"Coach, if I could just stop eating, things would be great!"
Feb 19, 2019
"Coach, if I could just stop eating, things would be great!"
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Yep... I hear this statement (and the many variations of it) a lot; and the frequency practically triples in winter months.
While we know we can't just "stop eating", this tends to be our go-to statement when our weight begins to creep up... definitely an issue in the winter.
What we're really saying here is that we want to stop overeating, stop mindlessly snacking, and stop feeding our emotions... winter blues anyone?
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So why do we eat so much in the winter?
Where do these comfort cravings come from?
How can we stop the food insanity?
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Let's dive in...
It's TRUE that most people gain weight during the winter and there are several factors that come into play. However, in case you're wondering, it has less to do with our ancestors and "caveman" days then it does with lack of sunshine, nutrients, and habits.
Now, there was a time, long ago, when we needed to store more body fat to keep ourselves warm... you know, before electricity. But, the last time I checked, and especially if you're reading this on a smartphone or computer, electricity has given us ample heat which means it isn't an obstacle anymore, so it's time to let that excuse go.
Yes, it's time to understand winter eating triggers so we know what to do when Carbosaurus Rex rears its ugly head.
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Here are the TOP 4 reasons (and solutions) we're triggered to eat more this time of year:
- Less Sunshine
- Less time in the sun means less seratonin stimulation and seratonin is a mood stabilizer... winter blues anyone?
- You know what also stimulates seratonin? CARBS! Yup, and our brains know this so Carbosaurus Rex comes out wanting to munch everything in sight especially crackers, pretzels, chips, bread, etc.
- Solution: Exercise & Veggies ~ Small bursts of exercise throughout your day also boost seratonin levels giving you that rush of happy endorphins. Veggies help to fill you up so you have less space for starchy carbs. Go raw to help satisfy the need for crunch.
- More Time Indoors
- Since it gets darker earlier, we spend more time in doors, and most of this time is in the evening
- This increases our pre-dinner snacking window exponentially leading to a lot of extra munching and calories
- Solution: Create a new evening activity AWAY from the kitchen. Go into another room, pickup a new puzzle, jump on spring cleaning... figure out a way to keep your mind occupied during that 4-6pm mindless snacking window.
- Nutrient Depletion
- We need Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, Iron, and B12 during winter months and we don't find them in carbs
- Think salmon, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, dairy, read meat, and citrus
- Solution: Try new recipes using some of the ingredients above to give your body what it needs which will reduce comfort cravings.
- Less Exercise/Dehydration
- We move less in the winter and therefore tend to drink less water leading to dehydration... and, on a cold winter day, a big tall glass of ice water doesn't sound too appealing
- When we are dehydrated it is easy to mistake thirst for hunger
- Solution: Little bursts of exercise everyday which again, boosts seratonin and triggers our thirst mechanism to get more water!
- Checkout the LEVEL UP Week exercise challenge we have going on in our FIERCE Connection Facebook group to get your DAILY boost.
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I also hopped on LIVE on my Coach D. page Sunday morning to share more about this. Checkout the video below!
We can absolutely FLIP our winter habits to help us stave off winter weight gain. All it takes is a little awareness of where the triggers are and a willingness to try something new!
You got this and I've got your back!
Reach out to me if you want to chat more about this or need guidance on how to handle your own Carbosaurus Rex.
* You're welcome to join our online membership for FREE this week to get more info on the nutrients we need + some recipes! Reply to this email to get in.
* Remember to hop in the FIERCE Connection and complete our LEVEL UP Challenge to boost energy and seratonin equaling less carb attacks!
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Believing in YOU & the power we create TOGETHER!
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