Winter Weight-loss

The abundance of articles and social media posts on weight loss can be overwhelming. Fortunately, I recently came across a few, short pieces with straightforward advice on how to shed pounds. A bonus is that they don't call for eating obscure food items that aren't easily found in the grocery store. Having recently lost enough weight to go down a size in pants for the first time in over a year, I feel confident saying that this dieting literature was helpful.

Among my favorite pieces is a news slideshow by TheDailyMeal.com. Its title, "Foods That Make you Feel Fuller Longer", grabbed my attention, since I am always hungry (If you don't believe me, ask my husband, close friends or coworkers.) I felt encouraged by the tastiness of all of the snack items featured in it, which included raspberries, pumpkin seeds, steel-cut oats, turkey jerky and peanut butter. Check out this slideshow to find out why eating each of these treats helps you feel fuller longer than a lot of other victuals.

I also enjoyed this New York Times report on a study, which has inspired me to eat more earlier in the day and less, if anything, after dinner.

Additionally instrumental in helping me lose weight this winter was this list of dieting tips from Eat This, Not That!

I must admit; however, that my weight-loss success cannot be fully attributed to following the aforementioned dieting advice. My recent increase in the intensity and frequency of my physical activity deserves at least some credit. To be more specific, last month, I finally was able to run five (sometimes even 6.2) consecutive miles, which I have been doing about four times a week. On most other days of the week, I have been performing some other kind of cardiovascular activity and strength-training.

As evidenced by the photo above, another form of exercise I have engaged in this winter is cross-country skiing, at High Point Cross Country Ski Center in Sussex, NJ. I also have downhill skied six days, so far. I hope to do at least one day of some type of skiing this weekend, because working out outdoors always makes me feel good, no matter how cold it is. Believe it or not, I skied in weather below zero degrees Fahrenheit on Presidents' Day Weekend and loved almost every minute of it. Yaktrax Hand Warmers helped keep my body temperature above freezing as did skiing run after run with my husband, until the place shut down.

Hope you get outside to enjoy exercising in the winter wonderland! If you aren't feeling adventurous enough to ski, just go for a walk or a run, as long as you can find somewhere that isn't icy.