What I've Been Eating This Winter

I was scrolling through my Instagram the other day and I came across some of the refreshing smoothies, salads, and plates of fruit I had enjoyed in the warmer months. And while I dearly miss things like avocado and watermelon I'm still making it through the colder months just fine. 

And it got me thinking how my diet changes with the different seasons. So, today I wanted to share some of my current staple meals, regardless of how boring they might be, they are what's getting me full through the winter. 

Every now and then I like to share what I'm eating to show that you can be plant-based without having beautifully arranged acai bowls and that it doesn't have to be expensive or difficult

Oatmeal  — an easy, inexpensive breakfast that can be made without much thought. You can keep it simple with just some brown sugar, molasses or maple syrup, or you can doll it up with fruits, nuts, seeds, and countless other toppings. 

Potatoes — easy to pop two in the microwave or oven. You can pour some soup (chili or lentil) over the top of them, or you can top them with beans, hot peppers, pickled beets, sauerkraut and pickled cabbage. Potatoes is one of the things I always try to buy organic because they're on the dirty dozen list. 

Chickpea Sandwiches/toast — so easy, so filling and so customizable. I can just simple mash up some chickpeas with a few spices and sriracha or stack them to the nines with all the fixings like saurkraut, pickled beets and seeds. 

Soups — warmth is key in the winter. And whether it’s making a stew or chili from scratch, or picking up a couple cans of soup to have on hand for a quick meal, soup is an easy option. You can also add different toppings to them, eat them with potatoes or chips. And if you make a big batch from scratch it can last for quite a number of meals. Not to mention you can often make an amazing soup from leftover ingredients and vegetables in your fridge. 

Nachos — odd, I know but easy, filling and you can throw whatever you have on top of a pile of chips and it works as nachos. 

Pierogi — a little time consuming so I don’t make them more than like once a month, but they are so satisfying. I always put potato and onion in mine and then eat them with a little vegan sour cream, sriracha, and pickled beets. Drool.

Salads — a lot of my meals have been “heavy” and I guess that’s just something I crave in the winter. But I also have to balance it out with something lighter like a nice big salad. Sometimes I just want something fresh, and that’s when I go for a big salad. And there are literally so many options when it comes to salads. 

Fruit — the ultimate compliment to breakfast or any other meal to be honest. I always try to add in some fruit whether it's a snack or a side dish for the same reason I reach for salads because I’m craving something light and fresh. 

As you can see none of these are time-consuming or fancy (Pierogi maybe but they're just flour, onion and potato so therefore easy). I do try to spice things up by trying a new recipe every few weeks, but keeping things simple cut down on the time used up planning and cooking.

What are some of your staple dishes for the winter months? 

My Winter Work Out Plan

This summer the majority of my “exercise” was running because I was training for a marathon. 

The next time I train for a marathon I will definitely “cross train” more instead of only focusing on running (while that is still obviously important). 

It’s been a month since my marathon, and while it’s good to give yourself a break afterward I don’t want to “lose” all my training and hard work. 

But I do want to switch it up a little. So I took a look at what I’ll have available to me over the winter, and what I’ll actually enjoy doing. 

And the three main activities I want to focus on are yoga, running and lifting.

Yoga — I dabbled in yoga in college, and consistently went every day for a six month period after graduation. But the circumstances that led me to have an affordable pass to that studio ended and I can’t afford to hand out that chunk of cash every month. Although hot yoga is delectable in the winter. My compromise has been hitting up a yoga class every now and then but then utilizing videos online for a little yoga session in my living room. I don’t have to trek to a studio and I save myself a lot of money.

Running — I’ve come to realize that it’s more work to get myself dressed and outside when it comes to running in the cold. If I bundle up appropriately it’s all fine and dandy. Your lungs burn a bit, but it’s manageable. And I’ve been running for months so why stop now just because it’s getting cold? Running is a great way to get outside and have some time to just freely think without needing to have some form of entertainment. 

Lifting — While I sometimes feel like a monkey lifting weights I do actually enjoy the challenge. Our apartment building has a decent little exercise room with a few machines and a full set of weights. And just like with living room yoga, I’m not forced to go outside to get to the gym so that’s a major perk. I want to focus on getting stronger overall but also focusing on my joints or whatever it may be so when it comes time to train again my knees, and such, are stronger. 

Ideally, I would like to do each activity two or three times a week. So, one sample week would be: 

Monday: Yoga

Tuesday: Run

Wednesday: Lift

Thursday: Run

Friday: Lift

Saturday: Run

Sunday: Yoga

I find that having a “plan” really helps to motivate me and be consistent with exercise. If I can look at something and say “Ok, today I’m going to go run 5 miles, or today I’m going to do these arm exercises in the gym” I find that actually getting there and doing it is much easier. 

I’m curious to hear if you have a particular work out plan as well as the winter, and if where you live has had an impact on what you plan on doing. 

Winter is Like Our Menstrual Phase

I’m on a real winter kick right now.

But I had a bit of a revelation when it occurred to me that winter was an awful lot like our menstrual phase. 

When I went to look into it I saw I (obviously) wasn’t the only one who’d made this connection. 

I’ve seen beautiful illustrations where the seasons have been linked to the phases of our cycle. 

Winter = Menstrual

Spring = Follicular

Summer = Ovulatory

Fall = Luteal

So, seeing as the first day of winter is on its way (December 21st) I thought I would sit down and talk about why I think winter is like the menstrual phase. 

+ slow down

If you think about summer it seems like someone is always inviting you to a BBQ, picnic, to go for a bike ride, etc. We’re always trying to get outside, enjoy the weather, and go, go, go. 

This doesn’t mean we completely stop living in the winter, but it changes does it? It calms down, there’s not that same urgency. 

It’s the perfect time to get together with friends and family, sit around and have a glass of something or share a meal. To reconnect and have a good laugh.

+ rest

Bears hibernate in the winter, but humans don’t. And while I’m not promoting a sedentary lifestyle it’s definitely a good time to get your beauty rest. 

While I go to bed by 10 p.m. most nights regardless of the season I know plenty of people who have fun-filled nights that last early into the morning. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t go out and have a good time but maybe make an effort to get your eight hours during the colder months. 

+ reflect

We’re naturally more reflective during our periods, and I think the same is true in the winter. I’ve had some profound mental and emotional journeys within myself curled up on the couch, under some twinkly lights and a mug of something hot or a glass of something red. 

Winter is the perfect time to get back into journaling. So, grab yours, dust it off and just sit down with a pen each day. 

+ renew

Picture the caterpillar in its cocoon. Think of the feeling of complete refreshment when you come out of a really nourishing menstrual phase. 

This is a time I like to focus on self-care. And yes, I pamper the heck out of myself. I’m talking Epsom salt baths, face masks, manicures, pedicures, hydration, eating my plants, all things to nourish myself so I came come out of it as one spectacular butterfly!

I plan on going about this winter just as if it were my menstrual phase, and I’m really excited to see how it differs come spring from years past. 

[We’re a week and a half out from the next session of my Chart Your Cycle course which just so happens to start the day before the first day of winter. Learning how to chart was one of the most brilliant things I could do for myself, and I encourage anyone interested in connecting to their body and their cycle in a new way to give it a go!]

Changing My Winter Mindset

Ok, I’ve got to share something. 

I’ve never been a fan of winter, of cold weather, the snow the frost, any of it. 

In fact, I've had a pretty rotten attitude when it came to winter up until this point.

But this fall I’ve made this conscious decision that I am going to make a real effort this year to change my mindset around winter.

It started with hygee and then when I read an article in The Atlantic about Tromso, Norway that talked about how the people there actually looked forward to "the blue period" or the Polar night where the sun doesn't rise from November to January. (The article was from 2015 but I discovered it as I was digging around the internet). They have a positive mindset when it comes to the darkness, to the cold, they were excited about it each year.

And I thought, damn if they can positive about darkness for three months I bet I can get excited about a few months of cold weather.

So I set out on my mission of changing how I viewed and approached the winter.

I wrote a post last week about “Getting into the Winter Spirit” which takes you through some of my favorite "winter" things I want to do this year. 

And I really have found that fitting in time for all the great parts of winter really makes it a time to savor. 

I used to be such a negative nancy when it came to the cold. I would focus all of my energy on all the negative aspects of it and almost go out of my way to play up the bad things. 

I wouldn’t wear enough layers or bundle up adequately before heading outside, and then be upset about it being too cold. Last year I bought a good quality coat and over bundled myself. 

Back in the day, winter break would come, and while I liked not having class I always disliked the break from my friends. Nowadays I look forward to the holidays because it means family time. 

Another thing I am going to add to this winter that I usually never make time for in the cold months is working out. I have a whole plan for myself, which I’ll be sharing in a post later this month. 

I guess the biggest point I’m trying to make here is that winter isn’t inherently worse than summer. It’s just different. But just like how summer has it’s cons, winter has its pros. But it’s your job to find them. 

It’s on you to find what you like about winter or would like, and to focus on that. And to prepare yourself when it comes to the cold and colds. 

So put on some fluffy socks and wrap yourself in an oversized cardigan, grab a mug of something hot, and snuggle around the fireplace with some of the people you love. And I promise you’ll start loving winter more and more too. 

Getting Into the Winter Spirit

I saw a quote online that is currently up on my felt letter board:

“Summer is a state of mind.”

I saw it and I thought, heck yeah.

While obviously summer is so much more I decided to see what I could do about my attitude and mindset towards winter.

And I started by asking myself “what are your favorite parts of this season, and how can you make the most out of them?"

In no particular order:

+ baking cookies (delicious results and a comforting process)

+ staying warm and cozy (knit socks, warm clothes, and blankets)

+ spending more time with those you love (schedule time to hang out)

+ pumping up the skin care (moisture, moisture, moisture. I’m in the process of ordering a few new products)

+ taking hot baths (my go to remedy for everything)

+ snuggling up in fluffy blankets (what’s better about cold weather than being able to curl up on the couch in a big blanket)

+ reading all the books (less time outdoors doesn’t mean you need to lose yourself in your Netflix account)

+ finding fireplaces and sitting in front of them (my parents have one, Michael’s parents do too)

+ warm drinks and hot soup (nothing better than wrapping your cold paws around something warm)

+ drinking red wine (I drink white in the summer, red in the winter)

+ sledding, snowboarding, building snowmen or snow forts, getting into a snowball fight (we haven’t had much snow in the past few years, but I’m going to make the most out of what we get this year)

+ the holidays (mostly eating good food, cuddling up next to a fire and spending time with loved ones)

I will continue to add to this list as the season goes on, but I’ve already noticed a switch in my attitude. I’m making it into something worth enjoying instead of something I have to suffer through. 

And the biggest lesson I've learned about winter over the years? 

If you're properly prepared and bundled up, it's really not that bad out.

What are some of your favorite things about the winter?

Discovering Hygge + Taking on Winter

To be honest, I think I discovered this on Pinterest. I think it was outlining what Hygge was, and I remember finding myself thinking, alright I like the sound of that. 

And it inspired me to make the conscious decision to approach winter in a different way. A similar way to how I now view my menstrual phase and the days leading up to it. 

It’s not my favorite phase, but I’ve amazed myself on how I’ve been able to change my mindset towards it. And that’s what I plan to do with winter this year as well. 

You see, I’ve always told myself I’m not a cold weather person. That I’ve never “liked” winter. There were even a few years in high school that I “protested” by not wearing a winter coat. Who do you think that impacted? Yeah, me. 

If you think you don’t like winter the last thing you should do is under dress for it. 

This year I’m preparing in every way possible. Physically, mentally and emotionally. Dramatic? Possibly, but I need a drastic attitude change. 

And I’m going to use hygge to guide me. 

I know I’m behind the times, and this was pretty popular last year, but if you’re unfamiliar to hygge here’s how it’s defined in a book I’m reading, “The Book of Hygge”:

"Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”) is a quality of presence and an experience of belonging and togetherness. It is a feeling of being warm, safe, comforted and sheltered. 

Hygge is an experience of selfhood and communion with people and places that anchors and affirms us, gives us courage and consolation.

To hygge is to invite intimacy and connection. It’s a feeling of engagement and relatedness, of belonging to the moment and to each other. Hygge is a sense of abundance and contentment. Hygge is about being, not having."

When I got back from France it was 30 degrees colder, and gray out. Instead of wallowing at home about the abrupt change, I decided to act on my desire for a different approach. 

I went to two stores, bought a new comfy sweater at the thrift store, and then soft sweatpants and two candles at a discount store. 

I headed home triumphant with my new things, lit my candles, took a nice hot bath and then snuggled up in my comfy finds ready to accept the cold weather with grace. 

Since coming home I’ve made a conscious effort each morning to “nourish my five senses”:

+ tidy up and light a few candles (sight)

+ put on soft music (hearing)

+ grab an incense (smell)

+ make a nice cup of coffee (taste)

+ and to wrap myself up in a blanket after clicking on my space heater (touch)

And then throughout the day I make sure that there’s something “comforting” for each sense. 

Another element of hygge that I’m really drawn to is the connection aspect. So, I’ve made it a goal to spend more time hanging out with friends and family. 

It doesn’t have to be in an extravagant way. My ideal “hang out” is being snuggled up, warm and comfy, drinking something hot or sipping on a glass of wine and just having good conversation. 

I know there’s still a lot I’m going to learn when it comes to this concept, but I’m wholeheartedly investing in it in the hopes of changing how I view winter and the cold from here on out. 

Winter Is Coming + How I'm Dealing With It

I have never been a fan of winter, or of being cold. 

Recently I’ve discovered a similar transition into the colder months that I experience with my luteal/menstrual phase. 

And I’ve come up with a theory (and since then have seen other ladies talk about it as well). But my theory is that the different phases of our menstrual cycles correlate to different months. And by that I mean we have a similar feeling during that phase that we do in that phase. 

It could differ person to person, and be dependent on where you live. But for me it goes a little something like this:

Luteal Phase = Fall

Menstrual Phase = Winter

Follicular Phase = Spring

Ovulatory Phase = Summer 

Cold weather has always been something I’ve struggled with and even fought at different times. But this year I am taking a different approach. 

The same approach I have when I’m headed into my luteal and menstrual phase. 

And the two big strategies there are: 

+ Allowing myself to slow down. I love a fast paced, super inspired, productive day, but we all know that can’t happen every day. Mid way through my luteal phase I notice the pull to slow down, and I’ve really challenged myself over the past year or so to listen to that. 

I’ve been pleasantly surprised when I do. And I’m going to approach winter the same way. 

+ I recently discovered the Danish term “hygge” (pronounced hoo-ga) and while it looks like I’m behind the times, something about it resonated with me. And in particular during my period, and now as it is getting colder.

I saw it described as:

- the art of building sanctuary and community, of inviting closeness and paying attention to what makes us feel open hearted and alive;

- to create well-being, connection and warmth;

- a feeling of belonging to the moment and to each other;

- celebrating the everyday

Doesn’t that sound just absolutely freaking lovely?  

And I’ve realized. It’s ok to transition to “delights" of winter, warm baths, hot drinks, curling up with a good book, sitting in front of a fire place, spending time with family, wearing warm, cozy clothes, fuzzy socks, and just making your space into a place you can sink into comfort and relaxation in. 

Seriously, go on Pinterest and dive into the world of hygge for a moment (if you haven’t already of course). 

Now, a few other things I plan to focus on this fall and winter:

+ Setting a sleeping schedule and sticking to it. The days are getting shorter and darker and while I love waking up with the sun, it’s not making it’s appearance until around 7:30 am. 

I love my mornings when I wake up at 6 a.m. because the stat of my day is the best time for me. When I start my day sooner I feel calmer, accomplished, and less rushed.

+ Going along with that we’ve decided that we’re going to buy a sunrise simulator clock when we get back from France.  A friend of mine got one last year and swears by it saying it was a revolutionary purchase. And I’m ready for that. 

+ And finally is something I try to do year round, but it’s especially important (and slightly more difficult when it’s cold) is to exercise and eat a balanced diet of whole plant based foods. 

Heading into winter with this strategy makes me feel much more accepting of the weather and at ease with the transition. 

Not to mention we’re already talking about how we can escape the worst of it in January and February.