How to Avoid Winter Weight

Humans, like bears, have a natural tendency to pack on the pounds in winter. We have a subconscious impulse to overeat in the winter. In the days before grocery stores and Uber Eats, this made sense. Food was scarcer in the winter months, and eating more food, or carrying extra weight, helped to ensure your survival.

Food shortages in the winter aren’t a thing for us anymore, but that subconscious impulse remains. It doesn’t help that most of what we consider traditional winter foods are rich, fatty, starchy, sugary, or some combination of all of the above.

So, we’re naturally inclined to eat more in the winter, and a lot of the food is going to be extra-rich in calories. Winter weight gain seems almost unavoidable. 

The best way to avoid winter weight gain is really the same thing you do all year round to keep yourself in good shape. Eat lots of vegetables, complex carbs, and protein. This keeps you full longer and helps suppress your appetite.

Focus on whole foods, too. Nuts, nut butters, sweet potatoes, beans, whole grains, fish, lean meat, you know the drill. Exercise is crucial, too.

In other words, the best way to avoid gaining winter weight is to do all the same things you normally do to avoid gaining weight. There’s no magic trick, and there’s nothing special about avoiding weight gain in the winter. Just stick to your normal routine, assuming your normal routine keeps you fit and trim, and you’ll be fine.