Anyone here read George R R Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series? In that world, each season lasts for several years, though not a predictable number. So when, in the first book (A Game of Thrones), a character says, "Winter is coming," I got this fantastic frisson.
Fitness-wise, the coming of winter is welcome around here -- it's cooler, basically, and more comfortable to exercise outside.
But food-wise? A bit scarier for me...
As temperatures drop, I start to craves starches.
Sometimes this means I want nothing more than a giant bowl of oatmeal because it seems like it'll best stoke my internal furnace.
Most of the time, though, I just find myself leaning on starchy foods as go-to snacks and meals: sandwiches, cereal, toast, bagels, muffins -- all of which can be nutritious in moderation, but are usually out of balance for me in winter.
So. Winter is coming (eventually), and I've started to prepare.
Yesterday, when I went to make lunch, I grabbed the bread to make a peanut butter sandwich. When I found we were out of peanut butter, I thought, Okay, I'll make toast, and grabbed the jam. Then I heard it.
Winter is coming.
I put the bread and jam back, and got out the frozen peas and corn, and a tomato.
Upshot: I managed to talk myself away from an all-starch lunch to a sort-of-starchy veggie one. It was delicious. It satisfied my hunger. It lasted me through a movie (at a theatre that serves food, and where my server never delivered my dessert + coffee order [boo]).
I'm going to do the same today, maybe throw in some tuna or salmon salad for protein, and some Brussels sprouts (because peas and corn are starchy veg).
The hope is: I can retrain my body to want vegetables over starches and know it'll be satisfied. I'll still have oatmeal when it's chilly. But if I can balance my nutrients better in winter, maybe I won't gain that winter weight that takes all summer to shed.
BTW, progress on measurable goals: 136 lbs this morning. That's down from about 150 in January. I may have squealed a teeny bit.
Do you find your eating habits change throughout the year? If so, what causes it? Food availability, change in job/school schedule, fluctuating appetite? Do you do with it, or fight it?
[image via Eating Well]
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Fitness-wise, the coming of winter is welcome around here -- it's cooler, basically, and more comfortable to exercise outside.
But food-wise? A bit scarier for me...
As temperatures drop, I start to craves starches.
Sometimes this means I want nothing more than a giant bowl of oatmeal because it seems like it'll best stoke my internal furnace.
Most of the time, though, I just find myself leaning on starchy foods as go-to snacks and meals: sandwiches, cereal, toast, bagels, muffins -- all of which can be nutritious in moderation, but are usually out of balance for me in winter.
So. Winter is coming (eventually), and I've started to prepare.
Yesterday, when I went to make lunch, I grabbed the bread to make a peanut butter sandwich. When I found we were out of peanut butter, I thought, Okay, I'll make toast, and grabbed the jam. Then I heard it.
Winter is coming.
I put the bread and jam back, and got out the frozen peas and corn, and a tomato.
Upshot: I managed to talk myself away from an all-starch lunch to a sort-of-starchy veggie one. It was delicious. It satisfied my hunger. It lasted me through a movie (at a theatre that serves food, and where my server never delivered my dessert + coffee order [boo]).
I'm going to do the same today, maybe throw in some tuna or salmon salad for protein, and some Brussels sprouts (because peas and corn are starchy veg).
The hope is: I can retrain my body to want vegetables over starches and know it'll be satisfied. I'll still have oatmeal when it's chilly. But if I can balance my nutrients better in winter, maybe I won't gain that winter weight that takes all summer to shed.
BTW, progress on measurable goals: 136 lbs this morning. That's down from about 150 in January. I may have squealed a teeny bit.
Do you find your eating habits change throughout the year? If so, what causes it? Food availability, change in job/school schedule, fluctuating appetite? Do you do with it, or fight it?
[image via Eating Well]
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
5 ate pie:
Part of the lure of fall for me is the food! I do love to cook and bake.
I definitely crave seasonal meals. It's so gosh awful hot and humid here in the summer I mostly want fruit and veggies and lots to drink. I eat a lot of fish or peanut butter because they're lighter and I don't have to turn the oven on. Once winter comes I want soups and stews and homemade bread, etc. I try to go with my cravings within reason. I do have to be careful not to overdo the starches in late fall and winter, though. Congrats on the weight loss! I hope you're proud of yourself.
T. Anne - Baking gets a lot more attractive in fall and winter. Looking forward to making some vegetable tarts and quiches!
Teri K - Mmmm, soups and stews! We have a gorgeous cookbook of them - I spend whole evenings looking through it. And thanks! I'm happy with the loss; interested to see what my healthy weight is.
Oh, I am jealous of your self control! I don't think I've ever looked at a sandwich and then turned to veggies...ever...
Beth - I had that veggie lunch today w/ some salmon salad (w/ olive oil, black pepper, and spicy sweet pickles).
Then I had a ginormous burger w/ blue cheese + a pile of tots for dinner. And a beer.
Not proud, but it was pretty good. :)
Post a Comment