Why wet weather makes us fat

DAYS and days of rain might be great for farmers and our water supply … but there’s a surprising reason it’s bad for you.

IF YOU live in eastern Australia, it’s likely you’ve spent much of the last week indoors, hiding from the rain.

Chances are you have also eaten a whole lot more than you usually would. So why is it that we seem to eat more when the weather is bad?

If it was only raining a day or so it wouldn’t be a huge issue, but this weather looks to have settled in.

So why does the wet weather make us eat too much? And how can we avoid overindulging?

WE LINK THE RAIN TO FEELING COLD

Human beings like to eat when it is cold — physiologically eating helps to warm us up via the slight increase in metabolic rate that occurs when we eat and we have been programmed to seek out warming, hearty meals when the temperature drops. While this may hold true in winter, the reality at this time is that it is not necessarily cold, rather damp and uncomfortable. While temperatures are not that low, our brains are still telling us that rain means cold and discomfort, acting as a trigger to seek out something warm and comforting to eat.

The reality check — it is actually not that cold outside, so we really do not need any extra calories or meals even though it may be wet.

It might be wet, but you can put on a jacket. You don’t need a big bowl of hot chips to keep warm.

WE ARE INSIDE MORE

The more we are indoors, the closer the proximity to food and the greater the access to food, the more we will eat. In fact, it has been shown that the most significant predictor of discretionary or junk food intake is accessibility. This means that on rainy days when we spend our lunch break inside, the biscuit jar or fundraising chocolates are going to seem a whole lot more appealing, and long days and nights at home are likely to mean plenty more trips to the kitchen.

The reality check — keep busy and away from the kitchen. Give yourself meal times and stick to them.

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WE WATCH MORE TV

Wet weekends and evenings mean that we are much more likely to stay in with our favourite TV subscription. For many of us, TV time on the lounge also means meal delivery and lots of snacking. If you need convincing simply count how many advertisements feature fast food and tempting snacks when you are watching free-to-air television one evening.

And once the association between snacking, screen time and rainy nights forms, you end up seeking out the choccy bickies or ice cream whenever you find yourself home on a rainy night.

The reality check — factor in a small dessert or sweet treat each evening and avoid buying packets of biscuits and blocks of chocolate or you will eat the entire serve. Limit yourself to one meal delivery each week on a particular day and stick to it.

We’re likely to be stuck inside watching way too much TV. Make sure you keep the snacks away during this time.

WE ARE BORED

When we are busy and occupied, food tends to fall down the list of priorities. On the other hand, when we are staying indoors more, over a number of days, especially during school holidays, cooking, baking and eating are among the easiest, most satisfying ways to occupy us, multiple times each day. You won’t be the first person to eat when you are bored, nor will you be the last. The secret is to keep busy so you are never bored so are not looking for excuses to eat.

The reality check — use rainy days to catch up on the all the jobs you have been meaning to do — clean, sort, do a jigsaw, anything to keep your mind occupied so you do not think of food.

WE USE THE RAIN AS AN EXCUSE

For many of us, wet weather makes us feel a little low — thinks seem darker, people are cranky and life in general gets a little bit harder. One of the easiest ways we can feel better instantly is to eat something yummy — a slice of cake with a coffee; a yummy dessert or chocolate bar with our afternoon snack just to pep us up a little. If this kind of eating is just occasional, it is not an issue, but when you have weeks of rain it can become a problem.

The reality check — an occasional treat is fine, but when the rain goes on for some days, seek out low-calorie, soothing options such as a herbal tea, low-calorie hot chocolate or a piece of biscotti to give yourself a little energy boost, minus the calories.

Susie Burrell is a nutritionist. Follow her on Twitter: @SusieBDiet