According to the Chinese Disease Control WeChat official account, every winter, when the temperature suddenly drops and the coat wraps up, many friends who want to lose weight find that the weight loss has slowed down, or even increased instead of decreasing... You may not eat much, exercise or be lazy, but the number on the scale is not moving. This is not an illusion, nor is it a lack of willpower - winter weight loss does face unique physiological challenges. Below, we will unravel the winter weight loss dilemma from a scientific perspective. Why is it harder to lose weight in winter? Seasonal subtle changes in metabolism. From the perspective of biological evolution, winter means that there may be a shortage of food and a cold living environment. Our body will activate the 'energy-saving mode': the basal metabolic rate may slightly decrease to conserve energy and resist severe cold. At the same time, maintaining body temperature requires more energy consumption, which may increase some energy expenditure. However, for modern people who sit for long periods of time and are less active, the overall energy balance often tends to "reserve">"consume". Seasonal changes in physical activity. Reduced outdoor activities: Cold weather makes many people unwilling to go out for activities such as running and walking, resulting in a significant decrease in daily activity consumption; Reduced exercise intensity: Heavy clothing and stiff bodies can unconsciously cause many weight loss enthusiasts to reduce their exercise intensity and lack motivation to lose weight. Seasonal changes in diet. The temptation of high-energy foods has increased: holiday gatherings, hot pot, grilled meat, hot drinks, desserts and other high-energy density foods are more popular; Physiological appetite increase: The body instinctively desires to consume more energy to keep warm, especially an increased thirst for carbohydrates and fats; Reduced water intake: Due to the decrease in temperature, it is less likely to feel thirsty, resulting in a decrease in water intake, which affects metabolism and reduces satiety. The psychological effect of heavy clothing. The body hidden under heavy clothing can easily relax one's focus on body shape, which may lead to an unconscious increase in energy intake. The first way to break through the "metabolic code" of the winter plateau period is to optimize the proportion of the three major energy supply nutrients. Controlling total energy intake and maintaining a reasonable dietary structure are key to weight loss. The human body incurs additional energy expenditure during the process of feeding, known as the food heat effect, which refers to the energy consumed during a series of digestion, absorption, synthesis, and metabolic transformations of proteins and other nutrients in the body after feeding. Appropriate nutrient ratios can lead to better weight loss effects. Protein: accounts for 15% -20% of daily energy sources (such as chicken breast, fish and shrimp, tofu, eggs, etc.). Carbohydrates: Choose whole grains, miscellaneous grains, and potatoes (oats, brown rice, whole wheat, mixed beans, sweet potatoes, etc.) that are rich in dietary fiber, accounting for 50% -60% of energy supply and reducing refined sugar and desserts. Fat: Ensure necessary intake, with energy accounting for 20% -30%. Prioritize high-quality fats such as nuts, fish oil, olive oil, and tea seed oil. The second is to ensure drinking water and sleep. Drink plenty of water: Drink plenty of warm water, recommended 1.5-1.7 liters per day. A glass of water before meals can increase satiety. Ensure adequate sleep: More rest is needed in winter, and it is recommended to have an average of about 7 hours per day. Lack of sleep can disrupt the secretion of hunger hormones and increase the desire for high-energy foods. Thirdly, adjust the exercise strategy. In addition to basal metabolism, the energy consumed by physical activity is the most important part that affects the total energy consumption of the human body, generally accounting for 15% -30% of the total energy consumption. Physical exercise, daily household activities, leisure activities, etc. all belong to physical activities. Joining resistance strength training: Muscles can be regarded as the "engine of metabolism", with 2-3 resistance training sessions scheduled per week. At home, elastic bands, ultra slow jogging, weight training, etc. can be used to maintain metabolic rate, which is crucial. Try high-intensity interval training: High intensity exercises such as rapid skipping rope and boby jumping in a short period of time can produce a "afterburning effect", which means continuous energy consumption after exercise. Create more opportunities for daily activities: Resist the physical inertia caused by cold, set an alarm to get up and move for a few more minutes every hour, and create more opportunities for exercise through daily activities such as doing housework and walking stairs. It is important to adjust one's mindset and accept small fluctuations in weight: it is normal for weight loss to slow down by 0.1-0.2 kilograms per week in winter compared to summer. Pay attention to indicators other than weight: For weight loss, recording and monitoring are important steps. In addition to recording weight, corresponding records should be made for changes in waist circumference, clothing looseness, and improvement in exercise ability to give great confidence in weight loss. Set necessary process oriented goals: Set small process oriented goals, such as "completing 3 strength training sessions per week", instead of just looking at weight numbers, to make the goals easier to achieve. The difficulty of losing weight in winter is a collision between the ancient survival wisdom of the body and modern lifestyle. The key to breaking through the platform period lies not in dieting more strictly, but in adapting to seasonal changes more intelligently. Winter is more like a "maintenance and preparation period" for weight loss, laying a solid physical foundation for more efficient weight loss in the coming spring and summer: optimizing dietary quality rather than simply reducing food intake, activating metabolism by adjusting exercise types, and maintaining balance by managing environmental and psychological factors. (New Society)