Is weight loss in winter harder to achieve?

HeySwoleSister

I personally find it harder in the summer, because I hate the heat. It makes me lethargic and cranky and I don't want to do anything but curl up in a ball and complain about everything.

In the winter, I walk faster, spend more thoughtful time cooking, and have no whininess about trips up the stairs.

Plus, the skiing is crap in the summertime.

avskk

I dunno, OP, but I'm with you. I stick to my plan in winter just as well as I do in summer, but I lose at a slower rate. Maybe our bodies' natural metabolic fluctuations just happen to sync up with the winter months or maybe there's some other explanation. Or maybe bodies are weird and sometimes do inexplicable things. That certainly wouldn't shock me!

Cortneyrenee04

It's been hard for me to not make my regular winter comfort foods, but I just keep making my light summertime meals! (And weighing everything out.) This is the first winter that I've lost weight!

jpaulie

mentally it can be, mathematically I don't think it is much different (cals in vs cals out)

cwolfman13

Yasmine91 wrote: »

I don't know about you guys, but I've noticed that my body absolutely refuses to let go of my weight when it's cold. I live in London and it's ridiculously cold at the moment and this situation is really frustrating me.

Is it down to winter? if so, what can I do to make my body let go of this fat >:P

No...

That said, people tend to struggle more with weight control in winter...it's not the actual season though...it's the fact that people tend to move less...it's cold out and it's dark...people tend to become less active. People spend more time indoors being cozy and comfortable and eating comfort foods...and because they're spending more time sitting around bored, they eat even more.

In summary, people tend to move less and eat more in the winter months.

carmnyc wrote: »

In NYC it was 20 degrees F yesterday at 8 am. I was on the eliptical at my gym and noticed it was taking longer than usual to break a sweat. I didn't break a sweat until the 9 min mark with a max incline entry and a resistance of 3. After my 20 min on the machine, I asked my trainer if the duration it takes to break a sweat has to do with one's metabolism. He said yes and added the fact that it was cold inside the gym. So I guess it's a bit harder and takes more energy to exert in order to break a sweat when the environment is cold. Hope this helps.

I hope you're not paying this trainer...'cuz that's stupid.

emdeesea

I find it actually easier in the winter, just because there's less stuff going on. Because although the weather is cold (I live in Wisconsin - and I'll bet our weather is colder and nastier than in the UK lol), there isn't much else for us to do, as my SO and I don't celebrate the winter holidays, so to prevent boredom I end up at the gym and taking exercise classes and I'm better able to monitor my food intake. However, in the summer, there is always a picnic or a game or some other party going on with beer, brats, burgers, etc. So I find it easier in winter personally, even though I'm not a big fan of the cold and snow/ice.

Sued0nim

Winter cooking I turn to making big pots of veggie stews with chunky veg that I can eat on rice with cheese, or big chicken or meat stews ...keep them in your fridge and heat up portions

I couldn't live on salads in the winter ...brrr

Sued0nim

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Yasmine91 wrote: »

I don't know about you guys, but I've noticed that my body absolutely refuses to let go of my weight when it's cold. I live in London and it's ridiculously cold at the moment and this situation is really frustrating me.

Is it down to winter? if so, what can I do to make my body let go of this fat >:P

No...

That said, people tend to struggle more with weight control in winter...it's not the actual season though...it's the fact that people tend to move less...it's cold out and it's dark...people tend to become less active. People spend more time indoors being cozy and comfortable and eating comfort foods...and because they're spending more time sitting around bored, they eat even more.

In summary, people tend to move less and eat more in the winter months.

carmnyc wrote: »

In NYC it was 20 degrees F yesterday at 8 am. I was on the eliptical at my gym and noticed it was taking longer than usual to break a sweat. I didn't break a sweat until the 9 min mark with a max incline entry and a resistance of 3. After my 20 min on the machine, I asked my trainer if the duration it takes to break a sweat has to do with one's metabolism. He said yes and added the fact that it was cold inside the gym. So I guess it's a bit harder and takes more energy to exert in order to break a sweat when the environment is cold. Hope this helps.

I hope you're not paying this trainer...'cuz that's stupid.

Made me LOL

Lounmoun

I think you need to pay attention to your activity level and what you are eating and drinking.
I don't believe the actual temperature makes your body hold onto weight but you may be a bit more sedentary because it is too cold to walk places or you are consuming more calories when the weather is colder.

meritage4

Just a reminder to you all that COLD is relative. I spent a year in Inuvik-well above the artic circle. It was -40 mayny days (that's the same in F or C) So anyone complaining it's cold and wet- it's not really cold. Bundle up, get outside and walk or go a gym or pool. You can do this!

obscuremusicreference

meritage4 wrote: »

Just a reminder to you all that COLD is relative. I spent a year in Inuvik-well above the artic circle. It was -40 mayny days (that's the same in F or C) So anyone complaining it's cold and wet- it's not really cold. Bundle up, get outside and walk or go a gym or pool. You can do this!

There's one in every crowd


And I noticed that my weight loss slowed around November--because I had lost 20 pounds and moved from obese to overweight and there's just less to lose. I've only lost 14 pounds since then, and my rate of loss is probably going to slow again in the spring

cblue315

Keep in mind we are also dealing with millions of years of evolution. In the fall our bodies want to put on enough fat to survive through the lean months of winter. In the winter months to conserve calories we tend to move less and our bodies want to hang on to body fat.

Numberwang22

rabbitjb wrote: »

Winter cooking I turn to making big pots of veggie stews with chunky veg that I can eat on rice with cheese, or big chicken or meat stews ...keep them in your fridge and heat up portions

I couldn't live on salads in the winter ...brrr

This for me too. Weight loss here is mainly in the kitchen so I'm batch cooking and eating a lot of veg curry, veg chilli etc with small portions of rice. Dog still gets me out in the cold but the healthy comfort food helps a lot!!

Need2Exerc1se

Losing weight is most definitely harder in Winter for me. Spring through Fall I am very busy outside and burn a lot of calories. And I get used to eating more. Then Winter rolls in and it's too dark to go outside and work most days, but it's really hard to eat less than I'm used to.

SingRunTing

I retain more water in the summer, so technically its harder for me in the summer. But, that's water weight and not fat loss. So in fat loss terms, there's no difference.

lavaughan69

I'm in Canada, and it's so cold here too. I haven't noticed a seasonal change in my weight loss pattern. I started dieting in the month of April (2013) and I fairly consistently lost 1 pound a week and by the one year mark was down 52lbs. I've always walked indoors for exercise so perhaps that helps. (I walk in my work place's shop area). I actually find maintaining weight far more difficult in the summer due to parties and drinking etc.

Good luck with your diet and STAY WARM! :-)