In the middle of summer... winter weight is already looming large in my mind

I'm worried about this too! I have recently started my exercise journey, and I live in Minnesota. So I won't be able to exercise outside for a good chunk of the winter (even skiing or winter sports are out of the question when it gets too cold), I don't have any indoor equipment at home, and I don't have a gym membership. Argh! What am I going to do for exercise?

VictoriaK1993 wrote: »

I have a thought/concern...

I've been working over the last 5 months to change my relationship with food and with exercise. This is going great, I have lost about 14 pounds, toned up even more, and am having great fun hiking and biking all over the place. I have no doubt that I will continue on my path of losing weight and eating healthier.

My fear: winter. I will be going back to school, it will be cold. What can I do now to make sure that I can "weather the storm" so to speak, and not gain the dreaded winter weight that makes me so lethargic and unhappy?

What are your wintertime tips and tricks?

OP I log and continue to exercise in some form.

If you are in school are you walking ot classes? live in a dorm....

You can easily run stairs in the dorm...

If you eat at a cafeteria...choose wisely...only eat until satisfied not full....keep healthy snacks on hand etc.

There are a ton of exercise dvd's that you can do at home with minimal equipment - or splurge on a set of dumbells to start with...
When you go back to school - does your school have a gym? Use that. Run stairs, do bodyweight stuff...Are you close to an ice rink and can you skate? Take lessons if you cannot.
prep meals and don't use winter as an excuse....

Honestly, I prefer the fall, winter, and early spring months myself. The heat down here is oppressive and I burn quickly so I find I'll avoid outdoor activities more often in late spring and throughout the hellish summer. I lost a majority of my weight--thus far--during the past fall/winter season. I'm currently semi-maintaining with minimal losses; it's hot, and I am okay with waiting for the cooler weather to get back out there. (My ticker doesn't indicate the total loss though, I reset it in anticipation for the upcoming months )

I guess my advice would be: Basically, if winter is not your best season, then maybe look towards simply maintaining or reducing your weekly goal to something more manageable?

There is no one true way for total success. Do whatever works for you. If maintenance during your school/winter season, increasing your indoor activities, adding in some DVDs, or more time at the gym works best...Go For It.

Figure out your strengths and play to them.

Also, maybe internally explore why you are concerned about gaining weight during the winter? You have already proven that you are capable of losing weight and you know--hopefully--that it is a matter of CICO. Why the fear? Address that, and maybe winter won't be so anxiety-provoking for ya.

Well being from Florida, I can't give much winter advice, but besides the gym, why not get into an active winter sport?

I too struggle with this. It's hard when you love being active outdoors but hate indoor "exercise". Last winter I was able to keep it off but I did have to do things I didn't like, such as break out the dreadmill, dumbbells and do DVD workouts. I'm hoping I can do it again this year.

Near the end of winter last year we bought some snow shoes which I absolutely LOVE, so I'm hoping we get a lot of snow this year.

VictoriaK1993 wrote: »

I hate fitness videos with a burning passion unfortunately.

I have to be doing something that doesn't feel like work (e.g. walking, biking, swimming, playing soccer) for exercise.

For food, I think I will be okay with the habits that I am building right now. I like the ideas some of you have raised to get involved in winter sports.

I think things like skating, and even winter hiking will become staples. With those activities 2-3 times per week plus eating well, I am optimistic about this winter!!!

Except for rainy days, I walked all last winter at lunchtime, despite the temperature and snow. My fellow hikers do a great job beating down the trail. One of my walking spots even snow blows the first half mile.

On rainy days, I went to the skating rink.

I'm in Massachusetts. I think it was @earlnabby in a parka and a story of walking in minus temperatures in upstate Michigan (?) that inspired me last fall to do this. There's no bad weather, just bad gear!