Summer is over, and the swimsuits and shorts are starting to get packed away in the closet to make room for fall clothing. Fall is a wonderful time of year full of colours, cinnamon smells, and refreshing air after the heat of summer.
Fall is also a time many people desire to lose weight before the Christmas and new year festivities arrive, especially during the pandemic, where stress eating has been at an all-time high, and gaining the Quarantine-15 is so easy.
“Many of us are turning to food and drink as a source of comfort during these stressful times.” writes Toronto Plastic Surgeons, in a blog post. “Nearly a third of all surveyed Canadians reported that they have gained weight during the COVID-19 lockdown.”
Unfortunately, fall can be one of the toughest times to start losing that weight – But why?
Here are four reasons why fall is a tough time to lose weight.
Shifts in Content Consumption
During the late spring and summer, the media is full of content about the outdoors, beaches. Advertisements for bathing suits, outdoor adventure, and beach trips keep us motivated or at least reminded of the current climate. Food websites, magazines, and shows often push summer recipes which include many vegetables and grilled proteins like chicken and steak.
Then fall rolls around. Advertising drastically shifts to fall comfort foods like pumpkin spice desserts, Thanksgiving turkeys and pies, and of course, Halloween candy.
Clothing advertisements focus on comfy sweaters and sweatpants, giving us plenty of comfort in curling up on the couch rather than feeling we’re missing out on the beach adventures. These ads seamlessly move to winter holidays which only further encourage these trends.
Holidays Back-to-Back
The summer months give us a slight break in holidays that are centred around gathering and food. But as fall comes around, Thanksgiving gatherings and Bulk Halloween candy are plentiful. Even after these holidays end, the candy lingers around at discounted prices, and thanksgiving leftovers last what seems like ages.
The worst part is, these food-centric holidays don’t just stop in the fall either. Special holiday occasions are back-to-back from fall until late spring, including:
- Halloween
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas, Hanukkah, and other winter holidays
- New Year’s Eve
- Valentines
- Easter
With months of holidays stacked together, it can be hard to maintain a diet without getting off course.
Comfy Clothing
The fall is all about sweater weather, loose cardigans, and comfy sweatpants. It’s also when fall coats come out, which later get swapped out for puffier winter coats. Besides keeping us warm, these clothes often conceal our bodies. Because these clothes are often loose-fitting or come with elastic waistbands, we don’t notice them getting tighter until it’s time to put on a firm pair of jeans, or even until next summer and last year’s t-shirt no longer fits.
Besides the physical, these clothes can mess with your self-confidence. If you’re already insecure about your weight appearance, adding extra layers of a shirt, sweater, and coat can make us feel larger than we are. This can create discouraging thoughts, which can take away from our motivation.
Weather Changes
Gym memberships can be expensive, and they can shut down for months on end during pandemic times. This is why the spring and summer months are so great for outdoor activities. Jogging, swimming, hiking, even just simple walks around the block help to maintain physical health. When the cold weather strikes, it’s much easier to decide against going out and stay inside instead.
