Posted on December 17, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

How to avoid winter weight gain can seem like a difficult question at times. In fact there has been no scientific evidence that we are biologically predisposed to weight gain during the winter months. Well unless your a bear, which has changes in its hunger hormones before it goes into hibernation but it’s rare we see any bears working out at the motive8 Personal Training studios in Leeds.  Here are our top 5 tips to help keep the winter weight gain at bay!

 

• Because Its Christmas Day Doesn’t Mean Its Christmas Month!Don’t trick yourself into thinking you can consume whatever you want because Christmas is coming. Remember every single thing you place in your mouth has a calorie price, non more so than alcohol. I want you to think that every 100 calories you put into your system will require roughly 1 mile of running to utilise the energy. So those 3 mini chocolates with your morning coffee equals a good 3 mile run.

• Cook Meals From Scratch: The winter is a period of finger foods, meals out, poor quality processed carbohydrates. However that’s maybe a couple of meals a week, maybe more if your very social, it doesn’t mean, lunches, breakfasts need to be rubbish too. Stick to healthy eating basic where you can, use fresh ingredients. There is no time more so than winter that we need a good variety and high amount of micro-nutirents.

• Take Up a Winter Sport/ Hobby: I don’t know why people fell obligated to lock themselves away in winter, I guarantee if you’re working towards fat loss being more active is definitely a good thing. Even simply adding in a 20 minute walk every evening would be a considerable benefit against winter weight gain. For those of you more adventures, enjoy some cross country running, taken up mountain biking, take up indoor skiing in Castleford or Manchester or even start Munro Walking.

• Manage Stress Better: Okay easier said than done, the winter season comes with family stress, work stress and finical stress. Stress is the gateway to poor food choices and a series of metabolic and hormonal issues that lead to weight gain. Try increasing your vitamin C intake, which has been shown the help manage elevated cortisol levels. Take up yoga, or keep a journal, make sure you do something that works for you.

• Don’t Stop Training: Some people have the mindset that because its Christmas you should stop doing physical exercise. If ever there was a time to do more training this would be it. Stopping training for long periods of time over winter not only helps pile on the pounds but reduces your fitness. Most attributes of fitness start to deteriorate after 8 days, making it even harder to regain composition after Christmas.