Weight loss coach: Going full throttle into your winter arc is an easy way to slim down
As we march towards the final days of the year, health and fitness influencers say there’s no finer time for transformative change.The viral TikTok “winter arc” trend champions the adoption of a disciplined wellness routine that ensures you’ll feel and look your best by the first day of 2025 — and doing it right could mean losing weight without all the pressure of a New Year’s resolution.Weight loss coach Kelly B.Story told The Post that a winter arc is “a short period dedicated specifically to making your goals for the next year your top priority.” Most agree that it spans from October 1 through January 1.Why winter?Story explained that when daylight dwindles during the cooler months of the year, we tend to have more time to dedicate to ourselves: “During a season where solitude is more common, it is a very convenient time to set your sights on the things you want to accomplish to improve your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health.”She noted that instances of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) peak during the winter months.
The condition is characterized by low energy levels, social withdrawal, brain fog, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, guilt, and cravings.SAD affects about 5% of US adults, while another 10% to 20% suffer milder winter blues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Story says being proactive about self-care is one way to beat these blues.Her own winter arc strategy helps her wake up with a purpose and have something substantial to strive towards, and she noted that it boosts self-esteem and curbs stress.
Winter arc goals are as varied as the people who set them.One TikTok creator plans to work out four or five times a week, drink a gallon of water a day, read 20 pages a day, cook a new recipe a week, and save money.A third social media user aims to give up alcohol, walk 10,000 steps a day, sleep six to eight hours a night, and remove toxic people from her life.Yet Story said the winter arc is an ideal time to...