How to double your weight loss effect in winter? These three methods are not advisable!

Winter is cold, and people especially want to eat more to keep warm, but are too lazy to exercise, fearing that they will gain weight more easily. Some people also say that cold weather will increase basal metabolism, which is beneficial for weight loss? In fact, this is not the case. As long as you pay attention to the following three points, you can keep warm and lose weight.

It is not advisable to freeze in order to improve metabolism

It is common sense that when the weather is cold, people's basal metabolism will increase. Because the temperature is low and people wear thin clothes, their body temperature will drop after the skin dissipates heat. In order to maintain the body temperature, the body will burn extra energy to produce heat, so the basal metabolism will increase in this process.

Studies have shown that when the room temperature is lowered from 22°C to 15°C and the subjects are exposed to 15°C for 3 hours, the basal metabolism rate only increases by 7% in the summer, while the basal metabolism rate increases by 15% in the winter, which is significantly higher than in the summer. Moreover, after the summer experiment, the metabolism tends to be stable, while after the winter experiment, the metabolism is still increasing. This shows that being cold in winter can really increase the basal metabolism rate.

However, who would deliberately let themselves suffer from the cold just to increase their basal metabolism? Moreover, if you are too cold, you want to eat something to warm your body, but if you eat too much, you will suffer from the cold in vain.

In fact, even if you don't suffer from the cold, you can still consume more energy. This is because when it's cold, you have to wear more clothes to keep warm, and the body will bear this weight, which will also increase energy consumption by 2%-5%, so it's best to wear warm clothes to lose weight in winter.

It is not advisable to eat more and move less in cold weather

There is a theory behind eating to keep warm in winter. The increased energy consumption caused by eating is called the thermal effect of food. This energy will be dissipated through body heat, so people will feel that their bodies will be warm after eating.

However, it is not that the body will warm up immediately after eating. This requires a process. The thermal effect of food increases gradually after eating, reaching its highest point one hour after eating. It is normal to feel cold a short while after eating. Don't continue to eat more just because you don't feel warm immediately. As for the lack of movement, it is also easy to understand. When it is too cold, psychologically, you don't want to move. In addition, the days are getting shorter in winter, which also limits the time for activities.

It is easy to eat more and move less, and that is how you gain weight in winter. However, as long as you keep exercising, you don't have to worry too much about this. When the weather is cold, you can't go running outdoors, so you can do more indoor exercises, such as aerobics following short videos, indoor treadmills, yoga, swimming, sit-ups, elastic bands, etc. If you don't have serious exercise, you can do more housework, anyway, as long as you move, you will consume energy.

High-fat diet is not advisable

First, ensure protein. Among protein, carbohydrates and fat, protein foods have the highest thermal effect. If you want to warm up quickly after eating, eat protein-rich foods first and eat enough. Don't choose hot pot fatty beef, which has too high fat content. It's best to choose lean beef rolls, or chicken breast, chicken legs, eggs, and soy products.

The specific amount to be eaten is that if you eat an egg and a bag of milk for breakfast, you can eat 40-75 grams of meat and 100 grams of tofu for lunch, and 40-75 grams of meat for dinner. For example, three or four rolls of lean beef rolls for hot pot are about 50 grams, 5 shrimps are about 50 grams, and 100 grams of tofu. This is enough protein intake.

Second, don't be too hungry before going out to eat. Studies have shown that eating out may consume 40% more energy than usual. To control your weight, try to eat out as little as possible. If you have to eat out, don't be too hungry and drink more water before going out. You can also eat cucumbers and tomatoes. They are rich in dietary fiber, which can occupy the volume of the stomach and increase a certain sense of fullness. Or you can order a light vegetable soup, such as tomato and egg soup, seaweed egg drop soup, and loofah egg drop soup, and drink two small bowls before meals, which can help control the amount of food you eat.

(The author Gu Chuanling is a director of the Capital Health Nutrition and Gourmet Society and a registered dietitian)