Make the Switch to Indoor Exercise.

How to keep from gaining weight during the winter

Winter is coming, and we are getting fat. Wait a minute! Surely our bodies are physiologically preprogrammed to pad on added insulation in the winter, right? Sorry ... unless you are a hibernating bear.

While cold winter weather does produce a slowing of our body's metabolism to compensate for the dramatic shift in temperatures, it is not nearly as profound as in other mammals, such as woodchucks or bears. Interestingly, recent clinical studies do suggest that we have "circannual cycles," meaning cyclical changes in blood chemistry, hormone secretion, brain activity, and appetite. These circannual rhythms appear to relate to changes in the length of daylight and darkness, causing seasonal deviations.

"Ah! Then there is a scientific reason 1 gain 10 pounds each winter," you say with relief. Sorry again. While the shorter days signal a time of shutting down or hibernation to the plant and animal world, less daylight only gives humans an easy excuse to stop that early morning jog or tennis game after work.

Now Don't be SAD

New studies indicate that even though humans' innate biological clocks change according to the seasons, this occurs in only half of all people--the half who are women. Men appear to have more sensitivity to artificial light than women and react less to seasonal changes. Researchers conclude that this could explain why more females suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that occurs during the long winter months.

SAD is thought to be associated with changes in the production of melatonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that gives rise to serotonin. (Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send specific messages from one brain cell to another; serotonin is the anxiety-reducing, calming brain chemical.) SAD causes feelings of sadness, fatigue, and social withdrawal, a decrease in energy, and an increase in appetite that can lead to weight gain. Symptoms appear to worsen the farther one moves from the equator. Some revealing studies indicate that exposure to early morning light and artificial light can help reduce these symptoms.

Balance Your Checkbook

So if it isn't SAD that causes the typical weight gain and added insulation during the cold winter months, what is it? According to health expert and nutritionist Lori Steinmeyer, M.S., R.D., L.D., there's usually one reason for weight gain during winter months: we eat more and move around less.

"Because there are more daylight hours during the summer, you have greater opportunity to be active outside," Steinmeyer said. "The bright sunny days lure us to be jogging with friends, swimming, water skiing, or going on long hikes. Interestingly, in nature, mating seasons are geared toward the spring and summer months of the year, and animals tend to migrate to warmer climates during the late fall and winter months."

Steinmeyer contends that while the shorter daylight hours definitely have an impact on our activity level, we are still in control. "It's a matter of balancing your caloric checkbook, meaning you have to calculate how many calories you take in each day and how many you spend through exercise and activity. In the winter months most of us simply use fewer calories because we are less active. This is one important reason people in the North tend to weigh more. The icy temperatures along with the increased nighttime hours add up to inactivity and result in weight gain."

Don't Blame the Holidays

Even though most of us tend to eat more around such winter holidays as Thanksgiving and Christmas, this is not a valid reason for gaining weight. Think about it: there are plenty of warm-weather holidays--Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, to name a few--that could easily pack on pounds. Yet during these warm-weather outings, eating more is often balanced with increased exercise and activity.

Obviously, the really big issue for most of us is that the automobile gets more use (or exercise) than we do. Studies show that it is not unusual for Americans (adults and children) to watch three to five hours of television per day instead of engaging in exercise or physical activity. This "cocooning" time generally increases as the temperatures decrease.

If the Shoe Fits, Wear It ... to Walk

Especially for those who are prone to feelings of lethargy during the cold winter months, exercise is the key to releasing those "feel good" endorphins--the "happy" hormones in the body. Not only does physical activity increase alpha waves, which are associated with relaxation and meditation, but exercise acts as a displacement defense mechanism for those who are literally "stressed out." If you have ever walked for several miles, you know how your mind is focused on the activity, not the problems you face each day.

Yet before you think you have to run miles to get this benefit, keep reading. According to experts from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the "no pain, no gain" theory is out. According to these experts, we should strive to accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day of the week or enough to burn about 200 calories (equal to a brisk two-mile walk). Not only will this exercise burn fat, it will also lower your cholesterol level, build muscle and bone, and improve your mental health. Interestingly, if you didn't change what you ate, yet burned an additional 200 calories a day, you would lose about 20 pounds in one year. Let's see ... that means you could lose five pounds this winter instead of gaining weight. Now, that's good news!

Time to Chill

So what type of exercise do you enjoy? The chart above shows popular warm-weather exercises and the wintertime equivalents based on the average number of calories burned per hour. Of course, this amount varies depending on your weight and how hard you work out.

Choose the activities that are pleasurable and that you will stick with. Keeping in mind your personal fitness level, vary the exercises to keep from getting bored. Doing the same exercise repeatedly is like having peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day for lunch--it just gets old. If you enjoyed walking outside during the summer, consider joining an indoor aerobics class this winter. If you were passionate about beach volleyball, check out your local Y for the indoor volleyball schedule. Likewise, if you thrive on swimming at the lake, continue this water sport in an indoor pool.

Consider building your own indoor gym. Check the classified advertisements for used exercise equipment such as electronic treadmills or stationary bicycles. Or check out popular exercise videos. There are instructional videos for all levels of fitness. You must get up 10 minutes earlier, pop in the tape, and get moving--no matter how much snow is on the ground. Yes, there are no excuses!

While 30 consecutive minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is optimal, newer studies report that you can get the same benefit from 10-minute segments of exercise three to four times a day. You could do 10 minutes of aerobic exercise with your video before work, walk the stairs for 10 minutes during your break, take a jog around the block with your dog after work, then end your day with a 10-minute ride on your stationary bike while watching the news.

In short, don't blame Old Man Winter for your expanding love handles. You know that the ball is in your court, so start swinging!

RELATED ARTICLE: Chill Out

Check out the following activities as you switch from the summer burn to the cool winter glow! These figures represent the approximate calories burned per hour and will vary according to weight.

Go for the burn         Calories   Cool Weather Workouts

Aerobics (low-impact)   400        Snow shoveling (light)
Channel surfing
 (remote control)       100        Reading a favorite novel

Cycling (10 mph)        300        Stationary bike (10 mph)
Gardening               280        Window cleaning
Golf (walking)          300        Splitting logs
Hiking on steep hills   400        Indoor rappeling
Jogging (6 mph)         450        Jumping rope
Mowing lawn             275        Mopping floors
Rowing                  400        Rowing machine
In-line skating         450        Step aerobics
Sunbathing               55        Snoozing by the fire
Swimming                400        Skiing (cross-country)
Tennis (doubles)        235        Indoor basketball
Tennis (singles)        390        Racquetball
Badminton               250        Indoor volleyball
Walking (3 mph)         250        Mall walking

Debra Fulghum Bruce writes on health issues from Jacksonville, Florida.