Winter Fitness Tips

8. Cut down on red meat. Although the average Texas cattle farmer might want you to think differently, too much red meat can be hard on your system, so make it a treat. In my opinion, eating red meat three or four times a month is still just fine, but if you eat less than that, you are better off. High in saturated fat, red meat is also quite difficult to digest for people 50 or older. Choose that fresh fish rather than the big steak.

9. Stick to the list. Make a grocery list of healthy foods and stick to it. Don’t buy impulsively; just get what’s on your list. And by all means, don’t go the store when you are hungry! That’s when you’ll decide you just cannot live without cheese puffs and that it’d be just fine to buy a jumbo box of Oreos. Go on a full stomach, and don’t deviate from your list. You made it for a reason! (Check out these tips for resisting food cravings.)

10. Forego the designer coffee drinks. When it’s cold outside, people reach for warm drinks; and normally, that means a run to the coffee shop around the corner. If you have to get your fix of caffeine, do it with coffee instead of a mocha latte or a blended drink. Many of the concoctions at your local Starbucks have more than 700 calories. 700 calories for a drink?! Your best bet is a cup of coffee with a bit of skim milk; it has only a few calories and the same pick-me-up power as those calorie-laden lattes. Also, remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water during the winter months. This is the time we get dehydrated most often.