How To Avoid Winter Weight Gain

Avoid Winter Weight Gain

Winter weight gain happens to a lot of people who live in parts of the world that have cold winters. If you do watch your weight you may find losing weight in winter is more difficult than any other time of the year.

But it’s not your fault!

Most people, even those with a normal weight, gain a few pounds when the weather starts to turn colder.

Although it obviously varies from person to person, surveys show that the average winter weight gain is anything between five to seven pounds.

Reasons For Winter Weight Gain

Firstly, it’s important to understand the causes of winter weight gain. There are two primary elements.

The first is a biological tendency that is within our genes and it is there to help us survive in wintry climates. Basically, our bodies are designed to store more fat as winter approaches just like most animals do. The reason is that more fat means more protection from the cold and more stored nutrients that the body can use if food is hard to find in the winter months. Our bodies don’t know that we can simply buy warm winter clothing and food we need it from a local store,  no matter what the weather is like outside.

In primitive communities, there was always plenty of food after summer as this was the time when nuts, fruits and grains are ripe. It makes sense that we would feel hungrier at this time and crave ‘warming’ high carbohydrate foods that can easily be converted to fat and stored ready for the late winter and spring when plant-based foods are hard to find.

The second factor that can cause winter weight gain are hormonal changes caused by the shortening days. These changes affect our eating habits as winter approaches. It is recognised that having a lesser amount of natural light can cause depression and low energy (known as SAD or seasonally affected depression). Most people who are overweight tend to eat more when they feel low. We also turn to food, especially refined carbohydrate foods like chips, chocolate, cake or white bread for a fast energy boost when we feel tired. These foods cause blood sugar swings that lead to more lows and cravings.

How to Prevent Weight Gain In Winter

Knowing all of this makes it much easier to avoid winter weight gain. We have a natural tendency to eat more and to eat the wrong foods at this time of year. We cannot expect to continually fight our biological need but we can be careful what foods we choose.

It’s okay to have high carbohydrate foods in the autumn if that is what you hunger for (and as long as you are not on a low carb diet) but be sure to choose whole grains and starchy vegetables over sugar and refined carb foods. The fiber in brown rice, whole grain bread, pumpkin etc helps to slow down the absorption and keep our blood sugar stable.

While doing so, you can avoid winter weight gain by being careful not to take in any avoidable fats. Don’t spread butter thickly all over that whole grain bread or pumpkin, or cover your whole grain pasta in a cheese sauce. Choose low fat dairy products and use them sparingly.

Also, one of the key winter weight loss tips is to keep exercising. Primitive folk would have not have had much exercise in the cold winters, but we don’t have to be dependent on outdoor activities for our fitness. We can go to the gym or keep a stationary bike in the spare room or garage. That way, even if we do eat a bit extra, we don’t have to let it affect our weight.

HOW TO AVOID WINTER WEIGHT GAIN

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