Health Resolutions Live Consciously

4 Reasons Why It’s Hard to Lose Weight in the Fall

You spent the whole summer on point with your wellness routine, and you’re determined to not let a single extra pound sneak onto your frame now that it’s fall.

But you know what happened last year. (Five—or more—pounds crept on, are we right?)

So why is it so hard to lose weight in the fall? And what can you do about it? We’ve rounded up 4 reasons why it’s hard to lose weight in the fall, plus some dietitian-approved tricks for how to combat the oh-so-infamous holiday weight-creep. 

1. Marketers are really good at what they do.

All summer, we’re bombarded with reminders to stay accountable to our wellness goals. The swimsuit ads, produce-pushing recipes, and beach vacation plans motivate us to stay on track. It’s easy to choose the unsweetened iced green tea or pick up the light and refreshing salad for lunch when these reminders are in your face all season long.

But then autumn comes along. The sweaters come out and rather than seeing Instagram posts of your friends’ toes on a beach, you’re seeing snuggly socks in front of a fireplace. Fall advertisements push comfort foods, hot sweet drinks, and pie. Lots of pie.

Don’t fall for the slick fall marketing! Stick to what you know works for you all year round, making simple substitutions here and there, but without too much deviation from the Hot Girl Summer track you’ve been on.

PRO TIPS: 

  • Instead of summer berries on your morning yogurt, toss in some diced apples. 
  • Go for an ounce of cheese on a high-fiber cracker with a thin slice of pear instead of the harvest Danish you might otherwise grab in a fit of fall-foodie desire. 
  • Don’t swap your morning oatmeal and walnuts for a pumpkin muffin—add this healthy pumpkin pie spice to your oats instead. 

RELATED: Healthy, Gluten-Free Morning Glory Muffin Recipe

2. Holidays overstay their welcome.

Doesn’t it seem like the candy jar is just emptied from Halloween and you’re already cooking your Thanksgiving bird? Do turkey leftovers feel like they linger into Christmas and you’re still eating Valentine’s chocolates when Easter rolls around?

Sometimes it feels like a big blur of holiday foods, sweets, treats, and free-for-all buffets from Halloween until Easter. It’s hard to lose weight in the fall (and winter) when you’re surrounded by holiday foods and festivities. PLAN FOR THIS.

PRO TIPS:

  • Decide how you’re going to handle the holidays before each one creeps up on the calendar. Our reco? Start planning now, because you know how quickly the holidays creep up.
  • At Halloween, allow yourself five pieces of candy. Eat them all at once, or one per day, it’s up to you!
  • At Thanksgiving, make a no-leftovers rule (except for Grandma’s cranberry sauce or this cranberry relish). 
  • Whatever your plans are, tell them to a buddy so they can help you stick to it!

3. Coats and sweaters do a great job of hiding things.

Maybe you’re thinking that nobody can tell you put on a few pounds because you’re layered up and coated in outerwear. And it’s true—maybe they can’t see it, but YOU can. Knowing you’re carrying extra weight may make you feel lousy and less fit, and it can definitely mess with your head.

PRO TIPS: 

  • Keep yourself in check by actively not hiding. Keep one item you feel great in (maybe a pair of summer shorts or a dress or a swimsuit you’d typically hide away in the fall) some place where you can see it all year long.
  • Try your special summer article on from time to time to keep yourself honest. Maybe even wear it underneath your long johns to remind you there is no hiding from yourself. 
  • Or, just go ahead and sit in front of that fire in your bikini. Yes, you can wear socks, and no, we won’t laugh. 

4. Nobody wants to put Baby or pie in the corner.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: it’s no fun depriving yourself. There’s not a lot of immediate glory in not eating the caramel apple pie. Nobody is going to give you a prize for saying no to the mouth-watering pumpkin-spiced latte with whipped cream. You have to be your own biggest cheerleader when the treats are calling your name, and that’s not easy.

PRO TIPS: 

  • Instead of having that yucky deprivation feeling, focus on what you CAN have and you’ll find great satisfaction. 
  • You can have a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on your ricotta with diced apples. 
  • Pumpkin (straight from a can, who needs to put in all that work?) can be a super healthful and delish seasonal ingredient in everything from soup to muffins to pancakes. 
  • Even cocoa can be healthful if you indulge consciously.

 RELATED: 6 Genius Ways to Use Canned Pumpkin

Keep lacing up those sneakers every season of the year. Keep drinking the same green tea throughout the year, and just add ice cubes when necessary. Keep eating the oats for breakfast, and switch up whether they come out of the microwave or the fridge before hitting your mouth. Stick to what works, and learn to indulge consciously, rather than constantly.

Cheers to a great fall and congratulations on preventing those five pounds from finding their way onto your body this season. Doesn’t it feel great?

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