New Direction...burning calories shoveling snow & healthy alternatives to comfort foods.

by Angie Fykes
New Direction Weight Loss Champion

Well, another week and another snow storm. I am sure the weather blahs have a lot of people down right now, and I must admit that it makes it hard to schedule workouts and time for yourself when the weather throws you a curve ball. Thank goodness for snow shoveling, because I am able to get my arm workout in, and make my husband happy at the same time since I am now shoveling and he is playing with the kids!

In the past, the snow would always make me break out the baking pans full of brownies, cookies, and starchy comfort foods. Now, my go to comfort food for the cold is soup. I have mastered the art of Minestrone, and am moving on to new adventures. I have found that using cauliflower instead of potatoes is a great way to get a nice creamy dish with fewer calories! I recently made a cheddar cauliflower soup that could rival any restaurant loaded potato soup. You just have to go look for resources, and taking the time to do that instead of snack my winter blues away has been my saving grace during this never ending cold that makes me think that spring will never make its appearance!

So, next time you find yourself struggling through the cold months, grab your computer or other electronic device, and start searching for healthy alternatives to what you might otherwise jeopardize too many calories on, or grab a few cans of soup and use those as weights to work your arm muscles with. I have invested in an inexpensive set of dumbbells and a kettle bell to use when I am stuck at home and can’t get to the gym. It is amazing what you can do when stuck inside, and how many calories you can burn in just short time! Until next time, think warm thoughts and hopefully spring will be showing itself soon!