Eating much too quickly, shopping on an empty stomach, allowing yourself a few sweets in front of the television. Without appearing to be, certain reflexes can soon cause the numbers displayed on the scale to climb. Here are seven bad habits to banish to avoid extra pounds and keep the figure.
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Skipping Meals
To lose weight, some people do not hesitate to skip one or more meals. However, depriving oneself of can have the opposite effect. “When we skip a meal, we fight against hunger, and it is to step back to jump better,” explains Dr. Laurence Plumey, nutritionist doctor and founder of EPM Nutrition. By opting for this alternative, “we will be even more hungry during the next meal to make up for the calorie deficit.” And we will mainly throw ourselves on “starchy foods, bread, hearty dishes, cold meats, cheese. Hence the risk of weight gain,” continues the specialist.
Eat Too Fast
When we eat too quickly, we do not give “time for the stomach to signal to the brain that the calories have arrived.” Thus, “the hunger signal is always present,” which prompts us to eat more. A person who does not take the time to chew food well “can increase their calorie intake by 30% over the day,” she notes. Not to mention “the feeling of heavy digestion which follows afterward.” While if we allow ourselves a real break – a meal should last between 20 to 30 minutes – “our brain has time to be warned, the signal of satiation arrives faster,” and we avoid refilling.
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Lack Of Sleep
Not getting enough sleep (less than 6 hours per night) can also promote weight gain. And for a good reason. This lack “triggers the secretion of cortisol, which stimulates the synthesis of abdominal fat” and “clearly increases the desire to eat sweets.” On the other hand, “the perceived fatigue pushes to decrease the level of physical activity of the day,” adds the dietician, author of “The wonderful world of fat. Everything about these curves that inhabit us!”
Not Moving Enough
Walking, stairs, running, cycling. We cannot repeat it enough: physical activity is essential to avoid putting on weight and maintaining your healthy weight. “We are designed to move. The proof is that we have great legs. But we have become sedentary, and therefore we save on average 300 calories per day”. And if we add to this “some food slippages, the surplus easily reaches 500 calories per day”. And all those calories that are not burned will automatically end up in abdominal fat, “an ideal storage place.” “An active person who becomes sedentary, says Dr. Plumey, can gain up to 1 kilo of fat per month.”
Nibble In Front Of The TV At Night
Another habit that you absolutely must get rid of, especially in the evening: snacking on candies, chocolate, and other sweet or savory dishes while watching television. Captivated by the images and the film’s plot, we pay much less attention to what we put in our mouths. “The calorie addition will climb quickly without realizing it,” and during the night, “the body burns half as many calories.” As a result, “all excess fat and sugar are stored as fat,” says the nutritionist, who recalls that a simple small packet of crisps “amounts to swallowing the equivalent of a tablespoon of oil. “.
Not Drinking Enough Water
We know how important it is to drink enough water. However, in some people, this is not automatic. It is necessary to drink “before, during and after the meals, at the rate of 7 to 8 glasses of water per day”, advises the founder of EPM Nutrition. If the body lacks water, it can cause a “slight drop in blood pressure,” which results in a feeling of discomfort, loss of energy. “Unconsciously, we will then eat sugary products” to reboot, while our body, composed of 65% water, needs to be hydrated.
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Shopping On An Empty Stomach
Going to the supermarket on an empty stomach is a common mistake. When you shop on an empty stomach, you tend to put more food in your cart, especially fatty and sugary foods, which weren’t on the list. And this will not have the only consequence of increasing the amount displayed on the receipt. To avoid having cupboards overflowing with delicacies of all kinds, and which one will inevitably be tempted to eat, it is, therefore, better to shop with a full stomach, “they will be more reasoned and less in the register of food. ’emotional,’ confirms Dr. Plumey.
