Winter fat protects us from the cold

The idea that we put on a layer of fat in the fall to keep us from freezing in the cold season persists. This is not true! This is what Finnish health scientist Elina Helander found out. She analyzed the measurement logs of almost 3,000 test subjects from different countries every day for several weeks. And the result was: There is no such thing as winter fat. Statistically speaking, we don't really gain any weight during October and December. From a biological point of view, there is also no real evidence that we put on winter fat. As land mammals, humans would be much more likely to protect themselves from the cold with a winter coat.

Winter fat is more like holiday fat

The fact is, however, that we put on weight around the (Christmas) holidays. Little exercise, lots of sugar, alcohol and fat - lifebuoys obviously feel directly addressed and unfairly settle directly around our hips. Helander was also able to prove this. The 760 German participants in the study gained an average of 0.8 kilograms over the Christmas holidays.

What to do about holiday fat?

There is no need to worry about this short-term weight gain, as in most cases the extra kilos disappear again in the course of January when you return to your normal eating habits. A radical diet is usually useless; exercise and a balanced diet promise long-term success on the scales.