How to WIN the Battle of the Bulge
If you’re missing the sun right now, you’re NOT alone. February is prime time for the winter blahs.
The holidays are long over. The days are short.
And many folks are fighting low energy, irritability, and, maybe most irritating of all, THE MUNCHIES.
During the winter doldrums, folks pack on an average of five to seven pounds.
But lack of willpower ISN’T the culprit. It turns out the actual SEASON is to blame.
Keep reading to discover the surprising reason why and what you can do about it.
The shorter days don’t just make you feel different. They trigger literal changes.
The drop in natural light sends a message to your body to reduce the production of certain hormones and pump out more of others.
These hormonal changes aren’t as relevant today as they once were. But they’re intended to help prepare your body for the challenging winter months heading your way.
For example, men tend to produce more estrogen and less testosterone in the winter. And our cortisol levels typically peak in February.
And since our ancestors needed to bulk up to make it through the sparse winter months, your body pumps out more of the “hunger” hormone, ghrelin.
Ghrelin stimulates your appetite, so you gain weight while simultaneously feeling more lethargic, resulting in less calories burned. Plus, it makes you more likely to reach for starchy, calorie-dense foods.
This hormonal reaction could have been the difference between life and death for our hunter/gatherer ancestors who had to survive long, brutal winters.
The bottom line is winter weight gain ISN’T your fault. You’re not fighting your lack of willpower. You’re battling something even stronger. And that’s mother nature in the form of potent hormones.
But don’t give up. You CAN overcome your body’s ancient self-preservation mechanisms in this case.
The secret is simple. Spend more time outside!
It’s the lack of sunlight that spurs these hormonal changes. So exposing yourself to more bright light throughout the day can make a big difference.
For example, getting more morning sunlight helps reset your circadian rhythm, shifting the time for sleep earlier. As a result, you’ll end up eating LESS in the evenings.
Even indoor lighting makes a difference. One study found that people who ate in dim light consumed 39 percent more calories while eating in bright light led to better food choices.
Remember, you’re not controlling these types of decisions… your hormones are. So the best thing you can do to regain control of your weight is to take back control of your hormones.
In addition to getting more sunlight throughout the day, exercise (outdoors if possible) and spend more time in nature, exposing yourself to charged atoms that help heal your cells and combat stress.
P.S. Hormonal-triggered eating isn’t the only thing that could sabotage your weight loss efforts. Click here to read about these other troublemakers that have nothing to do with food.
Sources:
“Relationship between Seasonal Changes in Food Intake and Energy Metabolism, Physical Activity, and Body Composition in Young Japanese Women.” Nutrients. 2022 Jan 24;14(3):506. doi: 10.3390/nu14030506. PMID: 35276865; PMCID: PMC8838489.
“Circannual changes in stress and feeding hormones and their effect on food-seeking behaviors.” Front Neurosci. 2013 Aug 7;7:140. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00140. PMID: 23966906; PMCID: PMC3735984.
