by Sofia Moreau

Feeling a tad uncomfortable in your favorite jeans can indicate more than just an aesthetic concern. More alarming, the excess adipose tissue resting around your middle can lead to detrimental health issues, like Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and heart disease. Reclaim your wellness- and your wardrobe- by following these smart strategies to conquer abdominal fat.

Catch More Z’s

Research suggests a direct link between inadequate sleep and elevated calorie consumption. Lack of a good night’s rest can lead to an extra intake of 300 to 400 calories the following day as our energy-depleted bodies crave quick, often unhealthy carbohydrate fixes. Gaining that extra hour of shut-eye can boost leptin, the hormone that curbs hunger.

Balance Online Exposure

Excessive hours spent on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook may indirectly contribute to weight gain. A comprehensive study revealed that participants were 57 percent more likely to become obese if a friend did. This is likely because social media influences our perception of what is considered ‘normal.’ Authentic human interaction, as opposed to virtual communication, results in more gratifying relationships, thus potentially curbing comfort eating patterns.

Befriend Nutrition Facts

If your shopping list caters to ‘sugar-free’, ‘low fat’ or ‘gluten-free’ diet fads in the hopes of shedding those extra layers of fat, you may be inadvertently doing the opposite. Foods labeled as ‘low sugar’, ‘slimline’ and ‘diet’ often contain artificial sweeteners proven to affect mood and even weight gain. These unnatural substitutes can disrupt digestion and whet your appetite.

Love Your Gut Flora

A healthy digestive system, which relies on a balance between good and bad bacteria or gut flora, influences many essential body functions, including metabolism and fat breakdown. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as high sugar consumption, stress, alcohol, and usage of antibiotics, can disrupt our gut bacteria’s balance. Consuming plenty of fiber-filled foods and probiotics found in fermented culprits like sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, and apple cider vinegar, or using a supplement, can boost gut health.

Conquer Emotional Eating

Emotional eating rarely resolves the root problem, and often leaves you feeling guilty. Instead, devise a list of non-food related self-soothing activities, like a therapeutic bath or a leisurely stroll. Establishing a balanced diet free of processed junk food is also crucial in resisting the irresistible call of comfort food.

Don’t Forget Your Protein

An absence of sufficient protein in your meals could make you more prone to reaching for that second helping. Including protein helps slow down digestion, as a result makes you feel fuller and more satisfied. Try incorporating a plant-based protein powder to your diet as they are more digestible and low-calorie.

Healthy Fats Are Your Friend

Contrary to popular belief, the right fats are essential to our health. Consumption of wholesome fats from oily fish, nuts, seeds, and seed oils provide necessary omega 3 and 6 fats. On the other hand, processed fats found in junk food and bakery items should be minimized.

Curb Constant Snacking

Limit unnecessary grazing throughout the day, as it only adds to your calorie intake. If snacking becomes unavoidable, almonds offer an excellent choice – these nutty buddies boast protein and healthy fats, offering an energy boost while controlling your blood sugar, thereby preventing sugar cravings.

Avoid Screen-side Dining

Try not to dine while distracted by your TV or computer screen. Studies have shown that this habit can result in you eating up to 70 percent more. Screen users were found to consume twice as many snacks half an hours later compared to those who ate away from screens.

Chewing Not Chomping

Mealtime is not a sprinting event rather it should be a paced, mindful experience. Chewing your food thoroughly and putting your utensil down between bites can help. It allows your brain the necessary time to register the signal of satiety.

Proven probiotics, emotional eating, protein, gut flora, healthy fats, snacking, screen-side dining, mindful eating, belly fat, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, leptin, social media, nutrition facts, artificial sweeteners, fermented foods, comfort food, almonds, metabolism