"There's a reason I kept gaining weight"... Just change 'this' and you'll lose weight.

Even though you exercise regularly and manage your diet to lose weight, you may end up gaining weight instead. This can be due to unintentional behaviors in your daily life. Simply changing these habits can lead to weight loss.

 

◇Eating rice with soup

 

Eating rice with soup increases sodium intake and increases the speed of eating, making it easy to gain weight. A study by the Department of Food and Nutrition at Dongduk Women's University found that people who eat rice with soup eat faster and consume more. Eating rice quickly can easily lead to overeating because the brain does not register fullness. In the study, people who ate rice with soup ate 480g more and consumed about 250mg more sodium than those who did not. Eating slowly for more than 20 minutes can help regulate intake by secreting leptin, an appetite-suppressing hormone. There is also a Japanese study that found that people who eat slowly consume less and weigh an average of 5.6kg less than those who do not.

◇Eating while watching a video

 

Watching TV or your smartphone while eating can easily lead to overeating, which can lead to weight gain. This is because, if you don't focus on the act of eating, your brain doesn't properly register the act of eating. You may not be able to assess how much you're eating, leading to overeating or feeling hungry afterward. A study from Ohio State University found that watching TV while eating increases the risk of obesity by 40%.

 

◇Drink beverages instead of water

 

  Drinking fluids like coffee, soda, or tea instead of water increases unnecessary calorie intake and prevents proper hydration due to caffeine and sugar. Drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily helps flush out waste and improves blood circulation, contributing to weight loss. If you prefer a different beverage, opt for caffeine-free, sugar-free options like grain tea or chamomile tea.

 

◇Lack of sleep

Not getting enough sleep (more than seven hours a night) can easily lead to increased body fat. Sleep affects the secretion of leptin and ghrelin, the appetite-regulating hormones. Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and decreases leptin, the appetite-suppressing hormone. A University of California study found that sleep-deprived individuals consume more high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar junk food.

 

◇Hunched posture

 

If you sit hunched over without lifting your chest, you can gain weight in your upper body, causing thick shoulders, arms, and other areas. Slouching can tense the muscles around your neck, impeding blood circulation and promoting fat accumulation. Your upper arms, in particular, are prone to gaining weight because they receive less exercise than other body parts. Furthermore, if you don't keep your back straight, your abdominal muscles will weaken, preventing you from tightening your abs, making it easier for your lower belly to protrude. Simply slouching can make your belly fat more visible. Therefore, it's best to keep your chest and back straight.

 

==============

Even a hunched posture

I guess it affects my diet.

 

It's also true that dieting improves blood circulation.

I guess I just need to stretch my back out.