If there is one thing that we hate about the winter season, it’s that we tend to pile on weight easily. However, if you are thinking that working out regularly, drinking and eating in moderation will be enough for you to prevent weight gain, then you need to think again. From getting adequate sleep to embracing the sun, experts share their complete guide to preventing winter weight gain.
Healthy comfort snacks
Winter is the season to give in to our craving for comfort food. And if you decide to give in, then it’s going to result in weight gain for you. The solution to this conundrum is that you snack on healthy comfort food such as carrots, onions, beets, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, parsnips and rutabaga. This is a win-win situation for you as you satisfy your craving without piling on weight.
Embrace the sun
Expose yourself to sunlight in the winter season. Too little sunlight can cause cravings for high-calorie, fatty carbs like cakes, cookies, ice cream and chips. Lack of sunlight decreases the production of serotonin in our body. Serotonin is responsible for boosting our mood and suppressing food cravings.
Adequate sleep
This is good news for all those who love to sleep in winters. If you want to avoid gaining weight in the winters then it’s important that you get adequate sleep as per your body’s requirement. Lack of sleep slows down metabolism and leads to unhealthy cravings for carbohydrates. This is the one of the reasons you end up piling weight in winters. Before sleeping, avoid alcohol and coffee, you need at least 8 hours of sleep in the cold season.
Warm thy body
The cold weather is a source of stress for the body. And some of us when stressed, tend to eat. This reason for weight gain is not known to most people. You need to keep your body temperature stable and maintain to homeostasis, and you require energy for that. To curb your hunger, indulge in leafy green vegetables. Also eat legumes, hot peppers and ginger.
Spice it up
To give your metabolism a speed boost and to avoid overeating and weight gain, spice up your meals. Use warm spices like red pepper, cinnamon, clove and garlic, ginger to boost your metabolism. These spices when added to your food, will do wonders for your taste buds. They will also help you avoid chemical-laden marinades reports Hindustan Times.
