Common reasons for weight gain in summer: insufficient protein, late-night snacks, sleep and exercise.

How did I gain weight in the summer? (Continued)

Reason 3: Insufficient protein intake

In temperatures above 35℃, the human body loses a significant amount of protein through sweating, and the breakdown of protein within the body also increases. Especially in hot and humid weather, people often experience a loss of appetite and are reluctant to cook, easily leading to insufficient protein intake. Snacks, beverages, and cold drinks do not provide enough protein.

Protein deficiency can easily lead to edema-type obesity. When protein is insufficient, the protein content in the blood decreases, causing a drop in blood osmotic pressure. Water then flows from the blood vessels to tissues with a higher osmotic pressure than the blood, resulting in tissue edema. In addition, vitamin B₁ deficiency can also cause edema. In summer, insufficient intake of staple foods, fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products significantly reduces the supply of vitamin B₁, and the body's utilization of protein also decreases, promoting edema.

People often complain that they gain two or three kilograms after just one or two days of eating heavily seasoned, rich foods. Little do they know that in summer, people consume less salt, sweat more, and lose more body water. If they eat a large meal, they replenish the salt, which in turn increases the body's water and protein levels, leading to weight gain.

In addition, insufficient protein intake will lower the basal metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight even with the same amount of energy intake.

Lesson learned: Malnutrition can also lead to obesity, so pay attention to a balanced diet in summer.

Solutions: Ensure you consume one cup of yogurt or milk, one egg or half a duck egg daily, plus a serving of soy products or a bowl of bean porridge. Regularly eat lean meat and fish with a mild flavor, such as steamed fish or braised beef, to supplement protein and trace elements like iron and zinc. Also, pay attention to consuming a certain amount of staple foods. Foods that supplement vitamin B₁ include beans such as mung beans, red beans, and lentils, as well as whole grains such as corn, barley, and oats. If you sweat a lot, add a little salt to your soup, approximately 0.3% concentration, just enough for a slightly salty taste.

Reason 4: Choosing the wrong late-night snack

In the height of summer, street food stalls and roadside restaurants are always packed with people every night. Drinking beer and eating skewers, or enjoying crab congee and desserts... it has to be said that just thinking about such a scene is exciting.

However, beer is also a well-known weight-gaining beverage. Many middle-aged men with protruding bellies are often referred to as having "beer bellies," demonstrating a strong link between beer and abdominal obesity. Data shows that two bottles of beer (1500 grams) contain over 600 kilocalories, equivalent to more than half a bag of sliced ​​bread (about 250 grams of plain bread, 400 grams per bag). Furthermore, meat skewers, crab porridge, and desserts are all high in calories; frequently consuming these foods will inevitably lead to weight gain.

Lesson learned: Don't just focus on taste when choosing late-night snacks, or you'll easily gain weight.

Solutions: If possible, prepare your own late-night snack, such as hot milk, fruit, or multigrain porridge. If you must eat out, drink less beer, eat less grilled skewers, and try to order light, low-oil dishes, such as hot noodle soup or porridge. Furthermore, the timing of your late-night snack is crucial. Avoid eating large amounts of food before bed, as this will severely disrupt sleep. Therefore, it's recommended to have a late-night snack 1-2 hours before bedtime. For example, if you plan to go to bed around 11 pm, don't eat your snack later than 9:30 pm.

Reason 5: Not getting enough rest

Summer days are long and nights are short, with extended periods of sunlight, which can easily lead to insomnia. Furthermore, the hot and humid summer weather can easily excite the central nervous system, causing restlessness and making it difficult to fall asleep.

Studies have found that in people of normal weight, reduced sleep increases energy intake without increasing energy expenditure. Earlier research had already suggested that the increased energy intake might be due to a decreased ability to control appetite. The body's appetite regulation mechanism is very complex, with one important regulatory hormone being ghrelin, secreted by gastric cells. Insufficient sleep increases ghrelin secretion, confusing feelings of fullness and hunger, making overeating more likely. Poor sleep also leads to lethargy, reluctance to move, and reduced energy expenditure. Therefore, insufficient rest makes people more prone to weight gain.

Lesson learned: High-quality sleep helps prevent obesity, a fact that is often overlooked.

Solutions: Create a dark and comfortable environment. When sleeping at night, make sure to draw the curtains tightly, and the curtains should have a blackout layer. Adjust the bedroom temperature to a comfortable level. In addition, avoid using computers, mobile phones, and tablets for one hour before bed, as the strong light shining directly into the pupils at close range can excite the brain and disrupt the secretion of melatonin, making it more likely to cause insomnia than artificial light.

Reason 6: Lack of exercise

In the sweltering summer heat, many people prefer to stay indoors in air-conditioned rooms rather than go out. When they must go out, they drive or take a taxi, resulting in a sharp decrease in physical activity. Many people have also stopped their exercise plans due to the hot weather.

Lesson learned: If you only eat and don't move, the excess energy will be stored as fat, and weight gain is inevitable.

Countermeasures: Even in hot weather, maintain your exercise routine. If it's too hot outdoors, choose indoor exercises such as calisthenics, dumbbell exercises, stretching, or jogging in place. Additionally, utilize everyday activities to burn calories and prevent weight gain. For example, when washing your face and brushing your teeth in the morning and evening, stand on your tiptoes and move your heels up and down; when reading or using the computer, shrug your shoulders and rotate them forward and backward every now and then; when watching TV, don't slouch on the sofa, stand up, sway your body, twist your waist, kick your legs, and stretch your arms.

Based on the above information, find out why you gained weight in the summer, and then adjust accordingly.

Questions about weight loss

Netizen A: Why do I crave food so much in winter, and especially love meat?

Answer: As temperatures drop, the body needs to obtain more energy from food to maintain its temperature. Wearing heavy clothing also increases energy expenditure, which is why most people have a better appetite in winter than in summer. People have experienced that they feel particularly cold when hungry, and their bodies warm up after eating; this is due to the thermic effect of food. The thermic effect of protein is stronger than that of fat and starch. This means that after eating protein-rich foods such as fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products, the feeling of warmth is stronger. Therefore, people crave high-protein foods in cold weather.

Netizen B: You said to ensure the quality of three meals a day, but what should I do when I'm trying to lose weight? How can I control my appetite?

Answer: During weight loss, it's essential to increase your intake of nutritious and filling foods; otherwise, it's impossible to control your appetite and weight in the long term. Appetite disturbances and weight rebound can even lead to weight gain. My weight loss meals are all highly satiating, containing plenty of vitamins and minerals, and providing protein at the recommended level for adult women with light physical activity. Even so, if your energy intake is 1400 kcal or less, you should still increase your protein intake if you exercise. This is because for people who don't exercise regularly, increased exercise builds muscle, and muscle relies on protein for building and maintenance. Generally, if your total energy intake is reduced by no more than one-third, and you eat three balanced meals at regular times, with sufficient protein and micronutrients, your appetite will be relatively normal.

Netizen C: I previously developed bulimia due to dieting, and it has recently relapsed. I constantly want to eat. What should I do?

Answer: Eating disorders such as bulimia and binge eating disorder are often related to psychological and emotional factors. Besides inappropriate dieting, stress, increased pressure, and emotional setbacks can also easily trigger these problems. Don't blame yourself; relax, boost your confidence, and you'll get better again. If your recent diet has been poor in quality, eat more high-protein foods to encourage yourself. Never blame yourself for overeating once, or even eat twice as little afterwards; doing so will only make it harder to overcome binge eating.

Netizen D: My body type is neither fat nor thin, but my muscles aren't firm. I don't diet, I eat few snacks, and I run for half an hour and walk for half an hour every night. If I keep doing this, will my muscles become firmer?

Answer: Running and walking can burn fat, but if the exercise intensity is low, it may not necessarily build muscle. It's recommended to run for 3 days, half an hour each time, including interval training to improve cardiovascular fitness; and then do muscle-building exercises for 3 days. This will result in better muscle-toning effects.

Netizen E: I'm not fat anywhere else on my body, just a little chubby in my face. Do I need to lose weight?

Answer: In youth, cheeks are full and the figure is slender; as one ages, cheeks become thin and the figure becomes plump. Therefore, don't complain about baby fat, because this state is unique to youth and can only be possessed by a healthy and energetic body. Cherish your "chubby" figure.

Netizen F: My upper body is very thin, you can even see my ribs, but my hips are too big and my thighs are too thick. Can dieting help me slim down my legs?

Answer: If you only rely on dieting, even if you lose weight, your body shape won't change. For example, if you were originally pear-shaped, losing weight will just make you a smaller pear shape. To change your body proportions, you need to exercise and sculpt your body.