WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

Brrrrrrrr....the seasons are changing, but does that mean our eating habits should?

The answer to that may be yes, to some degree.  There are extra things we should do during the upcoming colder months to keep our bodies warm, from the inside out.   First, we should be making sure our fluid intake is maintained.  Our bodies tend to lose fluid in the colder weather and while outside, so keeping the body hydrated with plenty of water and other fluids, will help keep the body hydrated during this colder time of year.   

Maintain and snack on healthy carbohydrates!  We all know healthy carbohydrates give our bodies fuel, and especially so when are outside, or participating in winter sports.  Even when we shovel snow, we need more carbohydrates, and not sugar.  Eating more whole grain breads including high fibre foods will keep you full longer, whole grain English muffin or crackers,  cereal....and you know what I  am going to say next, my fav, oatmeal...easy to make and great “on the go” food and good carbs! Grab some nuts or a precooked sweet potato before going outside or doing winter activities, and this will help fuel the body in the colder temperatures!

When the temperatures start to drop, we still need to keep warm on the inside.  Fresh veggies may not be in season now, or may be expensive, but that is no reason not to eat veggies at all, when there is an abundance of great frozen veggies available to add to your meals...put them in home cooked meals including soups, casseroles, and even chilli.  Cook veggies and toss with olive oil, basil, garlic, or your fav spice, and allow veggies to be the new winter “comfort food”.   Eating well in the colder months will help balance body temp in colder weather when you are outside!

As we all know, winter is a time for many outdoor sports activities, including skiing and cross country skiing, walking, hockey, skating,  school sports teams...so why not fuel up on bananas, a handful of nuts, or granola, whole grain breads or even  a small handful of pretzels, which will help the metabolism and keep your body warm while participating in winter sports.  Don’t forget to drink lots of liquids including water or broth based soups to stay hydrated, which is great for the body at any time!  You will stay much more satisfied with good carbs and plenty of liquids this cold time of the year. 

Next time you go out, don’t just put on a warm jacket, hat, gloves, extra socks and boots to keep you warm, but eat some healthy foods with good carbs to keep you warm inside, satisfied and full while outside or participating in winter activities!  While walking in our winter wonderland this season, we keep the outside of our bodies warm, so why not the inside too!  Happy Winter