I absolutely cannot diet in this cold snap

[MorrisZapp]

I live in Scotland, it's like Fargo here just now. Hurts to breathe. Snow incoming.

I cut out all the crap snacks after New Year and was doing OK but I can't deprive myself in this freezing air, it's making me feel sad and hangry.

I don't have a terrible diet but I overeat a little bit. A few wee pounds have crept on. I think I'll give myself a bit of a pass (within reason) until next week's milder air arrives. Any other frozen desperadoes out there?

I'm not on a diet but I find I'm much hungrier in this weather and definitely eating more!

Consider Soup…!

YANBU, I have a sticky toffee pudding in the fridge that's getting demolished tonight. Made beef and vegetable soup for lunch though so some vitamins at least getting in there.

I've just lunched on a bowl of thick lentil, pearl barley and veg soup. Sort of like savoury porridge really.

Ooh yah hun! (Fargo accent)

It's fuel, and you need it. Like a log burner for your body.

I'm the same. I need thick, stodgy carbs in this weather. Pie and mash. Veggie chilli with some warm crusty bread. Curry and rice. Mmmm...!

You can still have warming foods if calorie counting and factor it into says calories. I like an options hot choc with squirting cream and a few mini marshmallows - only 70 cals. Some warm soup and bread for lunch - again won’t be much. Snacks aren’t really warming on a cold day. I find dieting harder in winter but I don’t want another summer feeling totally rubbish about myself so have to stick to the diet despite the temp outside

Same here. I don't have many snacks in the house, so I'm like some kind of addict scrabbling through the cupboards seeing if there's a stale biscuit hiding behind something. Never is. Made gnocchi tomato thing for the kids last night and there were leftovers - great, don't have to cook today. Except all those warm, squidgy, potatoey balls cooked in tomato and garlic were just calling my name. Like sirens in a tomato-garlic sea. I'm going to be cooking tonight...

Same here, have a fridge full of salad and full of good intentions. DH went out yesterday and came back with cakes.

Home made lentil & veg soup! Fills you up and is warm, healthy and comforting.

Me too. I made Mac and cheese last night. I don't even like it that much but of course I stuffed myself with the wodgy blodgy calorific beigeness until I felt like one of those X rays of a kiwi bird- you know where their giant egg fills 90% of their internal space?

Yep. Just a human skin arranged tightly around a gigantic portion of slowly digesting cheesy carbs. I blame it on cave man ancestors, Or maybe I'm part bear, I could spend days eating forty salmon and fifteen kilos of blueberries then sleeping underground. No shame in it.

I also had a discussion with my eldest teen about the most desperate we'd ever been for a treat and yet still not be arsed to walk to the shop. Behaviours like "making a disgusting mug cake out of instant hot chocolate drink" and "trying to suck the flavour off Coco pops" were mentioned.

I hear you. It’s your body try to build up a protective warming layer.
Also far more difficult to exercise as part of daily life in cold dark weather - long walks, gardening etc all so much nicer in the summer,

I've woken up trapped inside a sheet of ice (I mean trapped may be pushing it, Ocado managed to deliver just now) and annoyed that I can't get outside to walk today. I fully support the 'it's too cold to diet' message, but maybe so the day doesn't feel like a total write-off, you could go for a couple of easier goals, like drinking plenty of water, consuming at least one vegetable. I think that might be my limit.

I said exactly the same thing today, I can’t be expected to eat salad at work for lunch in this weather. I’m going back to sandwich and crisps.

Getting deeply resentful I apparently haven't lost anything over the last few weeks, despite calorie counting religiously at a deficit throughout.

Can't even cry about it, or the tears would instantly turn to ice and my face would freeze...

These stupid scales better start moving again soon!

I too am in this predicament and I too live North of the wall. Normally I workout in the garage but it is baltic out there, and in here it is pure hygge. Also I was getting over a virus and with all the coughing I have hurt some rib muscle, so I am forced to stay in doors and eat comfort foods. Terrible.

I've come to the conclusion that January is hard enough without trying to put my body into a deficit, but what I am doing is focusing on better nutrition and making better choices about variety of vegetables, fruit and other plants. Cunningly, that should make it easier to adapt to reducing carbs and time restricted eating as we get more warm days...
I'm using my mental energy on maintaining exercise and getting general activity back up.