PREVENT WINTER WEIGHT GAIN

Your guide to stopping cold weather weight gain in its tracks

 

By Lila Bruk (Registered Dietician)

 

 

Many people find that they gain weight over winter. However, gaining weight in winter is not an inevitability, and this guide will show you how to stop winter weight gain in its tracks before it lands on  your hips and clings to your thighs!

 

 

The 2 main factors that influence weight gain during winter and what to do about this

 

1. Change in Diet

 

It goes without saying that when the weather turns colder, salads seem much less appealing in comparison to “comfort” (i.e. high fat!) food. Many also often feel that since their body needs to work harder to maintain its normal temperature in the cold weather, that they need to “carbo-load,” resulting in lots of pastas, biscuits, cakes and pastries being consumed.

 

 

However, nowadays our environment is mostly temperature-controlled and thus the amount of extra energy that your body needs to expend in generating heat is negligible. A change of diet associated with winter is one of the main causes of winter weight gain.

 

Here are some tips for eating healthily despite the cold weather:

 

  • Try not to change your diet. As mentioned previously, there is no significant physiological reason why your diet need change much nor why your body needs more food in winter.

  • Try eating more protein – it fills you up, stabilizes your blood sugar thus reduce the cravings for cakes, biscuits, crisps and other rich, fatty, refined starchy foods. Good protein sources include lean meat, chicken, fish, egg whites, legumes, low-fat dairy products and tofu.
  • Make things easier on yourself by stocking up on filling, wholesome, delicious, lower-calorie foods: soups, stews and stirfries are all perfect and satisfying dinners for colder nights, and can easily be prepared with very little fat.
  • Warm foods are more filling and satisfying than colder foods, so:
    • Have hot soup instead of cold salad
    • Have warm oats or Oat Bran instead of regular breakfast cereal, or have your favourite cereal with warm milk
    • Have a baked or microwaved apple served with a dash of cinnamon and a dollop of fat-free yoghurt instead of a plain raw apple
  • You may find it difficult to drink enough water in winter, but remember just because you feel less thirsty or are perspiring less, your body still needs fluids. You can meet some of your water requirements with:
    • Rooibos or other herbal teas (without milk)
    • Hot water with lemon juice
    • Vegetable soups

  • Instead of calorie-laden hot chocolate, have hot cocoa made with a teaspoon of cocoa powder, hot water, a splash of fat-free milk and artificial sweetener to taste. You’ll barely notice the difference.
  • Instead of whiling away the winter nights with large bowls of crisps, slabs of chocolate and a string of DVDs, try a new hobby. By doing something creative, you will not only be distracted from the contents of your kitchen cupboards, but you will also experience a sense of accomplishment and an improvement in your self esteem. This helps to control your weight, because if you feel better about yourself, you are less likely to resort to emotionally overeating or bingeing.

 

2. Decrease in physical activity level

 

It goes without saying that it is difficult to psyche oneself up for exercising when the rain is pouring, the wind is howling or the mercury is dropping dangerously close to freezing.  Physical activity in winter is not only good for your body but also good for your mind. It has many psychological benefits, such as improving one’s sense of control over one’s health and body image. 

 

There are ways to stay active during winter if you are prepared to handle a more intense programme or even if you are not a gym-oriented type of person:

 

For those prepared to handle a more active programme:

 

  • Schedule your workouts into your calendar the same way you schedule in any other appointment, and don’t allow anything to come between you and your workout time. 
     
  • Check out your local gym, fitness centre or community recreation centre for new programmes or classes. The winter months are the perfect time to master a new sport, learn a new type of dance or to try a new exercise class.
  • If the colder weather is your excuse for foregoing the gym, remember that it’s likely that the gym will be temperature-controlled and it is indoors. Therefore even if it’s storming outside, inside it will still be perfect workout weather!

 

For those less gym-oriented (but can also be added to the regime of more active):

  • If you having trouble fitting in winter exercise, try using your favourite shopping centre as a heart-pumping cardio session:
    • Wear your exercise shoes to the centre
    • Park several blocks away from the entrance
    • Power-walk as you window shop
    • Take the stairs instead of escalators or lifts.
    • If you need to do any grocery shopping, do that at the beginning, so that you have to carry the packets. The packets will act as extra resistance while you walk!

 

  • If you are not a member of a gym and/or prefer to exercise alone, there are a few options to stay in shape by exercising at home:
    • Consider buying a piece of home exercise equipment (e.g. treadmill or exercise bike).
    • If you enjoy cycling, you can get a bike mount so that your normal bike can be used indoors as a stationary bike.
    • Be creative and use everyday household items as exercise equipment:
      • 1.5-litre water bottles can be filled with sand to become hand weights
      • A flight of stairs is a built-in cardio tool which you can walk up briskly or run up, depending on your fitness level
      • The bottom stair can be used to do lunges or step-ups.
      • And of course don’t forget the power of your own body weight – you don’t need any equipment to do sit-ups, push-ups or squats.

 

 Hopefully you will now feel that you can prevent winter weight gain and still reach or maintain your health and weight goals despite the cold weather. Here’s hoping that winter will be a “breeze” and free from winter blues, allowing you to greet spring lighter, healthier and happier.

 

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