Why Winter Will Make You Pile on the Pounds

Fact: winter can make you thinner, if you're somewhere cold and remote with nothing but your engraved Swiss army knives to help you find food. But, if you spend winter in layered clothing, stylish parkas, and heater-warmed homes, cooler climes will make you gain weight like aquatic mammals pack on blubbery layers. Here are the 5 reasons winter can cause weight gain.

1. The need to keep warm
Polar bears and otters develop a spare "tire" to keep warm, and the same seems to be true of humans. Studies show that children born during the coldest winters are much more likely to become obese later on in life.

2. Lack of sunlight
Sunlight keeps you energized and awake. Without it, you'll find yourself winding down and relaxing. You don't have to be a genius to know what this means: less activity means less calories burned.

3. Less cooking
Less cooking could mean pounds lost, but that's only if less cooking also equates to less eating. Sadly, such isn't the case. Because the sun sets earlier, you may feel it's later in the day than it really is. And, instead of grabbing engraved Zippo lighters and throwing a barbecue at 7pm, you will more likely be tempted to cause depression? Yes, it can. To be more specific, lack of sunlight can lead to winter depression, and this in turn can make you lose the motivation to hit the gym.

5. Holiday fatness
What are you most likely to do during the holidays? If you're like most, you ditch looking at engraved pocket watches for the right time to eat. Instead, you eat whenever you feel like doing so, wherever, and tell yourself you're entitled to the food binge because hey, it's the season to be eat, drink, and be merry.

Fortunately, the fight against the winter bulge can be won. It won't be easy, but with the right high-protein diet, exercise regimen, and the motivation to stay in shape, you can stay fit even as it snows like mad outside!