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Once the bone-chilling cold of January sets in, it can be hard to stick to your New Year’s resolutions. (Who wants to go to the gym in the face of record-low temperatures?)

As for eating healthy, it’s not exactly appetizing to cozy up to a cold salad on a chilly winter’s night, Andrea Giancoli, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told weather.com.

But there are still ways to eat well during winter — enjoying both the season’s bounty and warming foods you’ll love to enjoy, she said.

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Click through to find out what to eat to shed weight this winter. 

Broth- or tomato-based soups

Clear soups, not creamy stews, can be powerful weight loss foods. “They help to fill you up, and you’ll fill up on more volume for [fewer] calories,” Giancoli said. With broth soup as a starter, you’ll eat less during your main meal, she added. “It’s the same thing with salads — a good amount of volume with very few calories.”

Kale

This winter veggie (kale is a cruciferous vegetable, related to cabbage) is an ideal weight-loss food. It’s in season in the winter, and it’s full of vitamins A and C and calcium. It’s high in fiber and even has a decent amount of protein, which will help fill you up. 

Coffee 

Hot coffee on a cold day can taste great, plus it has a weight-loss effect, as long as you don't load it with cream and sugar. “Coffee temporarily revs metabolism,” Giancoli said. “It’s essentially flavored water, so it’s also going to fill you up — a twofold effect.”

Spices

Spicy food can help you feel warm and also boost your body’s calorie burn. Specifically, capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers, has been shown to increase your body’s metabolism slightly, Giancoli said. 

Fatty fish

Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, boosts the hormone leptin in your body. Leptin plays an important role in regulating your metabolism, “plus [fish is] high in protein, so that’s going to help maintain your satiety longer,” Giancoli said. 

Bean soups or chili

A healthful part of many winter dishes, beans are a high-fiber, low-calorie protein choice.

Oatmeal 

Warm oatmeal is often thought of as a “stick to your ribs” food, and research shows there’s truth to that, Giancoli said. “It’s packed with fiber, keeping you satisfied for a longer period of time,” she said, adding that eating your oatmeal with a piece of fruit makes an easy, well-balanced breakfast.

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Tea

“Tea can be a comforting beverage for people during cold weather,” Giancoli said. It has a little bit of caffeine, and some studies show it holds a particular compound that slightly increases metabolism. Like coffee, tea is mostly water, so it helps keep you hydrated and satisfied. 

Air-popped popcorn

If cold weather has you reaching for comforting snacks, try popcorn, Giancoli suggested. “The idea is to get a comfort food that is high in volume, that’s fun to eat and that you’re going to enjoy,” she explained. “Popcorn is a whole grain, and its fiber will help with weight loss as well.”

Citrus fruit 

These winter fruits are a great weight loss option, as they are low in calories and high in filling water. Plus, the nutrients in citrus fruits can give your immune system a much-needed boost this cold and flu season.

Brussels sprouts

Like other cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts are high in fiber and may help lower cholesterol.

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Carrots and parsnips

These root vegetables peak in the fall and winter. They’re rich in vitamin K, fiber and potassium.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are a winter food favorite, thanks to their high antioxidant content. 

Winter squash

A great in-season way to eat carbs this winter, squash fills you up with fiber and vitamins. Spaghetti squash, for example, can be used as a low calorie, high nutrition substitute for pasta. 

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