Monday, 05 October 2009
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My Friend Can't Wait for "Fat Season"
A friend of mine mentioned the other day that she can't wait until "fat season" officially starts. When I asked her what "fat season" was, she explained to me that winter is considered a "fat season" by people who are habitual dieters. She even told me that her boyfriend does the same thing - he cuts back on his workout routine because he knows that he's not going to be headed to the beach for eight months.
Because of the weather, people are more likely to wear bulky, thick clothing, which may cover or hide any added weight gained in the colder months. Since my friend is a habitual dieter, she told me that winter is her favorite month because she can eat whatever she wants without having to worry about having to fit into a bathing suit or sundress the next day.
Now I don't agree with her, although I think I can understand her logic. To her, winter is like a diet-break time because of the clothes that she gets to wear. But, in my eyes, this rapid change in diet and caloric intake can be damaging and unhealthy, especially since she explained that spring begins the "thin season" again, which is when she starts her vigorous workouts and dieting again.
Do you agree with her that winter is a "fat season"? Is it unhealthy to view the months/seasons as how to plan your eating routine? How damaging could it be (both physically and mentally) to live your life this way?
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msenergydrink
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Comments (193)
No o.o I would never do that. I can't even imagine going off of my diet ! I feel so huge and guilty after eating a little bit of junk food and nothing but over-sized t-shirts and hoodies, to me, will make me feel less subconscious.
It can be damaging physically because when you go through a weight cycle of gaining and losing, it can result in saggy skin ! And saggy breasts from having fat stored in there and then taken back. I would rather not go through that !
Yeah, so for me, fat season doesn't exist.
That's an awful philosophy to follow =/
Health is a permanent Lifestyle Change that we adopt wholeheartedly and commit to. Otherwise it's like, hey the hubby is away time to go play because it's the "okay" time to do that. Health is a commitment. Cheating on your Health is like having an affair, and it being winter doesn't make it okay.
Nevermind that the Yo-Yo is just very bad for your body.
IMO, seriously -- if the only reason you try to be healthy is so you look good when its naked time, you're doing it for the wrong reason.
Not health in the slightest. I try (emphasis on the try) to maintain a continuous workout all year so I don't have to bust tail when spring hits.
Being overweight is never "in" so no winter is not a fat season, but I too, understand the logic. It's very unhealthy to view the seasons this way, and its self defeating too. If someone looks forward to letting themselves go, than that is basically undoing all of their hard work and that's not a good habit to build.
I can't wait for winter, because its the time that I can workout in the hopes of getting fitter for summer, without the stress/pressure of being judged. The workout clothes that I wear in the winter are like...protective and unrevealing, so I feel more confident and therefore competent in them!
Winter doesn't exist in Texas.
Except for three weeks in December.
Those are the YO-YO dieters and the reason they can't lose weight and keep it off is because instead of learning to eat right ALL the time they binge diet!
*points at @chow@ireallylikefood * What he said!
Seriously though, isn't it easier to just make it a lifestyle change, rather than seesawing from diet to junk to diet? Your regular exercise/diet shouldn't make you feel deprived or burned out. And it's really sad that appearance trumps being healthy when it comes to motivations for dieting/working out.
I can see how you might inadvertently gain weight in the winter (holiday cooking + decreased activity due to there being 3 ft of snow on the ground, for example), but to deliberately be unhealthy because nobody can see you seems like a very bad idea.
people like this, who workout simply to look good, kinda annoy me.it should be for health reasons
Hmmm... I can see being able to indulge in a few extra "comfort foods" that are dieting no-nos, but yeah, I agree.... seems like the people who overindulge like this don't diet to be healthy but instead to look good.
@just_the_average_jane@xanga - 3 Feet of Snow? Psh! C'mon, Rocky Balboa it.
I actually think the Winter is the best time to work out, because it's not so damned hot. I spent last winter up between Wisconsin and Chicago, and the feeling of going for a run at 5-10 degrees out, topless, and NOT SWEATING, omg. That was wonderful, I probably had some of the best workouts of my life then.
I have to admit though, some of those girls I saw running outside the University of Wisconsin Madison, it was like -10 below and they're running around in T-shirt and althetic shorts, and they look just fine. Man, I need a woman like that. -10 below and still working out outside. I like. :)
that philosophy sucks.
I don't agree with your friend at all. I would prefer to be thin and healthy year round, rather than only in Spring and Summer months. Yo-yo dieting is very unhealthy and will make it harder to loose the weight you gained.
@chow@ireallylikefood - Ack! Waaaaay too cold for me, I'm afraid. Once it drops below freezing, I only venture outside when the temptation of playing in the snow outweighs my desire to stay warm.
What we have here is a lack of commitment to "habitual dieting." It is expected that your friend understands the negative connotations from a health perspective, yet still acts with the modern American (presumption) mindset; or rather, bellyset.
You actually burn more calories when your cold. There's no excuse to slack off in any season.
Winter is the time to START diets, no? I mean, you have plenty of time so you CAN fit into your bathing suit next summer. Eating all you want, it'll come back and haunt you.
I actually dread winter because of Fat Season! All those temptations that are near impossible to resist.
We all do sort of hibernate a little bit in winter and I also make more things like stews and hotpots in the Winter time in my slow cooker.
I still go to the gym though and watch my figure as I find that when our British summertime ends I get a bit depressed with the dark nights and mornings so i have to keep the gym up to keep my moods up. If you've not already done so perhaps you should do something on SAD (seasonal affective disorder) as I'm sure it affects a lot of people.
I think that @chow@ireallylikefood said it best.
My mom is one of those seasonal dieters--she diets all summer, then it all goes down the tubes come the holidays. Then she sulks for the rest of the winter, until spring comes and she feels forced to start dieting again.
But even little things can do their part in the winter. School keeps me somewhat restricted during the winter, but I manage to do my part--take the stairs vs the elevator, pack my own lunch, park at the top of the parking complex and hit the stairs there...though, that's because the I have the later class set, and the elevator is broken...
I just never diet =)
Besides, everyone pigs out at Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you don't, there's something wrong with you.
@chow@ireallylikefood - I totally agree, too bad I live in Alabama where it never gets cold. I LOOOOOVE running in the snow.
Back to the topic, your friends habits are unhealthy. One day she will realize it.
@StarBright49@xanga - Woah, your three weeks is actually in December? Christmas in Southeast Texas usually mandates shorts and short-sleeved shirts. I haven't needed a jacket until February in years.
And no, that is a very unhealthy way to live. Although it is common for my workouts to become boerderline psychotic because i will not go through the holiday season without indulge in those once-a-year treats like pumkpin or pecan pie. But since i enjoy them i am completely okay with upping my workout and if i gain a pound or so over the season i really don't mind.
This type of attitude is EXACTLY why we have so many overweight people around! Eating healthily & working out, and loving both, are ways to have a great life, regardless of the season! Eating healthily & working out, and hating both, along with counting the minutes till "fat season" starts (or till the diet's over, or you've worn the special dress etc) is bad for both the body and the mind.
Everything in life begins with what we think about it, what attitude we hold towards it. Foster the attitude that fresh, whole foods are yummy and tasty, and that exercise feels good, and it becomes much easier to make the best choices, because you want to, not just because you "should". (I wrote an entire book on this subject as it relates to weight called "Why Are You Weighting? It's Not The Food That's Making You Fat!" after I was able to stop a lifetime of yo-yo'ing and finally shed over 135 lbs 6 years ago.)
And as far as fat season goes, when you can hide behind your clothes...I live in Canada where it is cold for a lot of the year, and personally, I think there is nothing sexier for either gender than a well-toned body sporting a nice pair of tight jeans and form-fitting turtleneck sweater, tucked in of course! LOL
I consider "fat season" to just be the big holiday dinners. Pretty sure the vast majority of us eat until we're about to burst. Christmas can be an extended season, since so many candies and foods are given as gifts. Anything before Thanksgiving or after all the Christmas foods are gone are still "stick to your diet or normal eating routine" season. =)
Well, I know lots of people who cut back on working out because it's too cold outside to do much running or anything outside, and the weather is often so yucky they don't feel like getting out in it to go to the gym either if they have a membership, and I know most people break diets for the holidays, so while you probably shouldn't actually set your mind to, "it's fat season, I don't care" mode, you should expect there to be a less of a chance to diet during the winter, with the weather and holidays being a setback in "dieting" or just a healthy lifestyle all together.