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.