Defeating winter weight gain

For most of the people, winter weight gain is harder to control. Usually complaints of weight gain, increase with the falling temperature. Reduced exercise, increased desire for eating sweets and high calories food, and seasonal effective disorders are three main reasons behind winter ponderousness.
Staying active over winter, saves the body from mounting up extra amount of fat. Regular exercise plays important role keeping up ideal weight yearlong. Some people find it difficult to continue exercises and outdoor physical activities when it is cold outside. While, exercising regularly during the cold season not only keeps the body healthy and smart, it also strengthens immune system to fight off winter flue and colds.
On the other hand, lack of calorie burning activities makes the body flabby and pear shaped. Such seasonal extra weight tends to stay on. James Hill, a nutritionist, says, "Regular physical activity reduces stress, strengthens muscles and bones, energizes, reduces the risk of chronic disease, and makes you feel good."
With proper management of timings, it is easy to find at least 30 minutes walking time to warm up the body. For those with little or no time for spending outdoor activities, walking up n down the stairs is one of the best ways to burn calories. Other best exercises during the winter are roping and jumping.
"When it is cold, it becomes even more important to stretch well," An expert says. For many people, cold winter waves bring sprain and muscles tightness, making it difficult to continue ordinary physical activities. It is important to progress slowly to prevent muscle's injury. Muscles should properly get warmth and stretched before beginning the activity. Warming up the body with light and easy to do exercises such as walking for five minutes then resting for five minutes and start walking again for five minutes surely keeps at bay unwanted fatness and increases quality of life.
Foodstuffs keep bodies warm during winter; hence, people usually eat more in cold than they do in summer season. Traditional winter foods such as carrot halvah, egg's halvah, sri paya are high in calories and contain excessive fats. To crave winter hunger high protein and high fiber snacks and foods are the best choice. Almonds, rich source of iron, magnesium, vitaminB1 and phosphorus are ideal winter snack. Other useful nuts such as walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts and hazelnuts are traditional winter warmer snacks.
Intake of fluid is important even in winter season. It is good drinking orange juice at breakfast; but throughout the rest of the day drinking water makes the flow of minerals easy among body cells. Moreover, it helps to excrete toxic materials from the body. To reduce belly fat drinking two glasses of milk daily shows significant results. For those allergic to milk, yogurt is a best replacement. Three daily servings of yogurt have enough calcium to reduce the capacity of the body cells to store fats. Nutritionist explained that dairy products are sources of conjugated linoleic acid, belly fat-busting compound.
Women are more at risk of seasonal effective disorder (SAD). The disorder is of two types, fall onset and summer onset. Surveys show that winter depression is more common than summer onset. Symptoms of winter depression may be fatigue, sleep disorder, and unusual craving for unhealthy foodstuff such as cookies, bread and chips, etc (unhealthy carbohydrates).
The clinical reason of SAD is that brain produces less soothing neurotransmitter, serotonin, during short days of winter, which results in the feeling of depression. To overcome depressant mood people overeat unhealthy carbs, because carbs enhance serotonin production. This results extra weight over the winter season. Simple changes in behaviours can help to acquire maximum health benefits. Giving preferences to healthful carbs such as whole grain wheat, legumes and fruits and vegetables not only boost the level of serotonin but also help to maintain ideal weight.
Nutritionists warn that those having habit of eating carelessly have more chances to put on extra weight during winter. These extra pounds can cause obesity, diabetics and heart diseases. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours; they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast.
Many people turn to eat more when they have depressed mood. Increased craving for foods containing high calories and low nutrients may cause digestive disorder, stomach pain and increased apatite. Regular exercises are the best alteration of antidepressant pills; it also eliminates the temptation for overeating during winter's short days.
Barbara A. Brehm, is an Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Studies at Smith College, Northampton says, "Don't forget that exercise can be an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression. People who experience winter depression can try combining exercise and light therapy by exercising outdoors when time and weather permit.
Seasonal fruits and vegetables help having less overall body fat. Adding them in daily menu brings about positive results because of their high nutrient values. For example, adding capsicum, shredded carrots, and green cabbage in Chicken corn soup, makes it an ideal healthful hot drink of winter.
Winter is the season of traditional leafy vegetables, such spinach, fenugreek, soya, cabbage, etc. Magnesium, iron, vitamin C and Vitamin K are active nutrients of these vegetables. Low in calories, these are helpful in weight management programme.
Leafy vegetables cooked in number of ways. Chefs recommend not to over cook for saving their nutrient values. A recent studies conducted by Leicester University reveals that leafy vegetables especially spinach and cauliflowers provide protection against diabetics. Likewise, shallow fried Spinach mixed with rice provides high nourishing meal.
Dr Victoria King, of Diabetes UK, said "The development of type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle, which means that many cases could be prevented by keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar with plenty of fruit and vegetables."
This is an ideal season of the year to bake and grill foods. Add figs and sultanas to cake and muffins give nutrition to flavours. Toting up citrus juice to grilled meats helps reduce stomach heaviness. Papaya provides vitamin A for healthy glowing skin and an enzyme to aid in digestion. Fruit chat made with mixed chunks of papaya, apples and guava and chickpeas with the extract of citrus juice are a good source of vitamins and fibers. Rinds of oranges and lemons added when boiling water for rice gives exotic fragrance to Biryani.
It may be surprising for many readers that good sleep boost winter weight control efforts. Irregular sleepers increase weight more easily, because lack of sleep promotes appetite for food. Resting for at least 7 to 9 hours daily regulate sleep hormones. Sleep deprivation decreases body temperature and increases heart rate variability.