As the weather cools down, the weight goes up for most
people. And what
goes up doesn't always
come down, at least not to where it started. But that winter
weight-gain
cycle can be reversed or
avoided, says a University of
Georgia
scientist.
"It's a matter of making little lifestyle changes," said
Connie Crawley,
an Extension Service food,
nutrition and health specialist with the UGA College
of Family and Consumer Sciences.
"Once the weather gets cooler, sitting at home and eating
hearty meals
becomes more tempting,"
Crawley said. "That's especially true around the holidays.
As a result,
it's not unusual for people to
gain 10-15 pounds over the winter."
The weight gain can be a normal fluctuation that goes right
back down
when you become more
active and eat less next summer. But as people get older,
they tend
to hang on to at least some of that weight gain.
"It's when the weight goes up in the fall but doesn't come
all the way
back down that you want
to stop and look at the trend," Crawley said.
Winning the weight war, she said, is mostly a matter of becoming more active and making wiser food choices.
"With most people, the activity is the most important," she
said. "If
you get more exercise, the
improved diet will usually follow."
More exercise doesn't have to mean serious workouts. "It can
be as simple
as getting rid of the
TV remote control so you at least get up to change the
channel," Crawley
said.
"It may be taking your lunch to work so you can walk 15-20
minutes at
noon," she said. "Even
walking down the hall to talk to a co-worker rather than
calling them
on the phone or sending them
e-mail can increase your activity level."
If your job keeps you in one place all day, she said, get up
and walk
around a little every hour.
"Walk to the water fountain but not to the vending machine,"
she said.
"Make it a rule not to eat
at your desk. Many people become computer potatoes at work,
not just
couch potatoes at home."
Crawley offers some tips for keeping the winter weight down.
When you watch TV, do something active. This can be
housework,
a craft or even exercise. At
least keep your hands busy with a worthwhile project instead
of a bag
of chips.
Brush your teeth before you clean up after meals or
parties.
You'll be less likely to snack on
the leftovers. This is a good strategy before you start
cooking, too.
Take a walk after supper. In Georgia the weather is
rarely bad
enough to prevent a walk at
night. Take along a child, a friend or your spouse. Walk in
well-lighted
areas, and vary your route,
so you won't become bored. If walking outside isn't safe,
look into
mall walking or a treadmill.
Keep tempting foods out of the house. Eat high-calorie
foods
in one-portion sizes so you will
be satisfied but won't be tempted to overeat. Store all food
out-of-sight
as an extra precaution against temptation.
When you do overeat, Crawley said, don't overcompensate by
starving
yourself the next day. "Go
back to your normal, healthy eating habits," she said. "Eat
three moderate
meals a day and allow
time for rebalancing your diet."
Maintaining a healthy body weight, she said, isn't a feast- and-fast affair.
"To keep your weight down," she said, "you have to make permanent lifestyle changes."