If you are like me, your weight will naturally fluctuate throughout the seasons and normally be slightly higher in winter than it is in summer.

Do you ever wonder why? What is it that we do differently in summer? Let's have a think..... Here are a few observations I have made this summer on my family, based on what we have been up to:

• we move our bodies a lot more in summer

• we eat more fresh food

• we drink more water

• we spend more time out in the nature and therefore sleep better

• we stress less during summer holidays

So, how can we create similar opportunities to maintain a healthy weight and even lose a few pounds this winter?

Some of us would have overindulged slightly on those holiday hotel buffets anyway, so let's make a plan.

How can we be a little bit more mindful this time and pay attention to how our habits change when it gets colder? We can make a conscious effort to find some alternatives to those summer activities, which will give us similar effects in winter.

Here are a few tips for you to start implementing:

1. Try to avoid processed foods and junk food. they contain a lot of toxic ingredients which only get you hooked and your body keeps asking for more food again as it didn't get enough nutrients

2. Try to schedule and minimise those take-away meals, which we all tend to order more in winter. I know that you're busy and sometimes haven't got time to cook, let me know and I can share some food prep and batch cooking ideas with you. When you prepare your food yourself, you have total control of what goes into your body and choosing fresh, seasonal ingredients will be best for your health.

3. Include more plants in your meals. It's easier in summer when the salad veggies are in season, but you can make a list of beans, seeds and nuts which you can be adding all year round and your gut will thank you for these :-) Fibre found in fruit and veg will also keep your gut bacteria healthy, keep you feeling full and help to flatten your glucose levels spikes, which is important for weight loss.

4. Make sure you include protein with every meal. Meat or plant based, it's up to you, try to buy organic meat if you can though. Beans, nuts and lentils can help you to increase your protein intake as well. Protein anchors your blood sugar levels, reduces hunger hormones that make you feel satiated after a meal. It also helps you to build muscle, which is fat-burning.

5. Don't be afraid of eating fats, they are important part of our diet. We just need to learn to recognise which fats are the healthier ones to eat (avocado, extra virgin olive oil etc.) I will be sharing a separate newsletter on this soon!

6. Keep your water intake high, even when it's not hot and you're not feeling that thirsty. Listen to your body giving you signals of dehydration. Let me know if you'd like to find out how to do that. Fizzy drinks will not hydrate your body in the same way as water will and alcohol will dehydrate it, remember that.

7. Move your body daily. I know, it's harder when days are getting shorter and it's dark when you get up in the morning, but every little bit of movement you can do will help to regulate hormone production and burn excess calories and fat. Exercise will also help to build muscle which can reduce insulin resistance and help you lose weight. Even if it's a short walk every night after your biggest meal of the day, you will be surprised how much difference it makes.

8. Do your best to manage your stress and get a good sleep. Easier said than done, right? I will share separate newsletters on those two topics, but high levels of Cortisol, the stress hormone will really sabotage your efforts in shedding those extra pounds. It will make you crave carbs and sweets, so do what you can to build time for relax into your week.

Gosh, all this sounds like a lot, right?

Please remember that you can always hit REPLY and ask me for more info on any of these topic, I will be sharing some recipes in the Wellness Tribe Facebook Group soon as well.

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Sending you Love

In your corner

Evie x