Even though it may not feel quite like spring, the calendar says we are deep into spring ,which means that bathing suit season is just around the corner. This can be a stressful time for many of us as we start to peel off those winter sweaters and turtlenecks only to realize we are a bit squishier and a tad larger than we were last fall before winter came. First off give yourself a break. It is entirely human to pack on pounds for the winter to keep us warm and prevent starvation from a lack of food. However, modern society and food systems ensure that it is no longer difficult to access food in the winter, but the evolution of our digestive systems still likes to hold onto those calories when it gets cold because that is what nature tells us.
This is a constant challenge for humans and their weight, and it doesn’t matter what special diet program you try or what food you decide to eliminate in a desperate attempt to have that beach ready body by Memorial Day weekend. The simple fact is that our bodies are still designed to handle periods of starvation, which simply never come anymore. Another example of advances by modern man which rather than making life much easier has layered on even more challenges and a whole host difficulties related to our weight and health.
However the solutions can be easy. Get active, whatever you do, get that body moving. Our bodies are designed to move and when we don’t, problems arise. Eat real food. Stop trying magic potions or powders, they may work in the short term, but it is not a realistic solution. Focus on consuming copious amounts of fruits and vegetables balanced with a bit of meat and grains and of course those healthy fats, which are key to our health and yes even our weight management. I won’t lie to you, most of us eat too much, simple. And when I say we eat too much, I am not talking about fruits and veggies, it is usually the junk, or even the food disguised as healthy, such as cereals, granola and health bars and the like, that doom us.
So stop beating yourself up for gaining weight this winter, instead start living by this easy to follow rule “If your grandparent would not recognize it as a food product or if you can’t pronounce more than 1 ingredient, put that food back, or better yet get rid of it.” Respect your body by feeding it what Mother Nature intended.
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