When a bear comes out of hibernation after the winter, stepping out of its warm, dark cave, it may seem shaky and uncertain. It is understandably disoriented and reluctant to leave the comfort that has encased it for the past few months.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary explains the phenomenon of a mammal retreating to utter darkness and solitude with the term “hibernation.” Hibernation occurs when one “becomes inactive or dormant,” and goes through “the winter in a torpid [sluggish] or resting state.” The process of hibernation is an indisputable, concrete reality that envelopes the mammals of our Western civilization during the winter.

One tends to associate the act of “hibernation” with animals, yet this concept heavily impacts human beings as well.

During the winter season, we have a tendency to withdraw from social interaction and “hibernate” in the reliable coziness and warmth of our home, watching Netflix under our covers while binging on pretzels. You may even claim that you have concrete reasoning behind the irrefutable fact that the winter has turned you into a hermit who devours rows of Oreos daily.

However, you should not bluster while trying to explain the extra pounds that you have put on—you are not alone. Your family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and peers have reacted similarly to the dark, bone-chilling cold of the winter. They, too, overindulge on solitude, television, and calories during this challenging time.

This widespread mindset that is adapted during the winter almost inevitably leads to universal weight gain. Maybe it’s the frigidity—the brisk wind that snakes around your spine as you irritably stumble off to the subway each morning—that heightens your desire to huddle in the darkness of your bedroom, under piles of blankets, and gorge on chocolate covered pretzels while watching reruns of Prison Break. It is not surprising that we pack on the pounds during this time; we are just like bears, our fellow mammals—we need that extra layer of fat to keep our bodies warm during this trying time.

Perhaps it’s the awareness that you will be bundled up in bulky sweatpants and parkas for the next few months; you bitterly remind yourself that no one will see the true outline of your suddenly-not-so-slender frame until May. It could be that you’ve been overloaded with busywork from your boss, and you cope with that stress by downing pints of vanilla caramel swirl ice cream on the daily. Regardless of the reasoning behind your newfound puffiness, you must know that you are not alone in your shame and misery; the “Winter Body” appears to be a universal plague and juggernaut of our time.

The “Winter Body” is a force to be reckoned with; it has no mercy and relentlessly attacks and alters the lives of all those who let themselves go during the dark, trying winter season.

However, it is May and you’re probably beginning to panic. You’re starting to realize that there are dire consequences to scarfing down your roommate’s leftover fried chicken after midnight. You don’t even recognize your bloated frame when you peer at yourself in the mirror. Your stomach swoops in a frenzied panic. Anxiety sets in. How did this happen? When did this happen? What should you do?!

Through narrowed eyes and a tightened jaw, you scribble down a battle plan. This is a critical moment in time as you are determined to amend the grim situation that is your body. You are ready for change. You vow to drag yourself to a Zumba class on Wednesday night. You pledge to choke down a green juice for breakfast every day for the next week. You do everything in your power to avoid eye contact with the beaming man at the churro cart down the block from your office. You toss out the gummy bears that you keep hidden in your purse.

Hope blooms in your heart as you prepare yourself for combat. You know that you must aggressively work to fight back against the effects of hibernation—the “Winter Body”—and you are determined to succeed. You want to be the one who is eagerly awaiting the sunshine of the coming weeks, instead of shamefully hiding and swathing your body in excessive layers. This is your time to take your power back. A strict diet and an increase in exercise play a pivotal role in your escape from hibernation.

You will clench your jaw miserably as you swallow the gritty Nature Valley bar instead of your typical pack of Milk Duds while at the movie theater. Your arms will tremble violently as you attempt to plank in the corner of your cramped bedroom. There is nothing worse than the grim realization that hits you when you slink into a yoga class; you understand instantly that you are an oaf among swans. It won’t be easy to shed the excess weight of the “Winter Body,” but it will be worth it.

You may bump into your neighbor as he huffs through a weak jog in his workout attire. You might notice your co-worker glumly munching on carrot sticks. Do not smirk or look down upon their pitiful attempts at shedding the “Winter Body”; it is time to join your peers in their desperate efforts to physically prepare themselves to leave hibernation. Get ready to embark on the universally draining, yet simultaneously enriching journey that occurs annually by the end of the winter: the eradication of the “Winter Body.”