‘How do you lose weight during winter?’ is a question we get asked quite often.
Winter is one of the hardest times of the year to continue losing weight.
So as well as following the 28 Day Challenge this Winter here are some TOP TIPS to keep you on track this Winter:
1. Up Your Intake Of Warm Fluids
During summer it’s easy to get your recommended intake of fluid (a suggested 8 glasses of water a day) as the heat naturally drives thirst. In the cooler months, the desire to rehydrate lessens, yet it’s still important to drink enough water, even in winter. Getting enough water into your system is important for weight loss as water is filling (sometimes people mistake thirst for hunger), enhanced metabolism and helps with digestion and elimination, keeping your bowels and overall digestive system healthy.
So if you’re hungry or craving a specific food check how much you’ve drunk recently and try a black tea, herbal tea or hot water with lemon before reaching for food.
2. Find a Heated Swimming Pool
You might visit the local swimming pool with your kids in summer, but how often do you go in winter? Many local councils have heated swimming pools open during winter, and whether you sign up and join a local swim squad, or do a few laps by yourself, swimming is an excellent fat-burning exercise to do during the winter months.
4. Try Warming Up Your Salads
Salads are a summer staple, but in cold weather many people are less likely to include salads in their diet. With a little creativity, you can enjoy the nutritional benefits of eating salads in winter time too. Just include warm ingredients like roast sweet potato, baked pumpkin, and baked feta into salad recipes to make them suitable for winter.
5. Find a Fitness Buddy
When you’re exercising alone it’s all too easy to come up with excuses during winter time. ‘It’s too cold’, ‘it’s too wet’, ‘it’s too dark’ are all easy ways to get out of walking in the park or attending a group fitness session class. If you buddy up with a likeminded friend who is united in your cause for weight loss, you’ll be less likely to give up when the going gets tough. Arrange to meet regularly at the same time for a walking or running session, and try not to let each other down! For some reason, we’re less inclined to let others down, so find a fitness buddy and be there for each other through the rain, fog and cold!
6. Invest in a Slow Cooker
Slow cookers are a busy mum’s friend! Just place your healthy ingredients in, set your timer and hours later a delicious, comforting meal will be ready. Slow cookers can create tantalising, delectable meals without adding cream, butter or other calorie-laden ingredients. Ingredients like spices, herbs, stock, legumes and meat can be combined to create yummy, comforting curries, stews and casseroles that are low in calories but big on flavour.
7. Increase Your Intake of Metabolism Boosting Foods
Keep your metabolism firing during the cold weather by consuming metabolism-boosting foods often. Known metabolism boosters include: hot green tea, chilli and cinnamon. Simply add chopped chilli to stews and casseroles, sprinkle cinnamon in your smoothies and replace your black tea with green tea to receive metabolic benefits. is a good idea for a cold, winter night.
Try this Chilli recipe in our free 28 Day Challenge recipe sampler
8. Turn to Healthy Soups
When the need for comfort food hits, turn to a healthy soup. Winter is the perfect time to make soups from scratch at home. Pack your soups with nutritious, filling ingredients like kidney beans, vegetables, lentils and chickpeas and you’ve got yourself a low calorie, filling lunch or dinner to turn to when it’s freezing cold and you want some comfort food.
9. Stock Your Freezer
Colder weather and stormy, wet days increase the likelihood of buying takeaway pizza, hot chips and other high-calorie takeaway foods. Combat this by planning ahead and stocking your freezer with hearty meals that you can easily defrost, and microwave or bake. Soups, stews, casseroles and lasagne are all good freezer-friendly meals to have on hand during winter. This recipe for Low Fat Lasagne is a good winter freezer option.
10. Start the day with a Hot, Low GI Breakfast
You’d know by now that eating something in the morning is paramount to ensuring your weight loss goals are realised. Eating a protein-filled, low GI breakfast sets you up for the day, and will keep you full, and less likely to indulge in mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks. Porridge is a great winter breakfast option, and this recipe for Porridge is filled with fibre, protein and slow-release energy that will keep you feeling full for longer.
Every month on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, we run a BRAND NEW 28 Day Menu with a different theme so you NEVER get bored!Next months theme is the ENERGY & METABOLISM BOOSTING! – so if you are feeling a tad tired – this one is right up your avenue!!
If you are curious about the 28 Day Challenge recipes then we have a 28 Day Challenge recipe pack for you to try here
Find a delicious range of healthy recipes, packed full of energy boosting ingredients and nutrients together with easy to achieve exercise.
About the 28 Day Challenge
