Winter Health Habits I’m Adopting this Season

With the days growing shorter and colder, and the winter wind picking up here in the foothills of the Rockies, I’m slowly changing up my routine like I do every year.

In winter, my body tends to prefer more rest, more nourishment from warming foods, and different types of exercise than I do in the spring and summer. 

Not to mention that there are certain nutrients that I like to start focusing on during cold, flu and Covid season to keep my immune systems primed and ready when the viruses come a knockin’!

But if you’d told me back in college that honoring body’s preferences might actually improve my health, I might have laughed…

I remember drinking smoothies determinedly on my way to class in 15 degree F weather (can you say frigid?), ate cold salads most days even while it snowed outside, and stuck to my daily hour on the elliptical at the gym even when I felt more tired. Because that’s what “health” looked like, right? 

And listen – there’s a place for structure and discipline in pursuing your health goals. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a smoothie or a salad in the winter. I’ll still do it if it sounds good! 

But it’s also okay to acknowledge and yield to what our bodies are REALLY craving as the environment and the weather changes with the passing seasons.

Healthy habits don’t need to look the same year-round.

So while your body might crave something different than mine, these are 5 simple health habits that I adopt every winter to support my immune system, honor my body’s wisdom and connect with the colder season.

Habit #1 - Eating more Spices and Dark Leafy Greens

Spices are synonymous with winter cooking and baking, but did you know that their benefits might go far beyond flavor?

Spices are pungent for a reason – they’re packed full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

In fact, spices are by far the most concentrated source of antioxidants in our diet with levels 4 times as much as even many common antioxidant-rich plant foods [1].

These foods help to reduce inflammation and damage in the body, which can support the immune system and keep us healthy while the elements are harsh and sick season is in full swing.

The most antioxidant-rich herbs and spices are (in order) ground cloves, peppermint, allspice and cinnamon [2] – seeing a pattern here with your holiday cooking? 

In the same vein, dark leafy greens are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouses that are also readily available in winter. 

Typically, the darker the fruit or veggie, the more antioxidants it contains – so hearty greens like kale, chard and spinach tend to be packed with these nutrients and are typically available fresh and still in season for much of the colder months.

I love adding warm spices to savory foods like curries, tagines and soups and pasta dishes this time of year, not to mention adding these spices to my holiday baking!

And dark leafy greens hold up well in soups, stews and baked dishes, or can be used as a base for salads when I’m craving something fresh.

Habit #2 - Sleeping More

This doesn’t just have to do with the fact that the mornings are darker and colder and I don’t want to get out of bed and put my toes on the cold floor.

Okay, maybe it has a little to do with it. 

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, about a third of adults report sleeping more in winter [3].

We don’t necessarily need more sleep in winter, but adults in westernized nations might need more sleep in general. Typically, it’s recommended to aim for at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night (and that doesn’t count time spent in bed watching TV or rolling around).

So if you (like me) find yourself more tired in winter because of the cold or darkness, it might be a great time to catch up on some Z’s and give yourself a bit more rest.

Just be vigilant about the signs of depression and seasonal affective disorder [4] – excessive sleepiness can be a sign of both, and you’d want to chat with your doctor if you suspect that this could be a cause of your tiredness!

Habit #3 - Focusing on Strength Training

When outdoor activity means braving a blizzard or 10 degree F weather, I find myself gravitating more toward strength training in the gym compared to my cardio-heavy spring, summer and fall workouts.

And believe it or not, there might actually be a metabolism-boosting advantage to switching up our exercise routine…

“Keeping the body guessing” by doing different exercises on a daily or weekly basis can boost metabolism and help us burn more energy, more consistently, over the years. (Which ultimately can help us to maintain a lean body weight more easily.)

Why does this help? Because keep in mind - your body’s primary goal is to conserve energy.

It wants to burn as few calories as possible – during digestion, during our daily activities, and during exercise.

And it’s especially good at burning fewer calories if it knows what to expect.

For example, if we constantly do the same kind of exercise – an hour on the elliptical, for example – the body will become very efficient at burning as few calories as possible during that particular exercise. (Super counterproductive from a weight loss standpoint, I know).

By switching up the type of exercise, it gets the body out of it’s “rut” and burning more calories because it’s less efficient at the new exercise!

So — if you’re used to doing the same ol’ thing day in and day out and are finding that winter makes you want to change things up, I say go with it! Your body will be “surprised”, you’ll develop more well-rounded fitness and it’ll help to keep your metabolism running hotter than it would if you were doing the same type of activity over and over again.

Habit #4 - Drinking More Water

If you live in a dry climate (or a climate that gets drier as the weather gets colder), winter makes it super tough to stay hydrated. 

Not to mention that for me, being 6 months pregnant makes me need more water to begin with, so the colder season makes it a double whammy and a dehydration disaster waiting to happen.

Generally, I recommend aiming to drink half of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day. In winter, I tend to increase this by 15-20% at least. 

The easiest way to keep track of your water intake to be sure you’re getting enough is to use a water bottle that holds a specific number of ounces, then drink it until dry every time before refilling. That way, you can look back and see how many bottles you managed each day!

Habit #5 - Being Mindful of My Sweets Intake

I’m going to be totally honest here – it’s tough to keep sweets in check, especially during the holiday season.

I personally have a sweet tooth (probably the understatement of the century if you ask my hubs), and even though I’m personally a “small dessert every day” type of gal, I also know that eating TOO much sugar does not make me feel good. At all. 

So considering that sugar cookies are my favorite treat of all time, I do have to be more mindful to not over-consume sugar when it’s plentiful during the holiday season if I want to keep feeling my best. 

Not only do too many sweets wreak havoc on our blood sugar and make it difficult to maintain a healthy weight, but refined sugar in excess can lower immunity [5], which is the last thing we want this time of year.

The way I’ve solved this puzzle for myself is by keeping my intake of sweets relatively constant, even if I’m changing up the type of sweet, or the time of day that I’m eating it. 

For example, I already ate a small dessert pretty much daily, so now I just enjoy a sugar cookie instead of a piece of chocolate after dinner. Or, I’ll enjoy my small dessert at that holiday party instead of in bed (anyone else like to eat cookies in bed? Just me? Okay.)

And MOST importantly – I refuse to engage in the scarcity “it’s-now-or-never” mentality when it comes to holiday sweets. 

Sometimes, we over-consume food because we worry we’ll never get it again, or not get it again until next year.

But when you open yourself up to the possibility that you can actually have anything you want, anytime of year, when you’re really wanting it – suddenly, its power wanes and you might find yourself satisfied with a little less in the moment.

Like I mentioned, my favorite dessert is sugar cookies – so I freeze them! You’ll find Christmas sugar cookies in my freezer well until February if I have too many on hand to mindfully eat during the holiday season. The way I see it, I just get to enjoy my favorites for a longer period of time. :)

Practices I Keep in Mind Year-Round

Keeping the same routines month after month and year after year might work for some, but for me, it would get a little boring.

I truly believe there’s a wisdom in our bodies craving different routines as the weather and the seasons change, and it’s encouraging to know that by acknowledging our cravings for warmer foods or different exercise, we actually might be BOOSTING our health instead of detracting from it.

That being said, regardless of the time of year, I still keep some things the same. 

I still focus on eating consistently, eating the portions that make my body feel it’s best, and relying on whole, plant foods to keep my body at it’s best weight (or in my current case, gaining weight appropriately during my pregnancy!)

If you’re looking to establish these consistent yet flexible habits in the New Year, I’d love to invite you to check out my new self-paced course, The Plant Forward Plan! This course teaches you to lose weight sustainably and gain confidence in a plant-forward lifestyle in just 8 weeks.

(Doors open soon, so get on the list if you want the option to receive $100 off the course!)

What habits do you switch up during the winter? Which of these habits above would you be interested in trying out?

Let me know in the comments below, and happy holidays!

References:

[1] Carlsen, et al. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010.

[2] Paur. Antioxidants in Herbs and Spices: Roles in Oxidative Stress and Redox Signaling. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, 2011

[3] 34% of Adults Reported Sleeping More in Winter. AASM.org, 2020.

[4] Seasonal Affective Disorder. Mayo Clinic, 2022.

[5] Reinagal. Does Sugar Really Suppress the Immune System? Fitness, Scientific American. 2018.