Good news for everybody worried about putting on a little weight owing to the festive season. Luckily, for everybody panicking after the big Christmas blowout and how to shed those few extra pounds, the festive season falls all along winter.
And if you're wondering how any of that helps – personal trainers and exercise physiologists have just revealed that winter is actually more weight-loss friendly, than summer!
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That's right, you can practically shiver off the calories – it's that simple.
Our bodies might not always be our best friends when it comes to weight goals, but fortunately, it also is stubborn about maintaining stasis, or stability, and that includes maintaining a steady temperature.
Which means, during winter, in order to maintain an ideal temperature, the body strives to provide heat – and this very heat is resourced from burning extra fat. But of course, there's a trick to it too.
Personal trainer Max Zeumer of the New York Health and Racquet Club revealed his fun trips on how to optimize one's cold weather workout in an interview with Daily Mail Online, and these tips are extremely beneficial in boosting all that weight loss.
If you're wondering why even shivering makes the body burn calories, the process has been explained too. Winter means the body increasing its production of a chemical called ATLPL, which helps in storing fat for the scarce season, so it is important to stay active, to counteract that.
But Zeumer also says with the right work out regime, one can take advantage of their shivers. What's more, with the right workout plan, you can take advantage of your shivers, says Zeumer.
"Your body will work really hard to stay warm and burn a ton of calories to do it," he says, about working out in the cold. "But that really only starts when you're shivering."
According to Zeumer, there's a simple solution to burning the fat as even a gentle walk can help one achieve that goal. "If you want to burn a couple of extra calories, just walk outside. It sounds funny, but it will add up," he said.
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Walking in moderately warm clothing is the most beneficial as it keeps the heart rate from getting high enough to cancel out shivers, but at the same time, is enough activity to burn fat for energy.
Zeumer recommends a short walk to lunch as an ideal activity in this case. But shivering into toning yourself down isn't the only option.
"There are a lot of cool things about working out outside during the winter, when you're inside a lot more often," Zeumer says. "Indoors, you're not exposed to sunlight, which means you're not getting enough vitamin D. When you're not getting enough vitamin D, your simple carb cravings are increased."
Also, stacking up on carbohydrates increases, if time isn't spent in the sun as vitamin D breaks down simple carbohydrates in sugary foods like juice, cookies and other baked goods.
"Outside, you get vitamin D, which you really need since you have a deficit in the winter. It will reduce those sweet cravings, plus improve your serotonin, which both makes you happier and will boost your immunity," Zeumer says.
And the coolest thing about Zeumer's winter workout plan is quite amusing: sledding.
"You sled down the hill, then take advantage of that hill and run back up. The sledding acts as your rest period, then you get your heart rate up going back up the hill," Zeumer says. "You kill two birds with one stone: it's a fun activity, and you get your winter workout."
