It seems that every winter we acquire a few pounds, and come summer we don’t always lose them. A few of them may tend to stick around, adding to our overall weight every year. It can be quite hard to lose to those extra pounds!
Why does this happen and what can we do?
There are quite a few things involved. First, it seems likely that we have an inherited trait to store more fat as winter approaches. Several animals do this and it was probably necessary for survival for our ancestors. More layers of fat on the body protect us against the winter temperatures. This body fat can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. We likely have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is abundant after harvest time, to help this process along. We also might choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.
Hormone levels also affect our weight gain. The interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain can bring about changes in appetite and desires. Some neurotransmitters can also affect the way we eat. People who have difficulty losing weight often have low levels of these neurotransmitters and the consequences can include excessive appetite, depression and sleep disorders. At the same time, the lack of daylight caused by the shortening days during late fall and winter can bring on Seasonal Affected Disorder (S.A.D.), or winter depression. (Note: S.A.D. shouldn’t be confused with clinical depression or bipolar disorder.)
One of the fastest ways to boost the energy levels and emotions is to eat foods that have a high carbohydrate level, including sugary snacks, chips, and cereals that give us a rapid spike in blood sugar. So people who feel down in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.
Altogether there are plenty of reasons why we eat more high-carb foods like cookies and chips in the winter, and to make matters worse, most of these foods also have high levels of fat… and not the good kind. Check out Which Starchy Foods Should You Avoid? for a full list.
The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrates so that we get what our body craves, but are fat-free and also have plenty of fiber. Some examples of these types of foods would be potatoes, whole grain bread, whole grain rice, and fresh whole fruit.
Let’s not forget about
Remember, spring will be here before you know it. Let’s be ready for it, and leave winter weight gain behind.
Committed To Your Health,
P.S. Have you joined our FREE Facebook Group yet? Connect with others on the same journey as you. Inside of our community, we run weekly challenges, live Q&A’s, post free workouts, healthy recipes, and other useful tips for losing weight and increasing lean muscle without spending countless hours in the gym.
It seems that every winter we acquire a few pounds, and come summer we don’t always lose them. A few of them may tend to stick around, adding to our overall weight every year. It can be quite hard to lose to those extra pounds!
Why does this happen and what can we do?
There are quite a few things involved. First, it seems likely that we have an inherited trait to store more fat as winter approaches. Several animals do this and it was probably necessary for survival for our ancestors. More layers of fat on the body protect us against the winter temperatures. This body fat can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. We likely have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is abundant after harvest time, to help this process along. We also might choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.
Hormone levels also affect our weight gain. The interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain can bring about changes in appetite and desires. Some neurotransmitters can also affect the way we eat. People who have difficulty losing weight often have low levels of these neurotransmitters and the consequences can include excessive appetite, depression and sleep disorders. At the same time, the lack of daylight caused by the shortening days during late fall and winter can bring on Seasonal Affected Disorder (S.A.D.), or winter depression. (Note: S.A.D. shouldn’t be confused with clinical depression or bipolar disorder.)
One of the fastest ways to boost the energy levels and emotions is to eat foods that have a high carbohydrate level, including sugary snacks, chips, and cereals that give us a rapid spike in blood sugar. So people who feel down in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.
Altogether there are plenty of reasons why we eat more high-carb foods like cookies and chips in the winter, and to make matters worse, most of these foods also have high levels of fat… and not the good kind. Check out Which Starchy Foods Should You Avoid? for a full list.
The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrates so that we get what our body craves, but are fat-free and also have plenty of fiber. Some examples of these types of foods would be potatoes, whole grain bread, whole grain rice, and fresh whole fruit.
Let’s not forget about
Remember, spring will be here before you know it. Let’s be ready for it, and leave winter weight gain behind.
Committed To Your Health,
P.S. Have you joined our FREE Facebook Group yet? Connect with others on the same journey as you. Inside of our community, we run weekly challenges, live Q&A’s, post free workouts, healthy recipes, and other useful tips for losing weight and increasing lean muscle without spending countless hours in the gym.
