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Why Do We Gain Weight During Winter?

gain weight during winter

Have you noticed that you tend to gain weight during winter? While there are many factors at play here, is it true for everybody? If you’re one of those who gain weight during winter, it is best to know why it happens and take necessary measures to prevent it!

Let’s Analyse Why We Gain Weight During Winter

  1. Less Water Intake: As we aren’t thirsty and neither do we sweat as much as we do during summer, we tend to drink very little water which makes us lethargic and fatigued. The usual signs like dry and flaky skin is an indicator that one is not having enough water. We use moisturisers instead and not increase water intake which gives more room for frequent infection and dehydration leading to headache and dry cough
  2. Not Exercising Enough: With the pleasant winter chills, it is a little difficult to get off the couch or bed. This leads to fewer calories being burned and as a result, weight gain!
  3. Increased Production of Melatonin: Less sunlight and shorter days affect our hormones and some people tend to produce more of the hormone melatonin which controls our sleep-wake cycle. This increased production of melatonin induces sleep when it is not the time to sleep, making one lazy, lacking motivation and energy. It also increases appetite and leads to eating more.
  4. Increase in Metabolism: While this sounds great, it doesn’t really support your weight loss goals during winter. The sudden increase in metabolism will burn more calories to keep you warm but it will also make you hungrier.
  5. Staying Indoors: makes us lazy and bored. When bored, we begin binge-watching followed by binge-eating comfort or fried food which is high in sugar and salt. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that this contributes to weight gain as well.  

How Do We Prevent Gaining Weight This Season?

There is an effective way to break the vicious cycle of more sleep, less healthy food and little to no exercise! Here’s how you can avoid gaining weight during winter.

  1. Choose Foods Wisely: Choose healthy, home-cooked meals such as soups. Opt for green tea. You can even add natural spices to your meals which are warm and benefit your health. Choose foods which can be paired with others or can be eaten any time of the day. Swap options like sauces available in markets to homemade hummus or dips.
  2. Pick a Hobby: Concentrate on other things like hobbies, sports, painting or reading books. You can even clean your house if you’ve been postponing it. Do something that engages you instead of finding comfort in food.
  3. Time Your Sleep: Maintain sleep timings which will set your circadian rhythm and help you stay active through the day or take power naps in the afternoon instead of sleeping for long hours
  4. Exercise: Plan indoor activities and exercises like yoga, skipping, stair activities which will help you be active more regularly. In fact, you can tune in to GOQii Play and browse some indoor workouts by fitness experts or yoga and meditation by yoga specialists. You can even opt for making group plans which have less chances of failure. If you can’t find a group, join our LIVE, interactive, GOQii PRO sessions conducted by experts within the GOQii App. 

That’s all! Mind what you eat, sleep on time and exercise regularly to not gain weight during winter. We hope you found this article useful! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on weight loss, fitness and being healthy, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Why Do We Feel Hungrier During Winter?

hungrier during winter

It’s normal to find a nice thick blanket, cozy up to a pillow and snack away on something warm to quell those hunger pangs that don’t seem to end during winter. This is often complemented with sudden weight gain and you’re left wondering where that excess weight came from. Well, there are several reasons for feeling hungrier during winter and we’re about to explore them.

Reasons for Feeling Hungrier During Winter

  1. High metabolism: During winter, our metabolism is quite high as the body tries to keep itself warm due to those teeth sputtering chill. The body produces more heat in order to combat the chill outside which is known as thermogenesis. To carry out this function, it requires extra calories which get burnt during the process, hence need extra food.
  2. Food Produces Heat: In cold weather, our body needs more calories to keep itself warm with the help of some involuntary activities like shivering. Hence, the body craves more food. When these extra calories start burning, it makes the body warm. Here, we need to remember not to satisfy the cravings with high sugar or high-fat foods as they raise blood sugar levels causing weight gain.
  3. Winter Comes With Multiple Choices: It’s the best time of the year for multiple reasons. One of those being food! Vegetables and fruits flood the markets. Plus, a lot of winter recipes are prepared with rich ingredients which induce weight gain. One can’t help but indulge in sweets this season brings. Not feeling hungry is definitely not an option
  4. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): As the days are shorter, we generally prefer staying indoors which can lead to Vitamin D deficiency and also lower levels of serotonin (happy hormone which generates because of exposure to daylight). These deficiencies typically causes Seasonal Emotional Disturbance or Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD : a sort of depression related to the shorter days of winter, which affects many of us. It is seen that individuals stricken from SAD crave more carbohydrates, as these facilitate the body’s use of tryptophan (amino acid) which can be converted into serotonin to spike up lower levels in the blood.
  5. Lazy Mornings: It becomes really difficult to get out of your cozy bed during winter mornings to go out for a walk, workout or even work. People prefer lying comfortably in bed, watching a TV show while binging on snacks endlessly. This increase in snacking and lack of physical activity make us gain extra kilos.

 Tips to Avoid Eating More  

  • Whenever you crave for food, try choosing some healthy options like salads, soups, sautéed veggies combined with proteins as these are high in fibre and gives a feeling of fullness.
  • Go out during the day to expose your body to the sun for some vitamin D and to boost your serotonin levels.
  • Perform your regular exercises as it helps in boosting your mood and avoids indulgence in unnecessary snacking.
  • Go out with friends or play with a pet if you are stressed. Don’t look at food as an alternative coping mechanism. 

The bottom line is – eat mindfully and enjoy winters! We hope this article helps you make healthier choices. For more winter tips, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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