Do you sometimes find yourself a bit more sluggish in the winter? Perhaps you spend more time at home in front of the fireplace with a cup of tea? Are you less active because it's too cold outside? Or do you enjoy snowy walks in nature and winter sports? Many of us adapt our habits and self-care routines over the months.
Every year, the changing seasons bring new challenges and new opportunities for your fitness and health routines and self-care. In this article, we'll take a closer look at how you should adapt your habits to the season and whether winter is really the best time to lose weight.
1. Don't change your training program too much
Going for a jog in the park on a warm spring day might seem more appealing than going for a run in the middle of a snowy winter. But you should actually do both. As with sleep, quality, quantity, and consistency are the most important factors for maintaining a healthy exercise routine. In the long run, you should strive to develop a sustainable and enjoyable exercise routine that you maintain year-round to make the best progress and see results. This way, you can positively impact your metabolism and blood sugar levels in the long run.
Our bodies undergo a series of changes and adaptations to cope with seasonal weather fluctuations. However, there's no solid evidence that you should actively change your behavior or exercise routine to compensate.
Going for a run on cold winter days can actually be the best thing you can do for your body. The colder temperatures are ideal for improving cardiovascular health and endurance. The first few times you put on your running shoes in winter, it might be a big challenge. But your body will adjust to the cold temperatures. You might even enjoy feeling your breath catch as you run through the frosty and beautiful snowy landscape on a beautiful winter day!
2. Lose weight in winter
First of all, we want to emphasize that the most important thing is to be healthy and feel good in your body. If you still want to lose some weight to feel even more comfortable in your own skin, then winter is the perfect time to do it. Your body may store a little more fat during the warmer months. Actually, your body is designed for this. It naturally takes advantage of the warmer weather in summer and can thus store excess fat in preparation for the coming winter. But why is it easier to lose weight in winter?
You burn more calories in winter and cold weather
The body's resting metabolic rate increases in winter when exposed to cold temperatures. Another example of cold exposure is ice bathing. The body then works to warm itself up (for example, through shivering and other muscle contractions) to maintain its optimal temperature. This process requires energy and thus increases the resting metabolic rate. This means that you burn more calories in cold or winter temperatures, simply by existing! Winter is therefore the ideal time for the body to lose weight , if that's your goal.
However, you may also feel more tired because your body uses more energy at rest. Make sure your body has enough energy to get through the winter. Make sure you eat foods high in healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Many of these foods are more complex and therefore take longer to digest. This, in turn, has a positive effect on your blood sugar response, and as we know, stable blood sugar supports your metabolism .
Additionally, you're likely to spend less time outdoors in the sun during the winter. Therefore, taking vitamin D supplements is also recommended. This helps ease mood swings and strengthen your immune system.
Getting enough daylight is also very helpful in ensuring you get your morning cortisol surge. It also triggers the evening surge of the "vampire" hormone melatonin. This helps regulate your sleep cycle , keeping your immune system in check even during the winter months. A good night's sleep also helps regulate your blood sugar the next day.
As a general rule, you should try to get outside every day during the winter before 9 a.m. (or whenever it makes the most sense in your time zone). This signals your body that it's time to move and gets that cortisol flowing!
With the insights gained from blood sugar tracking with the Hello Inside app, you can best understand these connections for your health and well-being and use the cold to your advantage.
3. Remember to warm up (and cool down)
In the colder months, your muscles are more tense than in the warmer seasons. This means you should do some stretching and warm-up exercises before your regular workout routine. This will help you avoid injuries and maintain optimal performance.
While warm-ups are always important, their importance increases during the colder months. In summer, your muscles are naturally warmer and more relaxed, making it easier to get started right away. But especially if you've just started exercising, it's important to warm up and stretch before and after every physical activity. Even a few minutes can make a big difference and make it easier for you to get started with exercise.
This will strengthen your muscles and prevent serious injuries that could potentially keep you from your new fitness program for weeks, months, or even longer. More exercise also supports your blood sugar and metabolism. And as always, pay attention to the quality, quantity, and consistency of your sleep. This gives your body time to recover and regenerate.
4. Spend as much time as possible outside during daylight hours
Aside from the changing temperatures, one of the biggest differences between winter and summer is that the days are much shorter and longer. In winter, the reduced sunlight means you get much less vitamin D than the rest of the year. So make sure you always take advantage of sunlight and walk while it's still light. Even on the busiest workdays, take the time to go for a walk during your lunch break. Get some fresh air and enjoy the daylight. This also helps your photon and melatonin production, making it easier to regulate your sleep. And it can't be repeated often enough: exercise in the fresh air is also important for your metabolism and blood sugar.
The magic of vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an important role in your metabolism, but scientists aren't yet entirely sure exactly how important it is. However, we do know that vitamin D has many other important functions, such as regulating blood pressure, heart health, and muscle function. Vitamin D also plays an important role in regulating the immune system.
The best way to get vitamin D is to walk in the sun. If you live in a region where you can't rely on the sun always shining, you can also get it from foods like oily fish, egg yolks, certain mushrooms, or meat. In the northernmost and southernmost parts of the world, the sun isn't strong enough in winter to absorb enough vitamin D through the skin. Therefore, it's highly recommended to take supplements to ensure you don't suffer from a deficiency. However, it's best to discuss this with your doctor.
Interesting facts about vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires fat to be absorbed. Regular supplement capsules already contain fat for this purpose. If they don't, take vitamin D with some fat (after lunch). Vitamin D is available in supplements in several forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D (D2) comes from plant sources, while vitamin D3 comes primarily from animal sources such as fish oil, fatty fish, liver, and egg yolk. One study found that vitamin D3 is almost twice as effective as ergocalciferol at increasing serum 25(OH)D levels when administered as directed (meaning it is converted into higher amounts of calcifediol (the active form of vitamin D).[ 1 ] The average person probably doesn't need more than 600 to 800 IU per day (unless a doctor recommends otherwise). Taking more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) of vitamin D per day could be harmful.
5. Many of the effects of seasonal changes are offset by modern lifestyles
Humans are designed to adapt to different seasons. However, these changes are no longer as pronounced as they once were. Many of the conditions that lead to changes in metabolism or physical performance can be compensated for by modern lifestyles.
Sometimes your body may not fully enter "winter mode." This is the case, for example, if you heat your house in the winter and wrap up properly when you go outside. Working out at a gym also doesn't put as much strain on your cardiovascular system as going for a run on a freezing morning by a frozen lake. This allows you to use both heat and cold in a targeted way during your workout.
So maintain your healthy habits year-round and get outside even on colder days. Spending time outdoors has many benefits for our bodies in every season.
A walk or a run helps clear your head and reduce stress , even on the busiest of days. This allows you to balance your mental and physical needs.
New insights across all seasons
Hello Inside helps you monitor your blood sugar levels year-round. This way, you can identify unusual spikes or patterns in your blood sugar levels that might indicate you need to adjust your routine. Or you can experiment with seasonal changes. What happens when you adapt your diet to seasonal ingredients? Are there new vegetables and fruits to discover? And how does your blood sugar behave during an ice bath or a winter run compared to summer? As you can see, there are numerous reasons to wear a CGM more often and take a closer look at your body.
