Get Rid Of Winter Weight Gain - Why Does It Happen And What Can We Do?

There are many contributing factors. Some say our genetic disposition tells our body to store more fat as winter approaches. This is understandable...humans need to keep warm unless, of course if you live in Florida. Many animals do this...take the polar bear, for instance, who gains massive amounts of fat to survive the winter.

It was probably vital to survival for our ancestors. Extra layers of fat on the body protect us against the cold and then can be used as fuel in the late winter and early spring when food stocks would historically be very low. Nothing grows very much or fast in the winter so food stores are pretty low come spring time.

We probably have a tendency to eat more in the fall, when food is plentiful after harvest time, to help this process along. We may also unconsciously choose foods that are higher in fat content at this time.

Our bodies have stored this information for generations. All on an instinct level. It's build into our systems.

So altogether there are many reasons why we eat more high carbohydrate foods such as cookies, pies and chocolate in the winter, and of course most of these foods also contain high levels of fats.

The best way to handle this is generally to substitute other foods that are also high in carbohydrate so that we get what our body craves, but which have low fat content and plenty of fiber.

This means potatoes, wholegrain bread without butter, wholegrain rice, cereals, and fresh whole fruit. Our bodies do need a certain level of fat content but the good fat. Such as omega fats found in fish and olives.

In the winter we also tend to sit around a lot more than in the spring and summer. Back in our ancestors time they didn't have televisions to watch so when it got darker earlier they tended to sit and sew, crochet, fix bridles, or what have you.

They didn't get as much exercise in the winter as in the summer months, the same as us nowadays but we have something they didn't have...

We have heating in our homes, cars, offices and we have supermarkets just down the road. So we can be sure that there will still be plenty of food in the pantry come February or we can run to the store and get it. They couldn't!

They only had what was in their pantry to survive the winter. So they tended to put on a lot more weight to survive the winter. It's what's called the "survival instinct".

And it's built into our systems and it will probable take many generations, if ever, to over come it. Remember technology has not been around for that long. Only about 120 years.

We don't need to stow away fat the way the way they did. So to get rid of that winter weight gain sign up with a gym or get a stationary bicycle for the den. Do more during the winter time.

Transform those carbs into energy now instead of keeping it on the waistline until spring. Winter weight gain is easily avoidable this way.