Is being hungrier in the winter a real thing?

WilmaValley

Too cold to go outside, easier to stay in, eat and do nothing!!!

TbGirl92

100% IMO. I worked outside in NY at -30 wind chill and would come home and binge like crazy, but i forget to drink enough to be hydrated. However in summer and when i winter in Florida I have to remind myself to eat in the mornings because I get hot very easily and just don't feel anything but tired, plus I can easily down a gallon of water a day to keep hydrated. Activity levels in both cases were about the same.

echastee92

I think the major cause for me wanting to eat more in the winter time is boredom. I live in Minnesota. It's usually freezing outside and there's nothing to do. I can't even comfortably go for a walk or a bike ride. There is no more hanging out at the lake, or going to the cabin. No more outdoors. It's just me, and my apartment, and sometimes that leads to boredom. Boredom leads to me thinking about food. Me thinking about food used to lead to me eating more food. I've learned how to be able to acknowledge that I am craving and bored without giving in to it.

shaumom

While there could be more than one issue at play, there is a pretty simple reason a person may be hungrier in the winter - they burn more calories.

The body has to use more calories to maintain body heat in the cold, so you are going to feel a desire to eat more. Nursing experts even advise nursing mothers to be aware that babies will be need more calories during cold weather because of this.

In warm weather, not only does it not take as many calories to keep your body temp stable, but digestion itself INCREASES body temperature, so in very hot weather, appetite can be suppressed as a method of keeping your body temperature cooler.