“Cristy, why am I so much hungrier lately?”

A Rebel in my maintenance group asked about that last winter. It’s a great question!

There are several factors that may be contributing to your winter appetite increase.

First, the cold weather makes it harder for our bodies to regulate our body temperature. When we eat we warm up for a short time, so our body sends “feed me” signals. Since digesting food takes two-thirds of your body’s energy, however, you’ll feel cold after again after you eat (especially when you eat how we do on Code Red – Code Red foods really promote fat-burning, which also requires resources).

Another factor contributing to our winter appetite increase is our primitive drive to stockpile calories for the winter.

Though we live in heated homes and work in heated offices, our body’s primal survival wiring is still firmly in place.

So when the days get shorter and darker, that primitive impulse to eat more kicks in, and it hangs around until the days get lighter and warmer again.

And let’s not forget that the holiday season falls on cold winter months in many places.

We’ve had YEARS of conditioning to view the holiday season as a feeding frenzy. The onset of cold weather triggers that habit to eat, eat, and eat some more.

Remember, also, that because the days are so short, there’s also a lot less opportunity to get outside in the sun. Even if you do get outside in the sun, it’s not all that warm.

Finally, drinking water isn’t as appealing when it’s cold out instead of hot out, so skimping on your water will only make it more challenging to manage your appetite.

“Okay, Cristy, so what can I do to feel less hungry during the winter?”

In all honesty, you’re gonna have to tough it out. Now you have the awareness of what’s going on, and that’ll help, but there’s no magical quick fix to this.

Even so, a few things that may help:

DEFINITELY get your water in. Drink it warm instead of ice cold.

Enjoy more hot tea (from a teabag, not from a power). Help your body warm up so it doesn’t feel the need to send so many hunger signals.

Eat warm, cooked foods when you can (vs. stuff like cottage cheese or cold tomatoes), for the same reason as drinking hot tea.

Make sure you’re taking a good quality vitamin D3. You’re not gonna get all the D3 you need huddled up indoors in the dark.

Stay busy! Give yourself stuff to do that’s not food-related. Clean the house, organize, walk your dog, put a puzzle together, paint – whatever you need to do, or enjoy doing.

Finally, I want you to start thinking of hunger differently. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a totally normal bodily function.

I get that it’s distracting. Use the tips above, but also keep it in perspective. A small winter appetite increase (especially one conditioned into you by decades of holiday feeding frenzies) ain’t gonna kill you!