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After the holidays, many people make dieting a New Years resolution. But winter may pose challenges if your goal is to dramatically lose weight.

Natalie Thompson, a certified nutrition specialist and certified wellness coach at the University of Rochester Medicines Center for Employee Wellness, explains why you might be fighting nature when dieting in winter.

She also shares tips for eating healthy while following our bodies natural cravings and how to spot if youre eating out of boredom rather than hunger:

While the term diet now suggests counting calories and skipping dessert, it also refers more simply to the kind of foods a group of people eat. But going on a diet suggests restricting certain foods, which can be counterproductive.

Restrictive diets are very yes or no, and they often fail because of the lack of choice, Thompson says. Thats so hard to do, especially with something as necessary as food.

Because restrictive diets lay out what you can and cannot eat in black-and-white terms, it can be difficult to stick with them for a long period.

Diets can also fail if theyre not aligned with the bodys natural inclinations. New Years resolution diets are a good example. Though the start of the year is an excellent time to reflect on lifestyle habits and make healthy changes, winter is not the best season to expect massive weight loss. Thats because our bodies hold onto calorie reserves and crave calorie-rich foods when the temperature drops.

In the colder weather, were more inclined toward sleeping and resting for longer periods, Thompson says. Our bodies crave more calorically dense foods, or rich foods. These comfort foods fill us up and give us heat from the inside out.

In the winter, there are ways to make healthy, nourishing, calorically balanced meals to suit those warm, comforting, cozy cravings, Thompson says. She suggests incorporating soups and stews into your diet using ingredients such as:

When the weather gets warmer, we naturally want to eat lighter foods. Its the perfect time to include more raw vegetables and fresh fruit in our meals. Recipes that coincide with cravings during the spring and summertime might also use:

No matter the season, try to include protein, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables in each meal. For the most part, our bodies are going to tell us what we need and what we dont need, Thompson says.

Instead of clearing your cabinets or cutting out entire categories of food from your diet, first look at your lifestyle and food behavior patterns.

Thompson encourages those who want to make a dietary change to start by finding their own definition of diet. Ask yourself, What are the foods I choose to eat? and What are the circumstances in which I eat those foods? Then, decide what you want to change.

For example, many people snack on unhealthy foods late at night. Because this habit is frequently due to boredom rather than hunger, Thompson suggests checking in with yourself about why youre eating. Then, find a fun or purposeful activity to do at the time you would normally reach for the chips or chocolate.

If youre feeling a need for rest after work, consider working a 30-minute nap into your schedule rather than watching TV for hours, which is an activity that lends itself to snacking.

Were not always intentional with food. When we turn to food for any reason, without knowing thats what were doing, thats when we get lost in the food, Thompson says. The key is to become attentive to our bodies and the person that we are, and listening to what it is that we need.

Source: Sydney Burrows for University of Rochester

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Why it's hard to lose weight in the winter - Futurity: Research News

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Home » Uncategorized » Why it’s hard to lose weight in the winter – Futurity: Research News