Winter in Michigan is in full blast! I have a love and hate relationship with winter.

Well, really, I’m not a fan of winter anymore. I used to love putting on all of my winter gear and skating or skiing, but now I’m just too cold and it’s so dreary. I’d be ok with the cold weather in Denver where it’s sunny most of the time. In Michigan, my hometown state, it’s cloudy and I get the winter blues, just like so many others!

So, what do I do to combat my desire for warm, comfort food and binging my favorite t.v. show? First of all, I am going to make my comfort foods, but I’ll modify them to make them low carb and low sugar. There are so many soups and stews that are easy to make with fresh veggies, organic, chemical free meat, and no sugar. You can check some of the options out under my recipes tab.

Second, I am going to invest in an indoor lamp for seasonal affective disorder and “winter blues”. Just 20 minutes upon awakening can increase your serotonin levels and may help.

If you are very depressed, or have symptoms of bipolar disorder in the winter, it may be a good idea to consult a psychiatrist or make an appointment with your direct healthcare provider.

Lastly, I am going to schedule my exercise and meditation by adding it to my calendar and making it a routine. Adding your exercise routines to your schedule will help you commit! If it’s not on the calendar, then I will find an excuse!

I love Michigan, the summers are great and fall is one of my favorite seasons. Let’s all get through winter together by moving around more, bundling up and getting outside, decrease your sugar intake, and hold yourself accountable by scheduling your daily routines and get some sun wherever and however you can! Just think, summer is almost back!