Appetite in the Hot Weather

...I have put on some weight in the last 5 weeks but I am concerned about the weather turning hot. I always seem to lose a little of what I gained during the winter when summer comes. Is there anything I can do to stop this from happening? (from Jeremy)

When the weather turns hot, appetites tend to decrease. Obviously, this is not good news to those trying to gain and maintain weight.

Appetite decreases with heat partly because the body is trying to keep cool. All of the body's functions, including digestion, create heat within the body. A body working hard to keep cool will suppress appetite in an attempt to lessen it's work load.

Additionally, with heat comes perspiration. You not only lose water when you perspire, you lose vitamins and minerals. The loss of vitamins and minerals can contribute to chemical imbalances within the body that can suppress appetite.

It becomes doubly important to do two things in the summer that you should always be doing anyway. The first is taking a multi-vitamin daily. This will help insure that the body has the micronutrients it needs to support all of its functions. Small deficiencies can have major effects.

The second thing you should place extra emphasis on in hot weather is water intake. Most people walk around in some state of dehydration all the time and these numbers increase in the summer. Keeping yourself properly hydrated will help the body keep cool, help with the transportation of micronutrients throughout the body and aid in digestion.

Doing these things in addition to making sure you are consuming enough calories to gain or maintain weight will help keep you moving towards your goals.

Jump-Start Your Appetite from Chinadaily.com

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JP Clifford