Summer is the “golden period” for weight loss
“Hot during the three dog days,” this year entered the first dog days on July 11, beginning the hottest period of the year. For friends who need to lose weight, this is a golden period, as long as not too indulgent, it is generally easy to lose weight during this time.
There are three main reasons:
1. After the weather gets hot, the body’s metabolism becomes more active, so the ability to metabolize fats will significantly increase. Sweating also consumes more energy, which is why the body is less likely to gain weight in summer.
2. Due to the impact of the summer heat, people’s appetite decreases, avoiding high-energy foods such as meat and processed foods. Instead, they prefer to eat fresh, cold foods like fruits and vegetables, enjoying congee. Therefore, the intake of energy is greatly reduced.
3. The nights are shorter in summer, and days are longer; this is because people are more active during the day, leading to greater energy expenditure.
Due to these three objective factors, bodies tend to slim down to some extent after experiencing the long summer.
It is worth noting that some elderly individuals may lack nutrition due to improper diet, so it is important to pay attention to nutritional supplementation in summer. Don’t let the body slim down too quickly and be cautious of sudden events like hypoglycemia and heatstroke, which can jeopardize life safety.
There are generally four habits that make it difficult to lose weight in summer:
Excluding a few individuals, if someone is gaining weight or not losing weight during summer, especially if they are already overweight, they need to be cautious. Apart from some health factors, this is often related to four lifestyle habits.
1. Regularly eating late-night snacks
Due to the hot weather, many people have poor appetites during dinner time in summer but feel very hungry by bedtime, leading to a lively night food market. Since the nights are naturally shorter in summer, many people suffer from serious sleep deprivation during this time.
Eating late-night snacks in summer leads to a higher intake of calories before sleep, easily converting into fat, causing weight gain.
Regular consumption of late-night snacks not only contributes to weight gain but also disrupts the body’s metabolism, severely disturbing the body’s regulation systems and affecting sleep quality, which is extremely unhealthy.
It is recommended to have dinner before around 7 pm in summer, keep the diet light, and after dinner, apart from consuming a small amount of fruit, water, or a little milk, soy milk, etc., avoid eating any other food.
2. Enjoying beer and soft drinks
Beer and soft drinks do contain plenty of liquids, but they should not be substitutes for water.
This is partly because they contain high sugar content and can burden the liver, kidneys, pancreas and other organs’ metabolic functions. Elderly people who frequently consume beer and soft drinks are at risk of significant blood sugar fluctuations, so it is advisable to reduce the consumption of beer, carbonated drinks, etc.
Therefore, for overweight individuals, it is essential to be moderate when consuming cold beverages (ice cream, popsicles, carbonated beverages, beer, etc.) in summer.
3. Irregular eating habits
During summer, many people have extremely irregular eating habits, skipping breakfast and dinner, consuming midnight snacks frequently, especially sugary treats (cream cakes, ice cream, nuts, etc.)
Consuming too many snacks can lead to loss of appetite during meal times and increased appetite at other times, causing a reversal in meal schedules.
Eating
4. Being a “homebody”
Apart from dietary habits, it is common for individuals who struggle with weight loss in summer to engage in a sedentary lifestyle, especially among the obese. Spending time indoors every day with air conditioning on, leading a winter-like lifestyle, continually consuming high-energy snacks (popcorn, chips, sausages, etc.) can lead to weight gain rather than loss.
Therefore, besides dietary factors, maintaining a regular routine is crucial. Avoid staying up late (being awake past 11 pm is considered staying up late). Since summer nights are naturally short, frequent sleep disturbance at night, excessive daytime sleep, lack of outdoor activity or exercise, prolonged use of air conditioning can make the body prone to virtual obesity.
Recommendations:
1. Stick to physical exercise, and it is best for the elderly to engage in outdoor activities or exercise between 7 am – 10 am in the morning and 4 pm – 6 pm in the afternoon. Young people should try to avoid outdoor activities between 11 am – 3 pm when the sun is most intense.
2. During exercise, the elderly should sweat moderately but avoid excessive fatigue, dehydration, and heatstroke. Individuals who engage in strenuous activities need to replenish energy promptly, and those who sweat a lot should consider supplementing salt.
3. Physical laborers or sports enthusiasts should pay attention to replenishing water and energy during their activities.
In conclusion, summer is a “paradise” for weight loss enthusiasts and a “paradise” for sports lovers. Proper scheduling of outdoor activities, adjusting one’s diet, and maintaining weight within a reasonable range contribute to healthier bodies. Don’t miss out on this wonderful season.
