Packing on the Pounds in Your Warm House

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Is the bitter blast of winter leaving your driveway ice-coated, car slush-covered, and heating bills at an all-time high? With all these cold weather woes, it's hard to believe it could get much worse. Well, a recent study may have done just that.

A study conducted by researchers from London University College (UCL), England, which appeared in the journal Obesity Review, suggests that increased indoor temperatures during winter contribute to the inflated obesity rates in the United States and United Kingdom.

Researchers attribute increased weight gain to how we are built to burn energy during the winter months. Because we spend so much time at regulated temperatures, our bodies are "under mild thermal stress--meaning we're burning less energy. This could have an impact on energy balance, and ultimately have an impact on body weight and obesity," study author Fiona Johnson, a researcher in the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London, said in a UCL news release.

When examining environmental factors and the role they play on obesity rates, lack of diet and exercise are most often considered. This study opens the often narrow scope of obesity studies and forces us to look closer at how living in modern society can affect physical well-being.

What You Can Do

By no means is anyone suggesting shutting off the heat and shivering through the night in order to burn calories. What this study does demonstrate is that there are unforeseen consequences to how we live. We should focus more on what we can do-diet and exercise.

Diet. Opt for lean meats, whole grains, and fill half of your plate with veggies. During the winter months, pay special attention to the frequency at which you eat. Eating smaller portions more often throughout the day will not only keep your metabolism churning away, but will also help keep your core body temperature where it needs to be.

Exercise. Sure, you've seen your local marathoner tearing up the snow-covered pavement in the latest cold weather apparel. While this certainly could be you, it doesn't have to be. Opt for a three-month gym membership and provide yourself with somewhere you can exercise regularly. And, when the spring comes, get back outside.

Additionally, you can utilize the gifts of winter to burn calories. Instead of calling a plow or breaking out your snow blower, do it the old fashioned way. Thirty minutes of shoveling will burn nearly 200 calories for a person weighing 150 pounds. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

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Source:

Medical News Today
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214890.php