I wrote to my dear friend Jessica in a panic a few nights ago.
Ever since the weather turned cold here in Midwestia (and yes, I've seen flakes in the air-Winter is here!) I've been craving sweets CONSTANTLY- I really just want to eat cookies and cakes all day as I watch movies from the 80's (like Mannequin... Stop judging me...)
In fact, Prof. Hubs even commented that when I have cookies/cakes in the house he can see the hunger in my eyes. Apparently it's even clear to the outside world that I'm really thinking about eating sweets when I should be mentally present in other activities. Hence the reason I wrote to Jessica: She's a holistic nutritionist. I knew that her wisdom would clarify what was happening to me biologically and offer a solution that didn't involve my outgrowing all of my pants. And she did. Since her letter to me I made a few small changes to my meals (oatmeal in the morning, sweet potatoes in the evening) and I'm no longer a cookie monster out on a rampage: I can actually concentrate on other aspects of my life. I asked Jessica to do a guest post on Desperate Housediva about her tips for battling the bulge (or in my case, the cookies) when the weather outside is frosty:
As Winter creeps in, why do we crave sweets and carbs and what can we do about it?
It is totally normal to crave sweets and other calorie dense foods as the temperature drops. Our ancestors had these biological instincts for survival. Your body knows that the changes mean that (in olden days, anyway) Winter is coming and you need to gather some insulation about you to survive the period of darkness and less available foods.
It is normal to be hungrier and/or craving more sweet things at this time. Winter calls for always having root veggies in the house and making one or two DAILY. It doesn't have to be complicated. Squashes and root vegetables come in nature-made oven ready "packages". You can just put them on a baking sheet or wrap in foil and stick them in the oven at 400 for an hour and VOILA! Sweet, earthy, warm goodness that can be easily tweaked to suit a savory or sweet whim! They have the sweetness and carbs you need and crave without resorting to cookies every day. All hail the sweet potato! And squashes in their many shapes and sizes!
For the moments when ONLY a mouthfull of intense sweetness will do, have some Agave on hand (can be ordered off the internet). If you are experiencing a hardcore "jones" for sweets, go ahead and pour yourself a spoonful and savor it before you swallow. This is great for people who are real sugar addicts and trying to wean themselves. Agave does not affect your glycemic levels and is even safe for diabetics. It still does have calories, though, so take it easy. :) When you have a moderate need for sweetness, you can drizzle it over toast or even left over rice with some cinnamon to get a fix.
If you can get your hands on some different grains, too, that will help. Now's the time to have steel cut oats for breakfast and make sure you eat a generous amount of good fats (olive or peanut oils or even *gasp* some organic butter!) with the grains so that you make the minerals "bio-available" to you. Now is the time to explore all of the different kinds of grains, like Quinoa, Bulgur, Buckwheat, Teff, Amaranth, Kamut, Millet, and a whole bevy of others available. These are also readily available on the internet.
Another thing you can do to prevent your biological impulses to put on Winter weight for survival is to keep warm! So, long johns or flannel PJs can also help. The less you FEEL the cold, the less you may crave sweets. Warm teas also help regulate this - both temp and cravings. Just not too much caffeine so that it doesn't make your blood sugars dip or affect your sleep cycles.
If you live in the Northeast like I do, it is hard to get enough sunlight during the Winter. Most people living in the Northeast have Vitamin D defficiencies during the Winter, which has been proven to cause depression and negatively affect your metabolism. Do you have a room with big windows? It is important to get some sun on your skin to keep making Vitamin D. If you can't, then go get a supplement but make sure you look at ingredients and be smart about what else they're slipping you in the pil/liquid you take.
So.... Roots, tubers, and gourds plus warm PJs plus sunlight and you're all set!
It is totally normal to crave sweets and other calorie dense foods as the temperature drops. Our ancestors had these biological instincts for survival. Your body knows that the changes mean that (in olden days, anyway) Winter is coming and you need to gather some insulation about you to survive the period of darkness and less available foods.
It is normal to be hungrier and/or craving more sweet things at this time. Winter calls for always having root veggies in the house and making one or two DAILY. It doesn't have to be complicated. Squashes and root vegetables come in nature-made oven ready "packages". You can just put them on a baking sheet or wrap in foil and stick them in the oven at 400 for an hour and VOILA! Sweet, earthy, warm goodness that can be easily tweaked to suit a savory or sweet whim! They have the sweetness and carbs you need and crave without resorting to cookies every day. All hail the sweet potato! And squashes in their many shapes and sizes!
For the moments when ONLY a mouthfull of intense sweetness will do, have some Agave on hand (can be ordered off the internet). If you are experiencing a hardcore "jones" for sweets, go ahead and pour yourself a spoonful and savor it before you swallow. This is great for people who are real sugar addicts and trying to wean themselves. Agave does not affect your glycemic levels and is even safe for diabetics. It still does have calories, though, so take it easy. :) When you have a moderate need for sweetness, you can drizzle it over toast or even left over rice with some cinnamon to get a fix.
If you can get your hands on some different grains, too, that will help. Now's the time to have steel cut oats for breakfast and make sure you eat a generous amount of good fats (olive or peanut oils or even *gasp* some organic butter!) with the grains so that you make the minerals "bio-available" to you. Now is the time to explore all of the different kinds of grains, like Quinoa, Bulgur, Buckwheat, Teff, Amaranth, Kamut, Millet, and a whole bevy of others available. These are also readily available on the internet.
Another thing you can do to prevent your biological impulses to put on Winter weight for survival is to keep warm! So, long johns or flannel PJs can also help. The less you FEEL the cold, the less you may crave sweets. Warm teas also help regulate this - both temp and cravings. Just not too much caffeine so that it doesn't make your blood sugars dip or affect your sleep cycles.
If you live in the Northeast like I do, it is hard to get enough sunlight during the Winter. Most people living in the Northeast have Vitamin D defficiencies during the Winter, which has been proven to cause depression and negatively affect your metabolism. Do you have a room with big windows? It is important to get some sun on your skin to keep making Vitamin D. If you can't, then go get a supplement but make sure you look at ingredients and be smart about what else they're slipping you in the pil/liquid you take.
So.... Roots, tubers, and gourds plus warm PJs plus sunlight and you're all set!
Stay well and keep warm this Winter!
If you'd like a more personalized plan or more details, feel free to contact me at
If you'd like a more personalized plan or more details, feel free to contact me at
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