Winter Eating

Fall days and apple picking are far behind, and winter snow is here to stay. Short daylight hours and long, dreary chilly nights seem to slow me down....and make me want to EAT.

The strawberries and super sweet healthy foods of summer are no longer in season and tend to lose their allure. Although nuts abound, it is easy to go overboard with these high-fat goodies during a serious case of the munchies.

Instead I have again been turning to the usual suspects - hot fudge sundaes, warm cookies, hot chocolate. High fat, low substance, high sugar, low protein....the list of no-no's goes on and on.

Why does it turn this way every year? Is my only option to move to somewhere warm year-round, to pack up and head south permanently? Or should I just resign myself to the constant yo-yo of a four seasons diet?

Not this year, I've said again. Not this year.

I'm recognizing patterns, discussing it with others, and sharing secrets and avoiding pitfalls. I think one of the biggest reasons appetites increase during this season is because activity levels decrease - and in myself and many others, this is always an inverse relationship.

So I am making a conscientious effort to move more, in the hopes of eating less. But on the coldest of days, during the long working hours of my busy season, this is just not possible. Because of this, I've come up with a game plan that involves more than just the usual, "I'm going to work out this winter" resolve.

Basically, it consists of two major but incredibly simple mindsets.

The first - I am trying to stick to a food routine this winter. I noticed that I'm not usually hungry in the morning, and especially not when I first wake up. When I wake up, I only want my coffee while I run around carrying out my crazy, harried, morning routine.

However, if I eat breakfast the moment I am done getting ready for my day, I will eat a carefully measured out portion and be satisfied, because I am eating prior to feeling it is necessary. I am then set until lunch, and can even push it back a little without overindulging.

A later lunch means a smaller afternoon snack, and hunger arriving right in line with dinner. Evening workouts and a small snack get me through on most days without going to bed feeling I haven't eaten enough - nor drained of energy.

The second - I am trying to stick to a particular menu this winter. For example, I have a selection of food available for any given day that includes both a little variety and a little routine.

The routine helps me with my portions. If I eat the same thing often enough, I don't panic if I have to pour it without a measuring cup. I can estimate the quantities much better.

The variety helps hold back cravings. A selection of warm, cooked food versus cold dishes, crunchy mouthfuls versus softer delights, salty versus sweets, helps satisfy my taste buds and varying mindsets.

The menu in total allows for holes - little areas of certain days where indulgence won't hurt a bit. For example, I have a menu day that allows for the sugar content associated with one cup of 1/2 fat ice cream at day's end, and another menu day that allows for the fat grams associated with a fast food grilled chicken sandwich or burger and a small fry.

Everything in moderation.

Will my plan work? Time will only tell...but I sure hope it does.

Eating Right...What goes in, must come out!

I, like most people, understand the importance of a healthy diet. I know that I must burn more than I eat in order to lose weight, burn what I eat in order to maintain, and that if I eat more than I burn, I will gain weight.

I know these things. You know these things.

But we know other things as well....Like how good an ice cream sundae tastes. Or how much we want chocolate during certain times of the month. And how often we stop at fast food places because we are just too darn tired to cook!

That is why I love the free website calorie counters, like the Free Calorie Counter at SparkPeople.com

They help you figure out the how good, how much, and how often and then they help you balance it out with exercise and activity. Because what goes in must come out!

And I, for one, would not like my bigger serving size and extra bread rolls to come out in the form of a bigger pants size and an extra stomach roll. I have been there, done that. Its not for me. I would like to work it out, sweat it out, and push, push, push until I am in balance with myself.

The nice thing about all this is that it is not a diet. Its a lifestyle change.

Wait! Don't roll those eyes!

Yes, I know you've heard it before. But its true.

Its true that if you stop dieting and start living, it quickly becomes habit. Its true that on days when you would like nothing more than to treat yourself to some ice cream, you find yourself staring at the nutritional menu.

Even more surprising, you find yourself thinking about how although you wanted a large mix of ice cream, cookie pieces, and chocolate, you are now suddenly thinking that it doesn't taste "980 calorie good." It is no longer worth it to you to waste that amount in just the snack.

It tastes about "300 calorie good," you decide, so you order a small chocolate cone instead. Maybe even a kiddie cone. And you don't feel deprived. Not at all.

In fact, you feel proud. You feel fulfilled. You responsibly treated yourself, which everyone needs every now and then, without even being tempted to go overboard. You allowed yourself to come in and order anything - anything! - and yet you came in and ordered something reasonable.

You should be proud! Congratulations! Its a brand new day.

Nothing feels better than living healthy.