Here’s why losing weight in the summer is so difficult

Summer can have its downsides when it comes to your physical health. Not only does temptations seem to be stacked against you – looking at you, backyard cooking, ice cream cones and happy hours – it might seem like you’re not making any progress in fitness or weight loss. It turns out there might be a reason you felt this way.

to me Sharon Palmer, California-based registered dietitian and blog owner A vegetarian dietitian, Your metabolism may slow down a little when it no longer needs to produce heat. This means it might be a little slower in the roasted months when your body is already warm. Compared to the winter months.

“Think of our bodies like an oven – we fill it with fuel (food) to keep it warm,” she said. “When it’s colder, we have to add more fuel to compensate for the energy required to produce heat.”

Because the environment temperature is so close to the internal body temperature (usually around 98.6 ° C), the metabolism slows down by about 10 percent, said Debra Sheets, Associate Professor of Food and Nutrition at Saint Catherine University in Minnesota. But this isn’t the only thing that can get in the way of your goals.

“When it’s very hot and humid outside, we tend not to go out for walking, biking or jogging,” said Sheets. Instead, choosing to stay indoors with a cool air conditioner might mean spending more time on activities that require sitting down, such as reading or activities that require time in front of screens.

And if you decide to venture outdoors, the tool that keeps you cool, AKA drinking water, may also cause slight fluctuation in the weight. John Castellani, Researcher in the Division of Thermology and Mountain Medicine at the US Army Environmental Medicine Research Institute. It found that the person’s body weight may be increased By up to several pounds in the summer due to an excess of water in the body.

While a person’s daily water needs depend on the amount of time they spend outside and their activity level, hotter and humid temperatures make you more likely to sweat. Because the clothes you wear make it difficult For sweat to properly evaporate and cool you down, you end up needing more water retention to bring down your indoor temperatures. this process It is your body’s way of coping with the negative effects of heat stress. It occurs more in people who engage in regular physical activity outside than in those who spend their time indoors in A / C.

But don’t let that stop you from getting your daily H2O. Sloan Davis, Certified Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, and Blog Owner Pies and PushupsHe said that not drinking enough water can be bad and harmful to your overall health.

“We sweat more during the summer months,” she said. “If you don’t drink enough water, your body becomes dehydrated, which slows it down and reduces your metabolism.”

Hot weather can have a slight effect on your body in some cases, but there are ways to counter these obstacles. One way you can speed up your metabolism, Davis said, is on your own Through regular exercises In the summer months.

“Combine resistance training along with some low-intensity cardio exercises four to five days a week,” she said. “Get a good night’s sleep and drink plenty of water, preferably cold water.”

When it comes to exercising in the heat specifically, Sheat recommends exercising early in the morning or late in the day when the weather is cooler. Or, if you want to avoid being outdoors altogether, try doing yoga at home or finding a workout online with weights. You can also go to fitness centers or exercise studios to stay in the air conditioner.

Regardless of which method you choose to exercise or maintain healthy habits, it is important not to let small external factors prevent you from achieving your goal.

“It is important to bear in mind that there may be only slight differences in metabolic rates during the year,” Palmer said. “Given our modern lifestyle with comfortable, air-conditioned and heated homes that keep them in perfect condition over the course of 72 years, we might not really see major differences in metabolic rate.”

Jill Weisenberger, Virginia registered dietitian and author of the book Prediabetes: A Complete Guide, He said losing weight is too complicated for something like temperature to have a level Pioneer effect on. As long as a person has the right mindset and is ready to focus on the process and not just the pounds, losing weight during the summer is entirely possible.

“I think sometimes people focus on the very small things,” Weisenberger said. “It’s smart to use your energy – a finite resource – for something really important, like eating regular meals and getting a good night’s sleep … People are measuring their water and they’re concerned about the temperature and taking energy from things that really make a difference.”

In other words, if your goal is to be healthy during the summer, a slight metabolism difference or a slight change in your body shouldn’t stop you – or at any time.