What You Need To Know If You Want To Lose Weight This Winter
As a trauma therapist in private practice, I’ve seen how societal pressures to “get your best body ever” can weigh heavily on women—especially during the winter months when New Year’s resolutions flood the airwaves. The truth is, obsessing over dieting during the colder, quieter months can be counterproductive, especially if you’ve experienced trauma.
A Stressed-Out Body Cannot Lose Weight
Winter often brings additional stress, from holiday expectations to colder weather limiting activity. If your body is already dealing with stress, whether from external circumstances or internalized trauma, it may resist weight loss entirely. A stressed body will retain, gain, or lose weight unpredictably, making traditional diets a frustrating and ineffective cycle.
In fact, irregular eating patterns—like skipping meals all day and binging at night—confuse your metabolism. Your body, programmed for survival, perceives this as a famine and holds onto fat as a protective measure.
Winter Is a Season for Rest
Our bodies are deeply connected to the cycles of nature. Winter is a time of stillness and reflection, not overexertion or deprivation. Instead of focusing on weight loss, consider what your body truly needs during this season: warmth, nourishment, and rest.
Accepting your body’s current state is the first step toward change. Rather than forcing it into a dieting cycle that adds more stress, focus on creating sustainable habits that support long-term health.
Why Diets Don’t Work
Diets often trigger a stress response in the body, making weight loss even harder. They create fixation and anxiety around food, which can exacerbate negative beliefs about your body. Instead of dieting, try these approaches to support your overall well-being:
Prioritize regular, balanced meals to regulate your metabolism.
Add to your life, don’t take away: Explore winter soups, warm teas, and foods that comfort and sustain you.
Practice self-compassion: Get cozy in clothes that fit well now and allow you to enjoy the present moment.
Start Small
Find something that you can commit to and sometimes even enjoy doing. Before you sign up for the crazy intense, expensive workout program, can you drop into a workout class with a friend or do a dance workout at home?
Reframe Your Goals for the Winter
This winter, I encourage you to focus on how you want to feel, some goals for your wellness could be
Energized when you wake up.
Warm and cozy in clothes that you feel good in.
Content enjoying meals with loved ones.
Sense of purpose and direction.
Challenging yourself to trying new activities.
By shifting your focus from dieting to self-care and acceptance, you’re not just honoring your body—you’re honoring the season you’re in. Winter is for reflection and renewal. Save the push for high-energy goals for spring, when nature and your body are ready to bloom together. Move your body this winter but come from a place of joy.
Consider the Bigger Picture
When you’ve been trying to lose weight for a long time without success, the issue might not be your willpower—it could be unresolved trauma. Trauma is stored in the body and can disrupt your metabolism and overall health. Therapy can help release this stored trauma and create a healthier relationship with your body.
If you feel stuck or sense that deeper emotional wounds might be holding you back, I’m here to help. Therapy can be a powerful tool to release the weight of trauma and reconnect with your body in a healthy, sustainable way. Let’s make this winter a time of healing, not pressure.
I work with adult women virtually throughout California and inperson at my office in Lompoc, CA.
