While there’s no substitute for diet and exercise, there are weird ways you can take care of your wellbeing and lose weight that actually work. Whether it’s checking your emails or sitting in the dark, these weird and wonderful habits can set you on your way to weight loss wellness.
1. Take a multivitamin: In a study of 96 obese women, which was published in the International Journal of Obesity, participants either received a multivitamin, calcium supplement, or placebo for 26 weeks, and those in the former group lost significantly more body fat than the others. Louis J. Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, comments, ‘It’s possible that some people eat more because they’re seeking out certain nutrients,’ so even though the vitamin itself won’t make you lose weight, doing so might reduce your need to consume as much food.
2. Watch where you sit: Although a few post-work cocktails or a nice dinner out with your partner can be just what the doctor ordered, essentially you’re just making yourself an easy target for overeating. However, psychologist Stephen Gullo, author of The Thin Commandments Diet, advises snagging a spot at the end of the table. This may feel like a bit of a conversation no man’s land, but ‘centre seats are where the bread, chips, and other sharing plates usually wind up,’ so it’s best to distance yourself where possible.
3. Read your email: According to a Kaiser Permanente study, people who read weekly wellness newsletters in their inboxes eat more fresh produce and fewer trans fats, and even exercise more. New York City nutritionist Joy Bauer, author of Joy Bauer’s Food Cures, who sends out her own daily tip sheet through joybauer.com, explains that nutrition email blasts are ‘crammed with clever tricks,’ as well as just putting nutrition on your mind. The more you think about your wellbeing, the more likely you are to actually do something about it.
4. Turn off the lights: In study of mice, researchers at Ohio State University found that sleeping in total darkness could make you thinner. Mice who slept in total darkness, as opposed to bright light or dim illumination (such as from a TV screen), were significantly less prone to obesity than mice who slept in brighter situations. Study leader Laura Fonken, a neuroscience student, notes that the mice who slept with light exposure ate at odd times, which is the equivalent of late-night eating.
5. Don’t feel guilty about your diet: Even if you eat an unhealthy meal, Kristin Neff, an associate professor of human development and culture at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of Self-Compassion, says it’s vital that you don’t give yourself a hard time. Getting rid of guild is essential in order to build a healthy relationship with food, but also because the stress of the guilt you’re feeling makes you more prone to overeating – what a vicious cycle!
6. Turn off the telly: On average, you tend to spend five hours of your day sitting in front of the television – and you say you’ve got no time for anything! This shocking statistic can help when it comes to your diet, as setting a time limit on your telly time – and doing nothing else exertion-wise – can still allow you to burn more calories. Researchers used an electronic lock-out system which forced telly addicts to watch 50% less TV, and these participants, on this lifestyle change alone, burned an average of 119 more calories per day – imagine what would happen if you replaced that reduced TV time with exercise!
