Just that Time of Year

It’s that time of year. From a nip in the air to a massive snow and ice storm, there is a difference now. It’s colder and the tendency is to put on a few pounds. We’ve generally accepted that it is nature’s way of helping us provide a little extra winter fat — just in case. But how long since you last had a food shortage or had to wait out the winter for your next meal? This year can be different.

Today consider making one small change

When you make a small change, it is easier to handle, you are more likely to incorporate it into your daily life, and you are more likely to succeed, than if you try to make a global change to your whole way of being.

Start by adding more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diet. Just for today, throw out your rules — if you follow any diet that forbids fruit or your favorite vegetables — because fresh foods are too important to miss. Fresh foods are sweet, satisfying and full of vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids, and other things that your body requires for optimum health.

Choose a few you particularly enjoy. This time of year apples are good, bananas year around, citrus fruits are plentiful … Get some and start carrying a food sack everywhere you go. You can little packages of baby carrots, etc. A fellow I know always has a bagful of chopped cauliflower, carrots, and others that he munches on.

You Must be Crazy! I can’t Eat Fruits and Vegetables!

What? Have you lost your mind? Hear me out. The idea is when hunger strikes (or what you think is hunger), no matter where you are, you’ll now have a healthy snack handy. It’s not that you couldn’t wait out your hunger, but the tendency is to think about all the yummy foods you are trying so hard not to eat and this type of “I can’t have any” thinking sets you up for a massive binge once you do get ready to eat.

Instead, when you decide you are hungry, turn to your fruit/vegi sack for a quick, healthy snack.  Give it a go and let me know what happens.