Shedding extra pounds can become a real battle when temperatures drop, with 65 per cent of Britons finding it more difficult to lose weight during the colder months, according to a recent survey.
When equipped with the right strategies, however, many Britons manage to tackle weight gain during the colder months.
Duncan Reid from Pharmacy2U insists on limiting your intake of alcoholic and sugary beverages, especially with Dry January drawing to a close.
“Monitoring and cutting down on these can make a real difference in keeping weight off,” he noted.
A quarter of people blame their love of comfort food for derailing their diet plans
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The NHS echoes messages around alcohol intake and weight management, noting: “Regularly drinking more than the NHS recommends can have a noticeable impact on your waistline and cause less obvious, but more serious health problems.”
With approximately seven calories per gram, alcohol contains nearly as many calories as pure fat, which contains nine calories per gram.
This means a pint of lager could be equivalent to a slice of pizza, with a large glass of wine equal to a slice of cake.
Beyond abstaining from alcohol, steps such as weighing ingredients before cooking and dining at the table rather than in front of the television can prove just as beneficial for managing weight.
And for those avoiding outdoor exercise, he advises reducing sedentary time indoors as an effective way to boost physical activity.
Recent survey findings from Pharmacy2U revealed a notable gender gap in weight loss struggles, with almost 74 per cent of women saying they find it harder to slim down when temperatures drop, while only 56 per cent of men reported the same difficulty.
The research also highlighted that a quarter of Britons blame comfort food cravings for derailing their dietary efforts, and 24 per cent confessed to postponing any weight loss attempts until January arrives.
Beyond these practical barriers, many people experience a period of reduced energy and diminished drive, commonly referred to as the “winter slump”, which affects countless Britons each year.
In its more severe form, this condition is recognised as Seasonal Affective Disorder, which has seen a recent surge after Google searches rose 119 per cent within just three months.
Limiting alcohol can support weight management
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Pharmacy2U pharmacist Duncan Reid explained the biological mechanisms at play: “As the conditions change in winter, your body reacts in different ways, which contribute to feelings of lethargy and low mood.
“With less sunlight and shorter days, your body’s biological clock is disrupted, which may lead to feelings of depression, while some studies suggest winter changes in daylight may affect hormones like melatonin and serotonin, which can influence sleep and mood for some people.”
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