The days are shorter and the temperature is dropping. It really is winter now! At this time of year, we tend to eat more. Besides being cold, the supermarket is also full of delicious Christmas wreaths, oliebollen and pastry bars. In short, winter is full of temptations to good food. The downside, of course, is that if you eat unhealthy things too often, your weight will increase. Would you like to know the disadvantages of being overweight, why we eat more in winter, tips to combat obesity and what we can do for people who are overweight? Then read on!
The physical consequences of being overweight
Being overweight has many adverse effects on your body. It can lead to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Did you know that being overweight can also cause muscle and joint problems such as osteoarthritis? Because of the weight your body has to carry, you may experience pain in your back, ankles, knees, feet and hips. Physiotherapy can help to temporarily alleviate these symptoms, but to get rid of them for good, you need to lose weight.
Why do we eat more in winter?
The fact that we eat more in winter has to do with several factors. We explain it for you:
1. Hormones: Hormones are affected by sunlight. As it gets dark earlier and earlier, serotonin levels drop. Serotonin is also known as the happiness hormone. As this happiness hormone is less present, we get more cravings for comfort foods like pizza, chips, crisps and pasta.
2. Holidays: Because of the holiday season, various treats are in the supermarket early. Think chocolate, oliebollen and pastry bars. We admit it; it is hard to walk past these and not put any of these in your shopping basket. Still, it is better to leave it for a while. These sweets are full of sugar. If you start buying these treats well in advance, remember that this could potentially affect your weight.
3. The cold: Few people really like the cold. To warm ourselves up again, we tend to eat more. As you eat more, more heat is released. This heat will make your body temperature drop less quickly.
So what are the right choices to combat obesity?
Keep your body warm
The most important tip is: make sure your body temperature doesn’t drop. Dress warmly, get plenty of exercise, eat protein-rich foods and enjoy a nice cup of tea or coffee. Did you know, for example, that exercising outdoors in the cold helps you burn extra fat? You burn fat simply by exercising, but the cold causes you to burn even more energy! Of course, this only works if you don’t end up eating more as a result.
Add extra vegetables to your meals
We also recommend adding extra vegetables to your carbohydrate-rich dishes. This way, it is also possible to reduce the portions of carbohydrates and supplement them with vegetables. For example, consider incorporating a broccoli or carrots into a casserole.
Temptation by the holidays
It was already outlined in the festive season piece, but we would like to stress it again: hold off on buying chocolate Christmas wreaths and other sweet snacks. It is unwise to snack weeks/months in advance. Enjoy them during the holidays themselves, believe us you will enjoy them more and so will your body.
What can FRISKFYSIO do? mean for you?
Would you like to know more about our treatments and dietetics that are right for you? Then get in touch via contact form, by calling 085-5000333 or sending an e-mail to info@friskfysio.nl
