New research is always exciting, isn’t it? Check out these 3 strategies for healthy weight loss I bet you don’t even know about!
1) When you eat can be a huge factor in losing weight
Decreasing the window in which you eat all your meals every day can really boost your ability to burn fat. Some people might call it fasting, others call it eTRF.
THE SCIENCE: A recent study of “early time-restricted feeding/eating” (eTRF) found that subjects who ate all of their meals between 8am and 2pm experienced:
- Increased ketones (chemicals our bodies use to burn fat for energy as well as fuel for our brains, which means an increase in mental performance) and SIRT1 (an anti-aging gene) expression in the morning.
- Decreased glucose spikes, especially at night (this means better quality sleep!).
- Normalized cortisol rhythms (higher in the morning = better alertness, lower in the evening = easier to fall asleep). Also, imbalanced cortisol levels leads to weight gain.
Additionally, subjects saw:
- Changes in as little as 4 days.
- An increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) at night, which means possible brain-enhancing effects.
- Decreased mean 24 hour blood glucose levels.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: While 8am-2pm might be a little to restrictive for you, it may be beneficial to play around with the time, such as eating between 8am-5pm instead. The only thing you’re able to consume outside of that time frame would be water – all supplements and things like herbal tea or coffee should be inside that window. Always consult with your healthcare provider or nutrition professional before starting something like this.
2) Drink more water and you’ll lose weight
Here’s 3 reasons why water helps you lose weight:
- Your body can confuse thirst for hunger. Sometimes you’ll feel hungry (grumbling tummy, anyone?) when your body is actually in need of hydration. When you’re properly hydrated, you’re less likely to overeat or eat tempting but harmful foods (I’m looking at you, sugar!).
- Also, hydration is essential for the appropriate release of toxins from your body. Toxins hinder your body’s normal hormone processes, which causes weight gain. Your body sometimes creates fat cells around toxins in order to protect your vital organs. These types of fat cells are super hard to release from your body because they were created due to toxins and don’t function like normal fat cells. Additionally, your thyroid (which regulates your metabolism) is very sensitive and can be easily affected by toxins. On top of weight gain, if you have thyroid issues, you might also experience: slower energy, slower mental clarity, an increased appetite, and an increased risk for disease.
- Drinking enough water helps manage inflammation, which has been linked to increased weight. A 2019 study found that levels of a key inflammatory marker in your blood known as C-reactive protein (CRP) increased as weight increased. This inflammation appears to be triggered by hormonal and metabolic changes and remains until excess weight is lost.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Drink half your weight in ounces of water per day. Add 8oz-12oz more water per every 8oz of diuretics (coffee, caffeinated soda, caffeinated tea, dandelion root tea, etc.) that you drink.
3) Getting more sunlight can help you lose weight
Yep, sunlight is required for normal energy metabolism. Humans spend all their time indoors nowadays, and it’s throwing off our metabolism and our circadian rhythms.
THE SCIENCE: In a recent study, scientists found that fat cells can sense sunlight and that not getting enough can increase your metabolic syndrome (obesity) risk. More research is needed to figure out how much sunlight to get, and if we’re able to create that light using artificial means for people afraid of UV exposure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Aim to get more sunlight each day, especially in the morning.
There you go! Who knew that sunlight, water, and time could all help you lose weight? And they cost you next to nothin’.
What are your thoughts on these weight loss tips? Are you going to give any a try? Let me know in the comments below!