Written by Jordyn King

I get it, we aren't showing off our bodies, we aren't wearing shirts and shorts, it's sweater weather, and we can cover up some unwanted winter weight. However, weight gain can add up so quickly if you're not cautious or mindful. It's important to stay on track all year long and not take a large break during the winter times. I get the most clients when it comes to the winter time in fear of gaining weight when there are more social outings and the delicious decadent holiday meals. For myself, I call it “hibernating season” because no one will notice if I gain a little extra unwanted weight and indulge in the foods I love, but know I shouldn't have, we all have been there. Here are reasons why some of us may be gaining weight:

1. You avoid working out in the colder weather

Working out in the cold weather can take a little extra effort. If you live in warm bipolar weather like me, in North Carolina with mostly warm weather with not much of extreme cold winters, it can be tough to get used to the cold winter days. Avoiding working out in colder weather could cause a potential weight gain, if you aren't doing your daily routine exercises per usual. The increasing holiday social parties can make us gain those unwanted weight, especially now when we are able to be in social environments, thank you COVID. Even though we may not be used to the cold weather to work out, take a look at all these benefits when you work out in the cold weather: 

 The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism study found that cold weather workouts could burn more calories compared to those done in warm weather. Since the body has to work harder to workout in harsher weather conditions and be able to generate enough heat to keep you going and to stay warm, which makes sense. I used to be a collegiate athlete and those 6am sprints in 30 degree weather were harsh. It was fighting season for me. I would wake up not wanting to move, put on as much winter gear as I could to go get myself up and run. However, when I started to exercise and run for more than 5 min, my body warmed up and didn’t need all those layers of clothes. This means your body is burning twice the amount of calories due to generating so much heat in your body. Keep in mind, you don't have to wear as many layers as you think in the cold weather, once you hit that breaking point of generating enough heat and burning of calories throughout your whole body, your body will warm up quickly. Remember to stay hydrated as well and stretch before and after your workouts. Additionally, if you're a sucker for the cold weather, working out indoors is always an option.

Solution: Even if it's just finding a temporary gym or a low-cost indoor treadmill will help through this process. 

2. You eat too many Holiday foods

Getting into the holiday season can be a little challenging and tricky when it comes to weight loss, but fear not! It's possible to eat, drink and enjoy the good festivities without adding on those extra pounds.  Since it is the holidays, it is a special occasion and you deserve to celebrate and definitely say YES to dessert! Desserts can be a part of a healthy diet since you should be focusing on your total calorie intake. Thus, if you want to “spend” more of your calories on dessert for that day, it’ll be fine because calories are calories. Whether it’s a larger dessert item or a few smaller desserts; you can put them together to make one for your own dessert serving with your total calorie intake. Pick your favorite holiday snacks or desserts of what you want but still stay within your calorie deficit limit. It’s OK to indulge a little but we have to remember to keep to our goal weight and keep within our total daily calorie intake so we don’t lose the hard work that was already accomplished. Don’t give up but also don’t give in, you have worked so hard for your results and you wouldn’t want to spoil it this holiday season!

Solution: Snack on only the foods you love for the holidays and don’t overeat on the foods that will ruin your weight loss journey. 

3. You have an all-or-nothing approach (The New Year’s Eve Scandal) 

Making an excuse to start your weight loss journey starting in January for the New Years is not ideal! You don't have to give up some of your favorite foods, especially during the holidays. It's okay to have bad cheat days with overeating, especially during the holidays, it's not biologically possible to ruin your calorie deficit with a couple of days of over-eating. However, there is another solution. If you want to start losing weight, start now!! The time is now! In this process, you have to be motivated to lose weight, which is when The Millennial Nutritionist membership program can give you that little push when you need it, especially in the winter time. Our program helps you stay in charge of your weight and stay within your calorie deficit, still eating your favorite holiday meals and treats. You should always be mindful of what you eat when you're trying to lose weight, but you're also not solely focused on your weight, just mindful. Making small changes to your daily routine will help you follow your weight loss plan one day at a time.

Solution: In the Millennial Nutritionist Weight Loss Program, we can help make it easy and start now with your long term weight loss journey, but also impactful healthy habits in our membership program. Joining our member program, The Millennial Nutritionist, again will not only help you to lose weight but also help you lose long term weight creating a healthy lifestyle to know what to eat, how much and still feeling like yourself!

In Conclusion… 

We should be mindful of the wintertime and stay on track with our weight loss journey.Our membership program can help you to lose long term weight, especially in the winter time. There are so many excuses and reasons we gain more weight in the winter than the summer time. However, there are always solutions and ways we can achieve your weight loss goals throughout the whole year, not just certain seasons. 

To start your sustainable weight loss journey today, check out our calorie-tracking tutorial below. The first step of weight loss is being aware of how you eat and our calorie-tracking method can get you there!

Interested in more weight loss advice, especially advice curated for YOU and your goals? Click here to learn more about The Millennial Nutritionist and its services to see where you can get started and begin working with a nutrition professional today.