Are there seasons for weight loss? Fat loss in winter and body sculpting in summer

(Text/Yang Qilin)

Q: Are there seasons for weight loss?

Weight management needs to be continuous, and once it is internalized into your life, it will be as easy as breathing. However, since the body's physiological mechanisms adjust with different seasons, weight management also has different focuses. The best time to manage weight is winter, which is also a critical period for maintaining a good body shape.

The rate of human body fat anabolism in winter is two to four times that of spring and summer, while the rate of fat decomposition metabolism is less than 10% of that in spring and summer. To put it simply, the rate of obesity in autumn and winter is three to five times higher than usual. Moreover, when the temperature drops by about ten degrees Celsius below the average temperature, the human body's demand for calories will increase by 5%.

In addition, there are many festivals in autumn and winter, and the opportunities for gatherings and social events increase greatly. As the weather is cold, the body's sympathetic nerves become excited in order to maintain a certain body temperature, causing physiological reactions such as contraction of skin pores, shivering and shaking, stimulating the activation of fat-burning enzymes in the body, burning body fat, and thereby generating heat to keep out the cold.

This series of micro-exercise reactions will make people involuntarily eat more to replenish energy. For every 7,700 calories consumed, one kilogram of body weight will be gained. Therefore, it is common to gain four to six kilograms in one winter.

In seasons when weight gain is easy, it is even more important to take precautions in advance and manage weight in a timely manner. The colder the weather, the more calories you burn through exercise, which is a good time to reduce fat reserves. As long as you successfully lower your body fat percentage at this time, your success rate in weight loss will be greatly improved. Clear out fat stocks in winter, sculpt your body in summer, and maintaining a good figure is no longer just a dream.

Q: Can you continue to lose weight after entering a plateau?

The first month of weight loss is usually when the effect is most obvious. You can measure your weight decreasing continuously every week, but it will stop at a certain level. Whether it is total weight, body fat percentage, or skeletal muscle percentage, there is almost no change. This is the so-called stagnation period.

At this time, the diet can be adjusted slightly more strictly. For example, reduce the amount of starch and eat more protein.

The so-called "a little" really means a little, not a drastic reduction, because at this time the body's gastric acid is still remembered at a high point. If it is reduced too much at once, the amino acids in the muscles will be consumed first, and the body's protection and warming mechanism will be activated. It is easy to feel hungry, and the body is not satisfied, so it will further accumulate fat. Although the weight decreases, there is a risk of increasing body fat percentage, and the purpose of weight loss cannot be truly achieved.

For my outpatient patients, if their weight remains stagnant after adjustments, I will try to have a more in-depth conversation with them. I can often understand their life conditions from this, such as increased social engagements, insomnia, or excessive stress caused by major events... These are all key factors that affect their weight.

Usually, dietary problems are easier to solve, but invisible stress takes longer to deal with.

The reason why the "SWMP Holistic Weight Management" that I founded emphasizes "holistic" is because weight management is not just about losing weight. In addition to diet and exercise, mental health is also the key to maintaining a constant weight.

This article is excerpted from "Manage your weight yourself and enjoy slimness for a lifetime" published by Benshi Culture