.
I know it seems hard because nothing is better in the winter than drinking hot cocoa and watching TV on the couch after a long, frigid day of work and school. But if we did this every day we would be unhealthy and obese. If you want to eat something hot that still has a touch of winter spice try eating oatmeal with a touch of cinnamon and honey. It's one of my favorite snacks and it's also an appetite suppressant so it will keep your winter cravings at bay.

Think green when it comes to drinks. I know a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks probably sounds good but if you're not working out in the winter and drinking those 500+ calorie drinks once a day or even a few times a week, you're going to pack on the pounds very quickly. My advice is to drink more green tea. I love drinking it in the winter with a spoonful of honey. Researchers even suggest that drinking several cups a day can help you lose weight. It's a great and effortless way to lose that extra winter body fat.

Portion control is a big basic for winter time eating. A lot of times I find myself overeating in the winter because my body is craving more carbs and fuel. On winter mornings I'm usually always grabbing something unhealthy - like a muffin or donut- and heading out to work. It's not a good choice because they are both loaded in fat, carbs and calories and they have little or no nutritional value. If you find yourself doing this too try this as an alternative; in the morning pack yourself some whole-grain cereal in a baggie for your daytime rush meal. Not only is it loaded in fiber but it'll keep you full until lunch. And if you really want that pumpkin muffin then on Friday treat yourself to half and share the other half with a coworker, this way you won't feel tempted to snack on it throughout the day. Oh, and avoid grandma's holiday food pushing. Yeah, she probably doesn't want a fridge full of turkey leftovers but just listen to your body; if you're too full then stop eating and don't let her guilt trip you.

So hopefully you'll be healthier this winter. I'm hoping I will be.