How To Prevent Overeating In Winter?

Studies show that we tend to eat more in winter. There can be many reasons behind this. As per recent research, it is our primitive brain that plays a crucial role here. During primitive times, winter was a time associated with food scarcity. So one had to store the food for winter and live on it. That is why our body binge eats and tries to store up all those calories at once, regardless of whether we will gain weight or not. Another reason that makes us eat more in winter is that food makes us warmer. The body burns up the calories already stored in your body. So it demands more calories to burn. That is why we snack on high-calorie and high-sugar foods in winter more than in any other season.

Winter blues can also be a reason behind overeating tendencies. Otherwise called Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD), winter blues can make us emotionally down. To get a serotonin boost, your body will demand more tasty foods which will invariably lead to binge eating in winter. Along with that, winter is a time of rest and inactivity. There are few chances for you to go outside and spend all the calories you have stored inside your body. This will motivate you to stay indoors and this will invariably result in boredom. As a byproduct, you start eating to avoid this boredom and gain more weight.

How To Prevent Overeating In Winter?

There are certain measures you can take to beat the winter blues and snack healthily. Check out the list below:

Drink plenty of water: During winter, it is difficult for you to have a thirst. To beat dehydration, drink more water and eat food rich in water content. This will help you to eat less and stay healthy amidst the winter.

Eat protein-rich food: Protein-rich foods can curb your appetite. Add more protein to your diet. This will help in metabolism and fat burning. Protein can also help in building new muscles.

Have a fiber-rich diet: Include food items like fruits, veggies, nuts, grains, etc in your diet. This will enhance your bowel movement and improve your gut health.

Get more sunlight: Winter is usually a time when there are shorter daylight and longer nights. Even if that is the condition, make sure to get proper sunlight. When you are deficient in vitamin D, you tend to binge eat as a mechanism to boost serotonin.

Exercise: Even though working out can be a real task in the winter, it is crucial to keep a healthy lifestyle. Exercising can release happy hormones such as endorphins which can lift your spirit and mood in the winter.

Throw out the junk food from your shelf: A key to eating healthy in winter is to store healthy snacks and food items on your shelf instead of junk items. This will put a chain on your junk- binge eating and will help you eat healthily.

Spend time with friends and family: It is when you are bored and alone, you feel the need to fill up the void inside you. This leads to overeating and unhealthy eating patterns. Instead, make time for entertaining activities with friends and family. This can help control your binge eating tendency in winter.

Winter can be all fun and thrilling. But it can also make you more moody and gloomy. It can be quite tempting to savor every food you see without a second thought in winter. That is why it is crucial to have certain healthy habits to be followed, especially in winter. By understanding the components that make you overeat in winter, you can beat this habit and stay fit and healthy.