You’re counting calories and walking daily, but still have problems controlling your weight. While calories do remain king when it comes to dropping pounds, scientists are finding other behavioral and environmental factors that also influence weight. These strategies may be especially important for Baby Boomers and seniors. So read on to discover non-food methods you can add to your arsenal in the battle to remain healthy.
1) Mind your zzz’s. A lack of sleep wreaks havoc on the twin hormones, ghrelin (the hormone that tells you when to eat) and leptin (which tells you to stop eating). Sleep deprivation leads to an excess of the former and less of the latter. The result: you eat more.
2) Declutter your kitchen. Research entitled Clutter, Chaos, and Overconsumption, out of Cornell University, showed that women in a disorganized kitchen who thought about an out-of-control moment in their lives ate more cookies than women without those distractions.
3) Weigh often. A new study from the Connell School of Nursing at Boston College found that participants who weighed themselves at least six days a week experienced the largest increases in their confidence to avoid overeating.
4) Control stress. One of the hormones our body releases during stress is cortisol. After the initial “flight or fight” reaction, cortisol signals a replenishment of our energy supply. Our appetite increases, and we often end up with more of the damaging deep, visceral belly fat.
5) Drink more water! A recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that people who added one, two or three cups of water daily consumed 68 to 205 fewer calories a day.
To discover more about your eating habits and weight control, contact me for a complementary consultation.