With the arrival of winter, our body switches to a different mode, as a result of which we begin to eat more. How to normalize this process in order to maintain your weight until spring?
Why are we getting better?
First, you need to figure out why we eat more in winter. Firstly, because as the temperature drops, the body needs to produce more energy in order to warm up. Our body strives to acquire an additional layer of fat in order not to freeze when the temperature drops. Therefore, in one meal we begin to absorb twice as much food, and satiation comes much later than usual.
Secondly, winter overeating is associated with a decrease in the emotional background during this period, with the onset of various types of depression. Yes, it was in spring and summer that life seemed like raspberries - walk until the morning, enjoy the weather and all the colors of life. But with the colder weather, it seems that this very life has already ended. It gets dark early, the window is constantly gray, vital activity decreases. Well, in this case, why not treat yourself to a chocolate bar, a box of chocolates, or your favorite high-calorie dish to lift your mood? It seems to us that after eating something delicious, our mood increases exponentially. And once you start, it’s difficult to stop. So the result is plus 5-10 kg by spring.
What to do?
If you can’t limit yourself in food, you should resort to some tricks that will help you feel full and not reach for more.
Make it a rule to eat more warm food. In winter, this is the “it” for your body. Firstly, after a winter walk it’s always nice to have a snack with warmed up soup, and secondly, such food will just raise your body temperature, and the body will not need to produce additional energy. In addition to soups, drink hot tea and various kinds of roast. But as a dessert, for example, you can have baked apples or warm milk with nuts.
The body still remembers how you pampered it with delicious fruits in the summer. Therefore, to cheer up and remember warm days, it is worth including more bright, but at the same time accessible, seasonal fruits in your diet. It could be a banana, kiwi, persimmon, sharon, etc.. They are convenient to snack on and will prevent you from feeling hungry.
In winter, we are especially thirsty because we sweat a lot under our clothes. We suggest you replace regular water with, for example, green or herbal tea - they dull the feeling of hunger.
When going outside, dress warmly: if you do not freeze, your body will not require additional “fuel” (in our case, food) to warm up. It is better to wear clothes in several “layers” - a T-shirt, sweater, jacket. Then there will be an air gap between the layers of your clothes and the cold will not overcome you.
And to ward off winter depression, keep yourself busy. Sign up for a gym or some additional classes, such as English or Spanish. Be sure to go for a walk during the day! And meet with friends more often - fresh news and pleasant emotions from loved ones will not let you lose heart.
With such a busy schedule, you are unlikely to have the desire to have an extra snack. And therefore you are not in danger of overeating.
Live well! And let the extra pounds pass you by!