How To Avoid Winter Weight Gain

 

Talk about the winter weight gain has been making the rounds lately especially after Chicago had a taste of the polar vortex that left the city reeling from temperatures dropping into negative temperatures of high 40s. Residents of retirement communities in Kansas City, KS may also be feeling the winter blues as winter storms have been hitting the city hard this year.

While temperatures have been spiraling down, the number on the scale has been going up on average by about five to seven pounds as people gain more weight in the winter. There are a plethora of reasons for the gain that it is hard to distinguish what causes it for someone because the reasons also vary per person because one’s genetic composition may not true for another. However, instead of letting the complexity dampen one’s mood, it is best to look at reasons on what may have been causing it and be more mindful of what we can do to avoid the additional pounds this winter season.

The most obvious reason perhaps is the colder weather. The natural instinct for most has been to stay indoors and avoid going outside as much as possible. That also means that most tend to opt for activities indoors that may not be as active of an activity compared to those that is outdoors, which is understandable considering that it playing tennis for an hour may pose safety hazards for those playing and playing in an indoor court may not be feasible for most. Furthermore, motivation just goes down when the activity is not as enjoyable in the cold. To combat this, having an accountable buddy may help. If you reside in one of the, maybe one of your favorite neighbor residents may be ideal. If talking strolls outside is too much given the unpredictability of this year’s winter, staying within the community’s grounds may be good enough for a walk. It’s a great thing that most of Calamar’s independent senior apartments near Kansas City, KS are well groomed all year round to make sure that safety hazards wouldn’t be part of your worry during your morning or afternoon walk.

Along with the cold comes shorter sun time. While it sounds like a small change, the shorter daytime does affect one’s sleep. Your internal body clock is wired to feel tired when it’s dark outside because it is controlled by a part in your hypothalamus that responds to the light and to the dark. That being said, the longer the dark hours, the more your body will want to sleep in the same way that when you are exposed to sunlight in the morning, your brain just knows that it’s time to raise your body temperature and produce hormones that release hormones to help get you going on our day. As we snooze more, we tend to just not go about with our morning workout which may also contribute to the weight gain.

The shorter daytime may also be to blame for the term “winter blues.” Findings say that lack of sunlight contributes to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that is a type of depression due to the seasonal changes. This can be alleviated by exercising more to encourage the production of hormones that helps boost your mood. Seniors looking for a new home can count on Prairie View Senior Village, one the many 55+ apartments in Des Moines, IA that has amenities to encourage exercising. The Summit At Viewcrest, is also another option for those searching through senior apartments in Kansas City, MO.