Why Winter Is The Best Time To Exercise For Weight Loss
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We all live under the delusion that it’s best if we start our weight loss journey during summer. The reasons behind this are very obvious. One, we sweat a lot and that makes us think that it’s easier to burn calories. Two, it’s usually during the summer when everybody hits the beaches and that makes them more conscious of their bodies when they want to flaunt it.
But, people, here’s a surprise – it’s the winter season which is considered best to shed your extra flab. Are you shocked after reading this? We were too! Winter is the festive season that demands celebrations and family time, right? It’s the time of the year when a cup of hot chocolate looks more dear to us than the heavy dumbbells. Winter is the time when we generously hit the snooze button most and we don’t really mind putting on some extra kilos too. This is because we think that we’ll be able to melt all the extra weight in summer. But, turns out that keeping yourself cold in the already chilly winter or even shivering for a good 15 minutes can help you burn calories. Let us explain you this in a better way, but first, continue to read below.
1. Body Burns Fat Faster In Winter Than In Any Other Season
Let’s get down to the basics first. Our body stores two types of fats. One is known as the white fat and the other is known as the brown fat. White fat is what makes us gain weight and look like a pumpkin. And brown fat is the one that our body burns to produce energy to spend on our physical activities. So, if you’re wondering how the winter season works in favor of the fat burning process, here’s the thing – it’s during the winters that our body burns all the fat to keep our body warm. The fat is burned so that we are able to brave the harsh cold weather during winters (1).
What does this convey to us? It conveys that our body burns more body fat during winters to keep our body warm than in any other season. Brown fat not only provides us with energy upon burning, but it also keeps our body safe from contracting type-2 diabetes. A simple way to increase brown fat in our body is to simply sleep in a cold room. It is bound to naturally speed up your brown fat percentage.
2. Body Shivers During Winters Aids In Fat Burning Process
We all have experienced the shivering during winters, right? If we don’t cover our body with the right thermals, we tend to start shivering in the cold. But did you know that shivering is also a way of burning the body fat? Yes, when our body doesn’t have enough brown fat to burn and produce energy to keep itself warm, our muscles tend to contract themselves. This sudden contraction of muscles is called shivering. This shivering helps generate brown fat which helps to burn calories in order to produce energy.
Studies say that 15 minutes of shivering can help you burn as much as 100 calories! In the cold weather, we produce two hormones called irisin and FGF21. These hormones are the ones that trigger the burning rate of brown fats (2).
3. Catching Up On More Of Zzzs During Winter Helps
Sleeping in dark rooms with cooler temperatures help us to get more sleep. And trust us, this helps you lose weight. The reason is that insufficient sleep is one of the major factors that contribute to weight gain. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the ideal room temperature to sleep needs to be between 60-67 degrees of Fahrenheit (3). It is at this temperature that your body falls asleep in an ideal state. It is said that our body naturally lowers down its temperature to make us fall asleep. Therefore, sleep enough in winters if you want to lose some weight.
4. Embrace Some Winter Motivation
Yes, embrace your winters and make the best use of them to keep your body fit. We’re sure most of you have come across the phrase, “Summer bodies were made in the winter.” It’s true, you see. You have enough winter months to lose your weight at a faster pace. So stop worrying about how you’d look in your knee-length summer dresses. Instead, consider winter as a gift and start working out.
Get healthier during the winter season. Make it work to your advantage. Have you tried working out in winter? Did it work better for you? Let us know in the comments below.
