One of the lifestyle paradoxes of the year: dieting in the coldest weather

It is cold, there is little light, and the body would instinctively save and store more, as it has done for centuries in line with the cycle of the seasons. It is no coincidence that after a few weeks many people feel that the diet is more of a struggle than they thought. However, it is important to realize that this is not a failure, but a natural reaction.

Why do you expect the most from your body now?

Winter is not a time of deprivation, but of transition. The body uses more energy to maintain heat balance, and at this time we cannot expect from ourselves what we do in spring or summer. It is worth refining your goals and the interpretation of the diet. The following tips are not a guarantee: they do not promise quick weight loss, but help you get through the cold months wisely and at the same time prepare your body so that it will be easier to make permanent changes in the spring.

1. Don’t go on a diet, eat more consciously

In winter, it is especially difficult to drastically reduce portions or eliminate entire types of food. Instead of depriving yourself of everything, focus on the quality and rhythm of your meals. Eating at the same time every day, or at regular intervals, helps stabilize your energy levels and reduces the chance of binge eating. Of course, this can also easily become a source of stress: what if I can’t eat breakfast or if dinner is delayed a little? The answer is nothing. Start small and try to eat breakfast regularly first. And if you sometimes fail, the world won’t fall apart, the main thing is that what you eat is nutritious and tastes good.

2. It’s cold enough, don’t punish your body

In winter, it’s completely natural to crave more filling, warmer foods. This doesn’t mean that your diet is doomed to failure. A nutritious soup, vegetable stew or a hot breakfast will support your endurance much better than a plain and cold salad, which you don’t really want. Fresh greens can be eaten with almost any meal: as an accompaniment to casseroles, pasta, and vegetables. If the meal is not comfortable, sooner or later we will give up anyway – that is why it is worth adjusting our diet to the season.

3. Vitamin deficiency and cravings: often related

Due to the lack of light and fewer fresh ingredients, vitamin deficiency can easily develop, which can even increase the desire for sweets and the constant feeling of hunger. Vitamin D supplementation is particularly important, which we can contribute to not only with dietary supplements, but also with foods enriched with vitamin D. We do not have to think about complicated things, such as margarine enriched with vitamin D, such as Rama or Flora, which can be easily incorporated into our daily meals, and they are also easily available products, of which we can even consume reduced-fat, light versions. If you want fruit, you can also use frozen products, even cooked into porridge, so they will be better in the cold, and mixed berry mixes are also rich in antioxidants and vitamin C.

4. Don’t let the scale decide everything

The body retains more water in winter, and hormonal processes also work differently. This means that body weight follows the changes in the body more slowly. Therefore, it is especially important not to judge the success of a lifestyle change only based on the kilos. Snacking less, choosing ingredients more consciously, or paying more attention to our signals is a result in itself – even if the scale doesn’t show it immediately. Positive feedback can also be if you wake up in a better mood, fall asleep more easily, or have less acne on your skin.

+1. Dieting is not the end goal

A diet at the beginning of the year doesn’t necessarily have to be about spectacular transformation. It’s more about developing a more sustainable approach that will be easier to build on in the spring. If you don’t get discouraged now, but accept how your body works, you’ll have a much better chance of maintaining your momentum. This is not a race, and it doesn’t depend on a single month. We move more slowly in the winter – but if you’re patient with yourself during this time, it will be surprisingly easy to move forward in the spring.