When the mercury starts to drop outside, many of us move ourselves inside to where it’s warm. Exercise sessions are replaced with comfort food in front of the television. We pull on loose trackie pants and jumpers to cover the few extra kilos we’re putting on. But come summer when we’re expected to wear less and even venture to the beach, many of us are left wishing we had just continued our healthy eating and exercise plan during the cooler months. Don’t let this winter be like every other and follow dietitian and fitness expert, Caitlin Reid’s five healthy winter tips:

1. Keep moving: Kill two birds with the one stone by warming yourself up while you get your daily exercise. An hour each day is perfect for providing health benefits, boosting fitness levels and helping you manage your weight. Make sure you stick to your winter training session by arranging to train with a friend; getting a gym membership; or registering for a sporting event that requires training such as a fun run or long ride.

2. Wear tight clothes: Make one day each week your tight outfit day, as this will help you keep your weight in check. Wearing too many loose fitting clothes can make it easy to put on a couple of extra kilos without even realising. Wearing tight clothes with a little extra weight feels uncomfortable and will therefore act as a pleasant reminder to eat healthily and exercise more.

3. Track it: Tracking what you eat and drink is a great way of creating awareness and accountability for what you’re putting into your mouth. You can either write it down or use an electronic version such as the iPhone “Lose it” app. Whichever your preferred method, just make sure you keep tabs on what you’re consuming and you’ll be more likely to succeed.

4. Don’t get too cocky: Being confident in your ability to resist temptations is not always a good thing. New research published in Psychological Science found that people who felt most confident in their self-control were in fact most likely to give into temptation, as they were more likely to expose themselves to more indulgent food situations. Avoid keeping too many tempting foods in the house, and if you do make sure you buy the portion-controlled variety and keep them in a difficult place to access.

5. Make it one or the other: Plan your indulgences ahead of time and avoid eating unnecessarily. If you love your red wine with dark chocolate, make a choice and enjoy one or the other. Then, eat perfectly for the rest of the day.

Caitlin Reid is the head Corporate Health and Wellness Consultant from “Health & The City” –www.healthandthecity.com.au