As we go through a wellness journey, we’ll notice that we feel differently at different times of day and seasons.  As the weather changes, it can impact our mood and how we feel physically.  Our body’s natural rhythms change weekly, monthly and throughout the year. This can physically and mentally take a toll on us. Often, we try to fight what nature or our bodies are telling us. Our wellness journey is often more successful when we learn to listen to our bodies and begin embracing the seasons.

Seasonal Eating

As the seasons change, we naturally feel emotionally and physically different based on the change in weather. Embracing seasons and the changes they bring can help with mental and physical wellness. In the winter, in many locations, we tend to spend more time inside to stay warm.  In the spring, summer and fall we may spend more time outside. The more time we spend inside or outside impacts our mood, diet and physical activity, this affects our wellness.  There are ways to adjust your diet and activity during these times.

During late spring, summer and early fall there are many opportunities to consume fresh vegetables. Visiting your local farmers’ market, buying at local grocery stores or growing your own food are a few options. Even in the winter there are ways to grow your own food or consume fruits and vegetables. This allows you to vary your diet throughout the year to avoid burnout while enjoying seasonal foods.

In the summer you may focus on eating more salads and fresh fruit, while in the winter you may eat more roasted vegetables or soups.  I buy extra food at the farmer’s market in the summer and fall to freeze for the winter. Peas, corn and green beans are great to freeze and use in the winter. Blanch, cool and freeze them.  Frozen fresh vegetables are great to use as additions to soups or to eat as a side to a meal.

Body’s Natural Rhythms

Our metabolism and hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the month and the year.  During colder months, some people may desire more calories. According to Women’s Running and Well and Good, this can be attributed to evolution because we ate more calories to survive in the winter.  It can also be attributed to seeing food more because we’re in our homes and on social media more.  Also, in the winter we tend to crave heartier foods.

Similarly, in the summer we tend to consume less, because as the weather warms we crave less food. The food we eat tends to be lighter and we are not in the house as much, so we tend to consume less. Out of sight out of mind tends to work here. When we work with these patterns rather than fighting them, we can make wellness and weight loss more sustainable. Embracing seasons supports healthy eating by eating what nature provides. This naturally works with our hormones and evolution.

Cyclical Approach to Nutrition

During a wellness journey we are often led to believe that we have to stick to rigid, unchanging diets. When we find something that works, we want to stick to it but can burnout eating the same foods repeatedly. Embracing seasons, listening to our bodies and eating based on the time of year makes eating a healthy more enjoyable.

Going through periods of deliberate calorie restriction followed by maintenance phases can help make weight management more sustainable.  I worried about overeating all the time when I was going through my weight loss journey.  In the winter I fought my body and hunger urges that told me to eat more. It was harder during holidays. Allowing myself to eat more sometimes, then going back to a calorie deficit helped my body to reset. It also helped me avoid burnout from restricting myself too much.

Once you have reached a point in your journey where you feel good about your weight, the challenge becomes maintaining. Rotating and cycling your diet will still work in this situation, but you may have to adjust based on the season and activity. When I started running and training for a half marathon my hunger and eating habits changed. Running long distances makes you hungry. Eating based on the seasons is still possible, and I do, but I also eat based on my training schedule. I still switch it up, because at the end of a 12-to-14-week training plan I get burnt out eating the same thing.

Seasonal Activity Change

The activities we do and/or where we do them changes with the seasons.  During the summer we tend to be more active and may do more strenuous or a larger variety of activities. Hiking, swimming and gardening may become more likely activities we do as the weather warms up. In the winter we often focus on indoor fitness or snow sports, depending on our skill level and location.

All the seasons offer opportunities for physical activity.  Switching it up can make our exercise fresh and keep us engaged. I’m not a winter sports person, but I enjoy hiking in the snow or when the trees are changing colors.  I run outside until it gets too cold, then switch to the gym track, treadmill or bike. Even in the summer I try to switch up activities. I continue to look for ways to challenge myself and grow in my activity.

Embracing Seasons and a Cyclical Mindset Keeps Wellness Sustainable

Life, nature and a wellness journey are full of changes and cycles. Embracing seasons and going with the flow makes a wellness journey both challenging and exciting. Most of all, it makes it rewarding.  Making a lifestyle change is overwhelming and scary, but embracing the change creates a sustainable mindset.

Our bodies change naturally with the seasons and through hormonal cycles. Acknowledging the changes and taking different approaches depending on the season makes the journey more enjoyable. Find joy in what you eat, how you exercise and in nature by listening to your body and the seasons.