Winter weight loss

 

Winter might not strike you as the best time to promote weight loss. However, there are some elements of winter that will really aid weight loss over the course of a year.

1. Winter warmers
Winter weather, in the UK at least, is much colder than any other time of the year. This means that the body must burn many more calories just to keep warm.

One why to really promote weight loss is to go for an evening walk when the weather is particularity cold. Of course the walk will warm you up (a little) but the body will work overtime (via shivering etc) to keep your body temperature regular. Over the course of an hour, this may mean you burn close to 50% more calories than you would performing the same walk in summer.

2. Increased testosterone
Testosterone levels, even in women, is at its highest level during the winter. Higher levels of testosterone mean that the body can, if triggered, build and tone muscles much easier than during any other time of the year. However, the key work in the above sentence is triggered.

The best way to tone muscles and change the shape of your body is to perform resistance based exercises - press ups, dips, Bicep curls, squats, lunges etc. Aim to perform one exercise for each major muscle group twice a week. Perform 3 sets of 12 repetitions until this feels 'easy'. As soon as this occurs increase the weight used.

3. Turn down the central heating
Tip 3 relates back to Tip 1. Turning up the central heating when it's cold makes us comfortable. Unfortunately this does nothing to promote weight loss. When the temperature is warm or hot in your house the body isn't stressed into turning up its own central heating; the metabolism. So, if you want to burn more calories even when watching TV, turn off or at least turn down your radiators and let your body's own furnace to take over.

4. New Year's resolutions
This time of year we all make New Year's resolutions. This can be a great way to set your stall out for future weight loss. For increased weight loss aim to build in the triad of exercise, sensible eating and rest into your New Year's resolution.

For example
1. Aim to exercise 3-5 times a week. Aim to cover resistance exercise for muscle toning and shaping and cardiovascular exercise for calorie burning and general fitness.
2. Eat at least 3 meals a day, although 5-6 small meals a day would be better - the increase in number of meals promotes weight loss via hormonal regulation (lower blood sugar and insulin etc) and a reduction in the chance of snacking between meals.
3. Rest. Try and get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. This will lower adrenaline levels and allow the body to replenish and repair itself fully.

5. Join a gym or health club
If you can't face the prospect of outdoor exercise but you want to get fit and control your weight effectively then you might want to consider joining your local gym or health club.

Joining a health club in January usually means that you will be able to get a discount on the membership fees. But beware, January is the month when old gym members and people taking up fitness based New Year's resolutions will be looking to join a health club. As a result the waiting list for a club tour or a fitness induction with an instructor might be fairly long.

Therefore, why not book an appointment early or even try to take a club tour BEFORE you go to work; this is be a quiet period of the day for many health club membership advisers.

Additional information
Burning calories during exercise
Making and sticking to New Year's resolutions
Join a gym or health club
Review the UK's leading health club chains


 

 

 
 
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All information on this website is for information only. Thefitmap.com offers no medical advice or information. Always consult your GP before undertaking any form of weight loss, fitness or exercise