I’ve noticed, the last few days as the temperature has steadily dropped that my appetite is kicking into Cold Weather Mode.
Warm weather appetite; “Ahh, a salad would be nice, maybe a bit of fish and fruit.”
Cold weather appetite; “Okay, brain, we’re cranking up the metabolism because it’s cold out, so tell the stomach that we want STARCH and BUTTER and we want it RIGHT NOW.”
Warm weather appetite; Ehh, don’t really feel like dessert, but maybe a cookie or something.
Cold weather appetite; Brownies. All of them. Now.
Yes! Cold weather makes our bodies work harder to stay warm, and burns through calories a lot faster. This is why a lot of cultures who live in cold climates eat a lot of rich foods and have traditions like butter tea. You need the calories to stay warm.
If this is your first time in colder weather, your body is having to adapt real fast, and so you’re burning food energy like tinder to keep the ol’ warm blooded system revved up. If you don’t get the food energy your body is demanding, it’ll save energy other places to keep the heat cranked up, and you’ll find yourself becoming really lethargic and tired.
Have some extra peanut butter toast (so long as you aren’t allergic to peanuts, of course) and make some chili.
Also learn the non-physical signs of hunger!
Did u kno ur first “I’m hungry” signal is when your thoughts keep turning to food? If you’re thinking about food, and your brain keeps wandering back to food- you’re hungry. Have a snack. Or a meal, if it’s meal time!
Making cupcakes and taking one, two, ten secret tastes of frosting? You’re in a calorie deficit and the bank is here to COLLECT. Eat something!
(I reccomend going at the frosting with a spoon, which also serves as an impromptu lesson on the body self regulating- it Will Taste Bad once you’ve had your fill, and despite what media tells you, it will probably be closer to two big ol bites, not like… all of it.)
Tired, lethargic, kinda cranky? You’re hungry!
Irrationally angry? Try a snack.
Cold, even when you should logically be warm? Food.
Overwhelmingly stressed by things you’re normally OK with? It’s tortilla time!
If you don’t eat when you’re hungry your winter experience is going to be a miserable back and forth between Too Full and Fucking Starving
(Why yes, most American women live in a perpetual calorie deficit, why do you ask?)
Welcome to the Midwest!
Southern Brain says: IF IT’S CHILLY THEN ITS TIME FOR CHILI
