Is it harder to get into shape in winter? Gihan Shahine takes some expert advice For many, the advent of winter immediately means gaining weight, or at least finding it difficult to lose fat. Once the weather becomes chilly, many people complain they feel like eating more. Deeper into the winter, hunger becomes even stronger, and many people feel too lazy to go out into the cold and do the same activities they do in summer. Unable to resist the demands of their appetite and the warmth and comfort of bed, many women just hide the few extra kilos they put on over the winter months under heavy winter clothes until the advent of spring, when they feel compelled to get back into shape before summer clothes reveal the fat. However, according to a study published in the US journal the New England Journal of Medicine, extra weight gained during the winter can be tough to lose, and if it accumulates throughout the year it "may be a major contributor to obesity later in life." The study, conducted by the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), suggests "that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it." But why do many people tend to gain weight during the winter? Does the body's metabolism slow down in the cold weather? These questions have been the subject of many studies, which have yet to reach consensus on the issue. But many studies do suggest that a slowdown in metabolism is the most common reason why many people tend to gain weight in the winter months, the body's metabolism being the processes by which it burns the calories found in food, turning them into energy. One study by Christian Finn, a personal trainer featured on the BBC and in several popular fitness magazines, found that it is normal for many people to find it harder to get into shape in winter rather than summer, because of a slower rate of fat loss and muscle gain. Finn quoted research from the University of Colorado in the US, which found that the level of lipoprotein (LPL) in the body, the enzyme which promotes the storage of fat, increased during the winter and dropped during the summer. "Winter also sees a change in the activity of several fat-burning and muscle-building hormones," Finn found. Research has indicated that winter is linked with an increase in the levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with the storage of abdominal fat and other health problems including diabetes, heart disease and depression. According to Finn, testosterone, a hormone that boosts fat-loss and muscle-building, was also found to reach its lowest point in winter and spring, peaking in the summer. There is also evidence that people tend to have larger appetites in winter due to a decrease in the level of serotonin in the brain, says Emad Sobhi, a consultant in nutrition disorders. Serotonin is the chemical that helps messages pass from one nerve cell to another in the brain. When the serotonin level drops below a certain point, the brain does not receive a message that the stomach is full after eating. Instead, it thinks the body is starving, and this means there is an impulse to eat. "Lifestyles also change in the winter, as many people tend to stay at home to avoid the cold," Sobhi said in comments to Al-Ahram Weekly. "That decrease in physical activity, together with less exposure to sunlight and sometimes loneliness, or at least a less active social life, can all lead to a drop in the level of serotonin." This can make an individual feel both more hungry and more depressed, and it has been found to be linked to some people having the winter blues. Depression in turn causes the body to seek the comfort of foods rich in carbohydrates, which help increase the level of serotonin and make people feel temporarily better. A study by Albert Stunkard, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania in the US, similarly suggests "that people with an almost uncontrollable urge to raid the fridge late at night are doing it to help themselves sleep by boosting serotonin levels." Meanwhile, according to Sobhi, there are also links between body temperature and the metabolism. "A drop in body temperature decreases the release of growth hormones that boost metabolism," Sobhi said. As a result, the body burns less fat. A 25-minute bath can help boost the release of growth hormones, thereby leading to an increase in the metabolism. One important tip Sobhi emphasises is that growth hormones are usually released at night and staying awake late at night with the lights turned on delays the release of the hormones. Sobhi advises people to go to bed earlier at night, and not later than midnight, in order to boost their metabolisms. "People who have sleeping problems tend also to have problems losing weight," Sobhi noted, and having a healthy lifestyle is an important factor in losing weight, or at least avoiding weight gain. Among the pieces of advice that experts give are the following: Exercise should come first, as physical activity helps boost the release of serotonin. "People should exercise in the early morning, because that helps the body burn calories throughout the day," Sobhi says. Those who cannot do gymnastics can just walk, take the stairs instead of the lift, or do any kind of physical activity. The idea is to become as physically active as possible. "Exposure to the warm winter sun, for those living in Egypt, can also help avoid depression and food cravings caused by a drop in serotonin," he says. Stock up on protein to curb winter food cravings: proteins are slow-digesting foods, and thus they help the body retain a sense of fullness, which makes one eat less. Studies suggest that a high-protein diet can turn the body into a "fat-burning machine" and that, contrary to what many people think, an all-meat diet can help decrease cholesterol and blood sugar. Beware of cravings for comfort foods: stock your fridge with healthy foods instead. Avoid cravings for carbohydrates by loading up on healthy fibre-rich foods. These foods, which include whole-grain breads, cereals, vegetables and fruits, are slowly consumed by the body, making one feel satisfied for a longer period. Focussing on the fruits and vegetables of the season is Sobhi's constant advice to his patients. Eat vegetable and broth soups to get warmer in winter and stay full longer, and drink eight glasses of water a day and stock up on foods that contain water. Water is necessary for the efficiency of the metabolism, and a low water intake can lead to a state of dehydration where the body's temperature drops and it starts to store fat to get back to normal. Foods that are high in water content can fill you up faster and keep you feeling full longer than drinking water alone. Avoid white artificial sugar and replace it with fructose found in fibre-rich fruits. A high intake of sugar, or carbohydrates that the body ultimately turns into mono-sugars, can provoke the pancreas into producing more insulin for metabolism to take place, again lowering the level of sugar in the blood and making you feel more hungry, thus eating more and getting fat. "Insulin is the hormone responsible for storing food in the body in the form of fat, and this can accumulate, causing obesity," Sobhi says. Fruit is rich in fibre, which slows down the release of sugar and thus the release of insulin, and fruit sugars like fructose do not need insulin for their metabolism. Eat protein and fibre-rich snacks in-between meals. Many dietitians insist that eating about five to six small meals throughout the day can help boost the metabolism. This in turn can help keep blood sugar levels stable, and a consistent supply of energy helps boost the metabolism. Fruit, fresh vegetables, unsalted nuts and whole-grain cereals are all good ideas for snacks. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day in cases where there is a need to boost the metabolism, as sleeping at night means the body has spent some eight hours without any food intake, with the result that if breakfast is skipped the body will start storing excess energy in the form of fat. Skipping any meal can also lead to storing more fat and a lowered metabolism. Include foods, drinks and herbs that boost the metabolism in the diet. Oatmeal is one form of food known to boost the metabolism, since it slowly breaks down in the stomach, keeping insulin levels low and ensuring the slow release of glucose into the bloodstream. This helps boost the metabolism, preventing the storing of fat and helping the body to burn more calories. It can also make individuals feel fuller for longer, giving the necessary energy for a daily workout routine. Peppers, cinnamon and chilies are also known to boost the metabolism. Essential fatty acids, in particular omega-3 fatty acids that can be found in fish like salmon, tuna and trout, are good foods for boosting the metabolism. These reduce levels of leptin in the body, a hormone linked to burning fat. Lowering the levels of leptin in the body can boost the metabolism and the rate at which fat is burned. Fish-oil supplements can also help, as can antioxidants and vitamins. Finally, green tea is also thought to be a great booster of the metabolism.
