Healthy eating throughout the winter months can be challenging. After an indulgent holiday season filled with rich foods, returning to healthy eating may be difficult. And with colder, shorter days, the urge to roll up on your couch, order in your favorite comfort foods, and binge-watch a new TV show may outweigh hitting the gym. It is no surprise that these habits can result in unwanted weight gain, which we then resolve to lose come swimsuit season.
The following tips can make healthy eating a bit easier this time of year.
Cook More, Eat Out Less
It’s well known that we consume more calories, fat, sugar, and sodium when dining out. After the holiday season ends, there is usually a decline in social occasions and you are spending more time at home. Take advantage of these months to reacquaint yourself with the kitchen. Preparing quick, healthy meals in advance allows you to have multiple meals on hand and helps you resist the temptation of ordering out. In addition, preparing your own meals will allow you to make healthy swaps. Try the following swaps:
- Use whole wheat instead of white pasta.
- Opt for quinoa or brown rice, not white rice.
- Use olive oil, not butter.
- Add herbs and spices instead of salt.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- Bake or grill rather than fry foods.
Use the best of winter produce—think winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts—for hearty and healthy vegetable-based meals. If fresh produce is expensive or not readily available, frozen vegetables are a great alternative.
Drink Smart
Few things sound better than cozying up with a hot, steamy beverage on a freezing night. Before reaching 
for a flavored latte, know that these sugar- and fat-loaded beverages can contain as many as 500 calories. Fortunately, less decadent homemade versions are easy , and better for your wallet as well as your waistline. Whether you make them at home or order out, choose low-fat or skim milk, or unsweetened plant-based milks like soy, almond, or coconut. Also, halve the amount of flavored syrup used, or opt for sugar-free syrup, and forgo the whipped cream.
Eat Mindfully
Gloomy winter weather can make us feel melancholy and sluggish. This tempts us to curl up under the covers and seek comfort from sweet treats. Keep in mind that emotional eating often leads to mindless eating. Ask yourself: “Am I truly hungry?” To limit mindless eating, try not to eat in front of the TV or computer. Instead, slow down and savor your food. Mindful eating can help you become more attuned to your hunger and satiety cues, helping to avoid overeating.
Stay active
It’s easy to find yourself in an exercise rut during this time of year. Try recruiting a friend, coworker, or family member to schedule your workouts in advance. This helps to keep you accountable. Downloading a new playlist, switching up your routine, or investing in new workout gear can also increase motivation. Also, keep in mind that small bouts of movement throughout the day—such as vacuuming, shoveling snow, getting up from your desk and moving around, or taking the stairs—add up. The one hour spent in the gym is not the only important source of activity; it’s just as important to be active throughout the day.
Guest post by Erika Jacobson RD, CDN, Clinical Dietitian in the Nutrition Department at The Mount Sinai Hospital.