Winter weight gain is a common complaint of many people. It
seems that every winter we add a few pounds, and come summer
we don't lose them all again either. A few of them always
stick around, making us a little heavier every year. They
seem to be very hard to lose extra pounds! Why does this
happen and what can we do?
There are many contributing factors. First, it seems likely
that we have a genetic disposition to store more fat as
winter approaches. Many animals do this and it was probably
vital to survival for our ancestors. Extra layers of fat on
the body protect us against the cold and then can be used
as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food
stocks would historically be very low. We probably have a
tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is plentiful
after harvest time, to help this process along. We may also
unconsciously choose foods that are higher in fat content at
this time.
Hormone levels can also influence our weight gain. The
interaction of hormones and other chemicals in the brain
can bring about variations in appetite and cravings. Some
neurotransmitters can also influence the way we eat. People
who are overweight often have low levels of these
neurotransmitters and the results 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 seasonally affected
disorder or winter depression. One of the quickest ways to
give a boost to the energy levels and emotions is to eat
high carbohydrate foods including sugar treats, chips and
cereals that give us a fast blood sugar 'fix'. So people
who feel low in the winter will tend to overeat or eat the
wrong foods, leading to weight gain, more depression and a
vicious cycle that is hard to break.
So altogether there are many reasons why we eat more high
carbohydrate foods such as cookies, pies and chocolate in
the winter, and of course most of these foods also contain
high levels of fats. The best way to handle this is
generally to substitute other foods that are also high in
carbohydrate so that we get what our body craves, but which
have low fat content and plenty of fiber. This means
potatoes, wholegrain bread without butter, wholegrain rice,
cereals, and fresh whole fruit.
It is also important to take more exercise. Often our
physical activity levels drop in the winter and we have a
tendency to want to stay home and rest. This is natural
when it is cold outside. But we are not cavemen! We have
heating in our homes and can be sure that there will still
be plenty of food in the stores come February. We do not
need to stow fat the way that they did. Sign up with a gym
or get a stationary bicycle for the den. Transform those
carbs into energy now instead of keeping it on the
waistline until spring. Winter weight gain is easily
avoidable this way.
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