12/02/2025
The other day I was talking with someone who felt guilty about the chili they made, because it was more calorie dense, and unfortunately, calories are linked to being unhealthy.
So I asked what was in it.
Beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, broth, spices…
Whole, real ingredients.
The kind of meal people have cooked for centuries to stay nourished through cold seasons.
The bowl itself wasn’t the problem.
The guilt was.
I reminded them:
Calorie-dense isn’t the same as unhealthy.
The real question is, “Does this support your goals right now?”
Because sometimes a warm, hearty meal is exactly what your body is asking for.
And this time of year, that instinct is real.
For most of human history, when the days shortened and temperatures dropped, people relied on foods that were warm, comforting, and sustaining — soups, stews, roasted vegetables, slow-cooked meats.
These meals didn’t just fill a bowl; they carried people through winter.
Your body still remembers that.
It isn’t confused when you crave warm, hearty meals — it’s responding to shorter days, less light, and a natural drop in energy.
BUT here’s where modern awareness can come in:
You can honor your human-ness and still support your goals.
A few ways to navigate this season with more ease:
❄️ Eat bigger, satisfying meals rather than grazing all day. Satiety calms cravings.
❄️ Lean into nutrient-rich “winter foods.” Warm soups, roasted veggies, stews — they stabilize you.
❄️ Pause and ask what the craving is actually about. Hunger? Fatigue? Stress? Cold?
❄️ Create comfort intentionally instead of automatically. Warm tea, cozy routines, earlier nights.
❄️ Set up your environment to help you win, not test you.
This season isn’t a failure waiting to happen and you don't have to gain 10-15 pounds and "start over" come the new year.
It's a chance to understand your biology, your history, and your habits — and make choices from awareness, not guilt.
☃️✌🏻
