Brrr...

What is it about cold weather that makes me crave carbs? I'm talking breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, yummmmm....  Last winter, I reasoned that I was pregnant and I had a picky 18 month old that didn't want to eat dinner. I couldn't let her starve, could I? So I made some sort of bread product to go with almost every meal.  Because she would eat bread.  With butter.  And so would Mommy.  Did I mention I gained over 50 pounds with my pregnancy??!!  

Homemade cinnamon rolls...yummmmmm

Therefore, you would imagine my surprise when the temperature dropped below 60 outside and I started flipping through cookbooks...  hmmm... So much for my excuses.

I don't pretend to have a cure for this disease.  I know a lot of people gain weight over the winter and suffer from a similar craving, in addition to Thanksgiving dinner (and leftovers!) and Christmas cookies. 

I've attempted to combat this in a couple ways...

1.  I have purchased new clothes.  They are fitted and cute and in style and I want to wear them.  Those of you who know me know how cheap I am, so this is a big commitment for me.  It helps in the motivation department - plus my husband is a little more than thrilled to see me put HIS sweatshirts back in the closet. 

2.  When the craving hits, drink water.  I know people say that if you're craving something then you're lacking something.  Well, I'm not lacking cinnamon rolls in any part of my being, so when the craving hits, I start drinking water or a cup of hot tea.  Most of the time, that solves my problem.  If not, then I make a batch, EAT ONE, and then package the rest and take it to a friend.  The daycare ladies at the YMCA love baked goods!!

3.  Don't make bread with dinner (duh).  I suppose my daughter isn't going to starve and she'll be forced to eat broccoli.  I tell her there are worse things in life.  And I save money at the grocery store.  Pillsbury still calls to see why I'm not buying stock in their little canned biscuits anymore!  If I truly want bread, then I make it...from scratch...a talent that I do not have.  Nothing will turn you off bread more than homemade, hard-as-a- rock, burnt bread.

4.  Eat your carbs early in the day.  If I just have to have them, then I eat them for breakfast.  I'll have pancakes or waffles or biscuits.  That way, I have the whole day to use them as energy (which is what carbohydrates are for!).  It never fails that the more starchy carbs I eat for dinner, the more weight I gain.  It just sits dormant in my hips until morning!

5.  I also crave chocolate - but instead of making a cake, I pick at chocolate chips or hot chocolate or small containers of pudding...really, anything small that I can grab and put back the container that gives me a taste and not the calories.

What about you?  How do you combat the cold weather cravings??!!