Why do we get so fat during the winter?
Consider your expanding waistline a not-so-friendly reminder of your evolutionary ancestry
Your bathroom scale isn't lying: You really are gaining winter weight. Consider it an unmistakable reminder that long before we were regularly bombarded by ads featuring the immaculate abs of celebrities and multi-day cleanses that taste like grass clippings, our ancestors needed those extra couple of pounds to protect them against the season's inclement weather. From an evolutionary standpoint, it's why that extra helping of pasta, that greasy slice of pizza, or even that stale, sprinkled donut all appear extra tempting when the temperature drops a few degrees.
Indeed, Dr. Norman Rosenthal explains at Psychology Today that winter's waistline-sabotaging ways may have something to do with a brain chemical that prods us into craving carbohydrates:
The desire for processed starches and carbs, as we've come to learn, is akin to an insidious little shoulder devil that makes it difficult to keep our muffin tops in check. It's why high-protein, low-carb diets — like Atkins or Paleo — have become as popular as they are. It's also why for all their legitimate concerns, both diets have their merits.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Winter's dearth of sunlight doesn't just make you hungry; it makes you lazy too. When it's dark, your body produces more of a hormone called melatonin, which is critical for moderating your body's internal clock. It's why we often find our feet dragging on gloomy winter days, and it's why you increasingly feel okay with getting to bed around 9 from December to March. Some experts think melatonin also plays a role in increasing our appetites, which, when paired with winter's cozy allure of a sedentary lifestyle, can cause the pounds to pack on.
Then there's Vitamin D. The body really only manufactures it when there's plenty of sun out. That's why the so-called "sunshine vitamin" is abundant in the summer. But Vitamin D has also been linked to appetite control and burning fat. During the winter months, you're not only outside far less, but you're also bundled up from head to toe. That means way less Vitamin D.
And let's face it: All that snow and ice outside doesn't make it easy to stay motivated. Running outside is hard when the sidewalk is icy. The gym is packed with people clinging to New Year's resolutions. And all those extra layers hide our body shapes whenever we look into the mirror for guidance.
So, no, winter's temperature drop isn't kind to your waistline. At all. A few extra pounds aren't the worst thing in the world, but it's worth keeping in the mind that while the body's natural mechanisms helped our ancestors survive the brutal cold, sitting idly in a temperature controlled office snacking all day probably isn't what Mother Nature intended, either.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why Bhutan hopes tourists will put a smile back on its face
Under The Radar The 'kingdom of happiness' is facing economic problems and unprecedented emigration
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published