Make 2018 the year that you tackle your weight by changing daily habits, which could have been sabotaging your waist. Try these easy 5 tips to help you slim down in the New Year:
Sleep Your Way Trimmer:
Did you ever notice that if you become sleep deprived, you tend to be “hungry all day long?” Research suggest that those who slept less than 8 hours nightly not only had a higher body weight but also had higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger, and lower levels of leptin, a hormone which suppresses hunger in the body, than those who enjoy a longer nightly slumber.
Tip: Make getting to bed earlier your top 2018 resolution, which could help with your other resolution: to lose weight.
Close Down the Kitchen after Dinner:
If you are a post-dinner nosher, you could be noshing your way to an expanding waist. A study in the American Journal Clinical Nutrition of almost 95 adults uncovered that those who habitually ate late at night ate more daily calories and gained approximately 10 pounds more, on average, during a follow up period compared to those who avoided snacking in the evening.
Tip: To put an end to the habit of evening snacking, shut off the kitchen lights after dinner and declare the kitchen off limits until the morning If you must have an after-dinner sweet, brew a mug of decaffeinated tea, such as French Vanilla or Chocolate Chai for a sweet, low calorie ending to your day.
Pick Your Dining Partners Wisely:
There could be a hefty price to pay in the morning for an enjoyable evening out with friends and family members. Research suggests that dining with familiar and pleasant company feeds into a longer, more relaxed dining experience, and thus, increases the likelihood that you will overeat. To add more fuel to the fire, if your dining partners tend to be less healthy, hefty eaters, you’ll be more likely to mirror their same weighty consumption patterns.
Tip: Dine out more frequently with individuals who are healthier eaters and role models, which can help set the tone for lighter diner choices for all. When socializing with less healthy eaters, plan outings such as attending a concert that doesn’t make the meal the focus of the evening. If dining out is a must, make a reservation for lunch rather than dinner as the portions will be smaller.
Shrink Your Wine Glass:
Did you know that a bottle of wine is supposed to provide five servings? The size of your wine glasses could have you pouring more than an serving in your gigantic goblet. Research has shown that individuals tend to pour less of a beverage in a tall, narrow glass than in a glass that is short and wide, even though both hold the same volume of fluid. While 5 ounces of a red or white wine is only approximately 100 calories, if your wine glass resembles a wide water goblet, you may be pouring closer to 2 drinks and twice the calories.
Tip: If you enjoy a glass of wine at night, consider the size and shape of your stemware. Buy only one bottle of wine a week and make it last until Friday. If you run out, don’t buy another bottle until the weekend. Using a taller, more narrow glass may provide an illusion of a larger, more substantive, yet adequate and appropriate serving of wine and help you to stretch that bottle until the end of the week.
Waist-Proof Your Surroundings:
Research suggests that just seeing palatable foods such as a candy dish at work or cookies left on the kitchen counter can increase unplanned, impulsive snacking. Let’s face it, the more often you see it, the more often you will be reminded to eat it.
Tip: Camouflage the sweet and treats in opaque containers and bury them in an office drawer, a cupboard, or better yet, the freezer so that they aren’t continually “calling out your name.” On the flipside, visibly display fresh whole fruit such as clementines and apples at the office and on the kitchen counter. Place cut-up produce front and center in the refrigerator so that you will be reminded to grab these waist-friendly foods every time you open up the frig.
Happy New Year!