It’s been more than 20 years since I’ve lived in the midwest. Growing up, I didn’t like cold weather and living here again has reminded me why — namely, that I’m always freezing. The weather can get pretty grey and depressing. And I don’t like being stuck in the house so much. All in all, it’s easy to put on a few extra pounds — more so, isolating during a pandemic.

This covid winter I’ve figured out how to not repeat what I did last covid winter, and I’d like to share my tips with you. Here are 5 things you can do to beat the cold weather covid winter blues.

#1: Go outside and play

A few years ago my now 88 year-old mother went outside in thirty degree temperatures and shoveled some light snow on the front porch… and emerged transformed. Exhilarated! Invigorated! Peppy, alert, and full of life! Her thinking and memory were crystal clear, and it lasted for a few days. It’s all she could talk about. It goes to show what spending a little time outdoors in the winter can do for anyone, at any age.

The benefits are obvious — oxygen in fresh air pumps up your energy, clears cognition, and triggers a good mood. In addition to the calories that you burn moving around, extra calories are burned staying warm. Most importantly, your eating (and sleep) hormones get reset so you eat (and sleep) when you’re supposed to — so you don’t overeat!

Choose something you enjoy doing. I like to take long walks in nature. You can walk your dog. Shovel a little snow. Just make sure that you when you go outside you…

#2: Keep your nut and dogs warm

Your head and feet, that is to say.

Winters for me are what it was like for Randy in the movie, A Christmas Story, stuffed into a snowsuit to brave the cold. But I’m grateful to be warm, even if not very stylish. Because when I’m shivering cold, I’ll eat more — to stay warm — and the calories can add up.

This winter I’ve revisited the golden rule — when your head and feet are warm, the rest of your body will stay warm — and found some novel solutions. First, a big, thick, snug beanie to keep my head warm, covered by the hood on my hoodie when it’s really cold and windy. All the kids are doing it. Second, the cheap, fluffy, fuzzy, polyester sleeping socks you can find at the dollar store. They’re warmer than wool socks and very colorful.

Both solutions also help when you’re indoors and in less cold climates. (I’m always freezing.) When you’re indoors, you can also…

#3: Get lit

With a full spectrum light bulb. It’s a fact: our bodies are regulated by an internal clock, called the circadian clock, that is controlled by the absorption of sunlight through our eyes. Morning light wakes us up, and darkness prepares us for sleep.

In the winter months, we get less sunshine with the shorter days and time spent outdoors. Also, the light produced indoors by mostly incandescent and fluorescent lights bulbs doesn’t produce the equivalent of natural sunlight. The same with computers and mobile phones. All of this can lead to depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and overeating. I was affected by all three growing up. Full spectrum light bulbs produce light that’s closest to sunlight and can help keep your circadian clock on track.

Use a full spectrum light bulb anywhere you spend a lot of time — in your family room, home office, basement, and kitchen. And when you’re in the kitchen making something to eat…

#4: Eat salad

The last thing you want to do when it’s cold outside is eat cold, healthy food. But do your body — and your taste buds — a favor and eat some salad. It’s refreshing. And it’ll keep you coming back for more.

My favorite winter salad takes 2 minutes to make: chop up hearty escarole lettuce and crisp red onions and drizzle with good quality olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar, and a dash of Himalayan pink salt. It’s lip smacking. You can smell and taste the freshness.

Yeah, yeah, salad is rich in vitamins and minerals, fiber, digestive enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics, antioxidants, and is hydrating and antimicrobial, keeping your immune system strong — and in the last post I explained how eating fats, such as olive oil, signals your body to stop eating — but more importantly, salad makes your body sexy. Speaking of which, you’ll want to…

#5: Check your (naked) look in the mirror

All of it. Your face, your torso, your legs. Any funny-looking body parts — everybody has one. To appreciate how beautiful you are. Hug yourself. As the saying goes, you have one beautiful body to carry your through life, so treat it well.

Plus, in the winter months when you’re practically living in a parka, it’s easy to miss pudge that might be creeping up on your belly. So many of us were caught off guard with covid body last spring.

By checking in on your natural beauty, you’ll catch yourself when you stray and stay motivated to stay on track. In the next post, I’ll explain why checking your look in the mirror is a good way of tracking your body size when you’re trying to lose weight.

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The Simple Seven © Marlene Veltre 2021 All rights reserved. No portion of this post may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of Marlene Veltre. The information in this post is to be used for educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for professional medical advice or to prevent, cure, or heal any illness or disease. You should always see your doctor or health practitioner.