tag:theconversation.com,2011:/global/topics/weight-gain-3262/articlesWeight gain – The Conversation2023-12-21T10:30:17Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2197842023-12-21T10:30:17Z2023-12-21T10:30:17ZOvereating at Christmas can cause weight gain – but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s permanent<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566864/original/file-20231220-19-v3wltp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5455%2C3628&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many of us look forward to sharing Christmas dinner with friends and family.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diverse-family-clinking-glasses-sparkling-wine-2204856027">DC Studio/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The holidays are a time of indulgence, with most celebrations centred on having festive food and drinks. It’s no wonder then that most people expect to gain some weight over Christmas. </p>
<p>Indeed, plenty of research suggests that people can gain a couple of kilos over the festive period. But whether this weight gain is only temporary or not depends on many factors. </p>
<p>First, it’s important to note that our body weight varies quite a lot from day to day. One <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">study of three European countries</a> suggested that adults tend to be 0.35% heavier on a Monday than they were the previous Friday. </p>
<p>This might be due to people eating differently at weekends. Or it could be down to natural fluctuations in our weight – with one study finding <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03014467400000011">weight can change</a> by an average of 1kg (2.2lb) in a single day thanks to activity levels, fluid retention and food intake.</p>
<p>But when it comes to the Christmas period, weight gain tends to fluctuate more. Research shows that at Christmas, people saw their <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">weight increase</a> by 1.35% on average (about 1.2kg or 3lb).</p>
<p>Research from Australia also shows that adults gain around 0.65% body weight over the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807660">Christmas period</a> (which falls during their summer). This is particularly interesting, as the study found participants tended to weigh 0.23% less in the summer compared to the winter. </p>
<p>This suggests that Christmas weight gain may be solely down to overeating – not because people are exercising less during the cold winter months. </p>
<p>But is this weight gain actually due to an increase in body fat? Or is it simply because of bloating, fluid retention and having more food in our stomachs?</p>
<h2>Calorie count</h2>
<p>When looking at how much people eat on Christmas day itself, there’s little in the way of rigorous research. </p>
<p>But if we look at American Thanksgiving – a holiday similarly characterised by indulgence and overeating – research shows people <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01615440.2021.2010153?casa_token=UF1TfKOlsocAAAAA%3AST5MZTZ0EjbjRKs_lnpBBSXyMEJVqUDg2R3x7UklPFEYjcnW9TtffwIJ9m6Tw4Vro5mlOePJYic">eat around 3,960 calories</a> at Thanksgiving dinner alone. This translates to an approximately <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-5-29?report=reader">0.5kg (1.1lb) weight increase</a> at the end of the Thanksgiving period.</p>
<p>That’s nearly double the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/what-should-my-daily-intake-of-calories-be/">daily recommended calorie requirements</a> for the average adult woman and almost one-and-a-half times the recommended requirements for an adult man. </p>
<p>But just because it’s double the amount of calories we need, this doesn’t mean we may necessarily gain weight.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A family walks outdoors in the winter." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A post-dinner walk with family may off-set some of the calories – and help with digestion.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/family-running-on-country-road-autumn-1558478252">avtk/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For many years, it was believed that consuming an additional 3,500 calories or more over a week would result in 0.5kg (1lb) of weight gain. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859816/">research now suggests</a> this might not necessarily be true for everyone. Many factors can affect how easily a person gains weight – and how many additional calories per week it takes to do this.</p>
<p>For example, it seems that, in general, men gain weight <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880593/">less easily</a> than women, linked to differences in body composition and where fat tends to be stored. Other factors – including body size and weight as well as how much muscle you have, age and how physically active you are – can also affect how easily you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880593/">might gain weight</a>. </p>
<p>Additionally, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41576-021-00414-z">your genes</a> and some health conditions (such as an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0002934384908428">underactive thyroid</a>) can influence how easy it is to gain weight.</p>
<p>So it’s possible that even if different people eat the same number of extra calories over Christmas, one person may gain more weight than the other.</p>
<p>Another consideration is that many of us are eating additional calories on more than just one day over the holidays. For some of us, the holiday indulgence begins in early December, or even late November. This increases the likelihood you’ll gain weight over the holidays.</p>
<p>But let’s say you’re only going to be indulging on Christmas day. It’s unlikely you can eat so much in a single day as to lead to significant weight gain. This is partly because of how our metabolism works – which balances itself over <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302369/">several days</a>. </p>
<p>Still, you might feel that single day of overeating for a few days afterwards as a result – meaning you feel “heavier”, even if you haven’t actually gained weight. Also, if you do gain a little weight, once you go back to your normal routine your body weight will also go back to normal. </p>
<p>Even if you do gain weight at Christmas, research suggests this weight can also be lost after the holidays and your <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">lifestyle settles down</a>. </p>
<p>But if you do want to be mindful about what you eat during the holidays, as a dietitian I would suggest the following things. </p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Be mindful.</strong> Your enjoyment of the holidays doesn’t have to be based on how much you eat – it can be about being in the moment and enjoying the holidays and food more mindfully. But when you do indulge, try to be mindful of how much you’re putting on your plate – don’t just snack without thinking.</li>
<li><strong>Eat plenty of veggies</strong>, salads and fruit. Save the calorie-rich festive treats as the highlight – rather than the main event of meals.</li>
<li><strong>Try to get a bit of exercise.</strong> A Christmas or Boxing day walk with family and friends can help to offset some of the calories and may also help with digestion and bloating.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you still feel like you might have overindulged over Christmas, I would not recommend rushing into making New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I would encourage people to make small changes to their diet and physical activity levels, which are easy to stick to.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219784/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Duane Mellor is a member of the British Dietetic Association and member of the Scientific Committee of the British Nutrition Foundation.</span></em></p>Body weight is affected by many factors – so it’s possible that even if different people ate the exact same foods at Christmas, one may gain more weight.Duane Mellor, Lead for Evidence-Based Medicine and Nutrition, Aston Medical School, Aston UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199462023-12-20T20:29:28Z2023-12-20T20:29:28ZHow to keep your physical and mental health on track during the holidays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566975/original/file-20231220-15-t8vqeb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=67%2C67%2C5178%2C3665&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people veer from their healthy lifestyle routines during the holidays.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-to-keep-your-physical-and-mental-health-on-track-during-the-holidays" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>With the festive season upon us, many people will be gathering with family and friends, whether it’s a workplace party, a friend’s get-together or a quiet night at home watching Christmas movies. While enjoyable, these events can disrupt your healthy lifestyle habits. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204135305.htm">recent survey</a> reported nearly 45 per cent of people take a break from exercise during the holidays, more than half say they feel more tired and have less time for themselves, and about one-third report drinking more. </p>
<p>My research looks at the benefits of a <a href="https://drscottlear.com/">healthy lifestyle</a> on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1xsvY0F6qbBKDG8INVvy5T">physical and mental health</a>. And many of these same healthy behaviours can help you navigate the holidays.</p>
<h2>Eating right</h2>
<p>Cakes, chocolates, spiced ham, turkey stuffing, mulled wine and other delights abound during this time of year. Most of these foods are high in fat, sugar and calories. So it’s no surprise the holidays are associated with a greater consumption of food. And one survey even pegged people <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/calories-consumed-on-christmas-day_uk_584abfb4e4b0fccb67997275">eating close to 6,000 calories on Christmas Day</a>. That’s two to three times the daily caloric recommendation for most people.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A wine bottle and wine glass wearing a santa hat, with holiday wreath in the background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In one survey, one-third of people reported drinking more alcohol during the holidays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With this amount of eating, there are many claims the holidays result in weight gain. While there is an enduring rumour that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/health/nutrition/31real.html">average holiday weight gain is five to 10 pounds</a> (2.25 to 4.5 kilograms), in reality it may be much less. A study published in 2000 reported it to be only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200003233421206">around one pound</a>, or about half a kilogram. However, as this was an average amount, there were still some people in the study who gained five or more pounds. </p>
<p>While indulging on one or two occasions isn’t going to derail your diet, if you have a holiday circuit of events you do, you may want to develop a strategy on how to manage your diet. First ask yourself if you need (or want) to go to all of them. </p>
<p>For the events you do go to, pick one or two occasions at which you’ll indulge. These might have the best food, or your closest family and friends are present. For the others, try staying on the healthier side of things.</p>
<p>Before you go, make sure you eat well during the day leading up to your event so you’re not going to the event hungry. Also, make sure you get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep can make you more likely to reach for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104074">high-energy foods and eat more</a>. </p>
<p>Try to enlist a health buddy, whether a friend or even the host, to keep you on track. And be mindful of alcohol intake, which can impair your self-discipline.</p>
<h2>Staying active</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Melted snowman cookies against a blue background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When it comes to exercise, most of us are creatures of habit. This is a good thing, because having <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827618818044">a routine is the best way to maintain regular exercise</a>. But the holidays are anything but routine. Gyms, pools and community centres may have shortened hours or be closed. Your trainer or aerobics instructor may have taken time off.</p>
<p>Now, missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood. Exercise is known to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.03.013">increase energy levels</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0">improve mood</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.10.019">reduce stress</a>. All of which can be helpful during the frenetic holidays. And missing an exercise session can be like not having your morning coffee.</p>
<p>But the holidays also present numerous opportunities to get in a lot of activity — from shopping to Christmas markets to walking around your neighbourhood looking at the decorations. </p>
<p>You can also get into the holiday spirit by singing Christmas carols (or any other song). Singing can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026995">reduce anxiety</a>, potentially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2021-000959">increase your lung capacity</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-004-0006-9">increase the number of infection-fighting molecules</a> in your blood. And singing with others is known to build social bonds and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356211042668">release oxytocin</a>, which can improve one’s mood. </p>
<p>While the quality of your singing doesn’t matter for most of these benefits, the more you do sing, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.21173">the more you’ll likely benefit</a>.</p>
<h2>Managing stress</h2>
<p>Nearly <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stress">90 per cent of adults in the United States associate the holiday season with some form of stress</a>. While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="red and white mini candy canes arranged in heart shapes and big candy canes in a heart shape with one side broken into three pieces" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This may be one of the reasons why the number of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.100.15.1630">heart attacks and cardiac-related deaths</a> increase during the holiday period. In addition, it’s believed people delay seeking treatment during the holidays, given that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000151424.02045.F7">emergency department visits spike after they’re over</a>.</p>
<p>Stress occurs when people feel they don’t have control over what’s going on. Setting up a holiday plan can help. Your plan could include a spending budget, which events you’ll attend and which you’ll say no to. If you’re hosting a dinner, plan the menu ahead of time, enlist help from others or even get take-out. </p>
<p>Other strategies for managing, and preventing, stress include getting regular exercise, ensuring you get enough sleep, avoiding unrealistic expectations and setting aside some quiet time to do something just for yourself.</p>
<p>While we all want things to be perfect, even the best plans may go astray. If that does happen, that’s okay and go easy on yourself. If you do find the holidays challenging, make sure you speak up to the people around you for their support.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219946/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Lear receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Health Sciences, and has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.</span></em></p>The holidays can disrupt healthy lifestyle habits, like nutrition and exercise routines. Here’s how to enjoy the season without derailing your physical or mental health.Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2191142023-12-18T19:09:51Z2023-12-18T19:09:51Z5 ways to avoid weight gain and save money on food this Christmas<p>As Christmas approaches, so does the challenge of healthy eating and maintaining weight-related goals. The season’s many social gatherings can easily tempt us to indulge in calorie-rich food and celebratory drinks. It’s why we typically <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1602012">gain weight</a> over Christmas and then struggle to take it off for the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938414001528">remainder of the year</a>.</p>
<p>Christmas 2023 is also exacerbating cost-of-living pressures, prompting some to rethink their food choices. Throughout the year, <a href="https://dvh1deh6tagwk.cloudfront.net/finder-au/wp-uploads/2023/03/Cost-of-Living-Report-2023.pdf">71% of Australians</a> – or 14.2 million people – <a href="https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/rising-cost-of-living-forces-aussies-to-change-diets/">adapted</a> their eating behaviour in response to rising costs.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are some simple, science-backed hacks for the festive season to help you celebrate with the food traditions you love without impacting your healthy eating habits, weight, or hip pocket.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-christmas-comes-so-do-the-kilos-new-research-tracks-australians-yo-yo-weight-gain-210709">When Christmas comes so do the kilos. New research tracks Australians' yo-yo weight gain</a>
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<h2>1. Fill up on healthy pre-party snacks before heading out</h2>
<p>If your festive season is filled with end-of-year parties likely to tempt you to fill up on finger foods and meals high in fat, salt, and sugar and low in nutritional value, have a healthy pre-event snack before you head out.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015032/#sec-a.g.atitle">Research</a> shows carefully selected snack foods can impact satiety (feelings of fullness after eating), potentially reducing the calories you eat later. High-protein, high-fibre snack foods have the strongest effect: because they take longer to digest, our hunger is satisfied for longer.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person pours a handful of mixed nuts" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nuts are a good option.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-holding-jar-nuts-dried-fruits-1112521214">Shutterstock/NazarBazar</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So enjoy a handful of nuts, a tub of yoghurt, or a serving of hummus with veggie sticks before you head out to help keep your healthy eating plan on track.</p>
<h2>2. Skip the low-carb drinks and enjoy your favourites in moderation</h2>
<p>Despite the marketing promises, low-carb alcoholic drinks <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hpja.531">aren’t better for our health or waistlines</a>.</p>
<p>Many low-carb options have a similar amount of carbohydrates as regular options but lull us into thinking they’re better, so we drink more. A <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/K-013_Low-carb-beer_FactSheet_FINAL.pdf">survey</a> found 15% of low-carb beer drinkers drank more beer than they usually would because they believed it was healthier for them.</p>
<p>A typical lager or ale will contain less than 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per 100 ml while the “lower-carb” variety can range anywhere from 0.5 grams to 2.0 grams. The calories in drinks come from the alcohol itself, not the carbohydrate content. </p>
<p>Next time you go to order, think about the quantity of alcohol you’re drinking rather than the carbs. Make sure you sip lots of water in between drinks to stay hydrated, too.</p>
<h2>3. Don’t skimp on healthy food for Christmas Day – it’s actually cheaper</h2>
<p>There’s a perception that healthy eating is more expensive. But studies show this is a misconception. A <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/swh-study-finds-eating-a-healthier-diet-is-actually-cheaper-at-the-checkout/#:%7E:text=A%20recent%20study%20from%20the,does%20not%20meet%20the%20guidelines">recent analysis</a> in Victoria, for example, found following the Australian Dietary Guidelines cost the average family A$156 less a fortnight than the cost of the average diet, which incorporates packaged processed foods and alcohol.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trying-to-spend-less-on-food-following-the-dietary-guidelines-might-save-you-160-a-fortnight-216749">Trying to spend less on food? Following the dietary guidelines might save you $160 a fortnight</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So when you’re planning your Christmas Day meal, give the pre-prepared, processed food a miss and swap in healthier ingredients:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>swap the heavy, salted ham for leaner and lighter meats such as fresh seafood. Some seafood, such as prawns, is also tipped to be cheaper this year thanks to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/lobsters-up-prawns-stable-a-buying-guide-to-seafood-this-christmas-20231208-p5eq3m.html">favourable weather conditions</a> boosting local supplies</p></li>
<li><p>for side dishes, opt for fresh salads incorporating seasonal ingredients such as mango, watermelon, peach, cucumber and tomatoes. This will save you money and ensure you’re eating foods when they’re freshest and most flavoursome</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman holds platter at Summer Christmas lunch outdoors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Swap in healthier ingredients.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/be-jolly-fill-your-belly-cropped-2146240039">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p>if you’re roasting veggies, use healthier cooking oils like olive as opposed to vegetable oil, and use flavourful herbs instead of salt</p></li>
<li><p>if there’s an out-of-season vegetable you want to include, look for frozen and canned substitutes. They’re cheaper, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157517300418">just as nutritious</a> and tasty because the produce is usually frozen or canned at its best. Watch the sodium content of canned foods, though, and give them a quick rinse to remove any salty water</p></li>
<li><p>give store-bought sauces and dressings a miss, making your own from scratch using fresh ingredients.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Plan your Christmas food shop with military precision</h2>
<p>Before heading to the supermarket to shop for your Christmas Day meal, create a detailed meal plan and shopping list, and don’t forget to check your pantry and fridge for things you already have. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586574/">Eating beforehand</a> and shopping with a plan in hand means you’ll only buy what you need and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8206473/">avoid impulse purchasing</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won't break the bank)</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When you’re shopping, price check everything. Comparing the cost per 100 grams is the most effective way to save money and get the best value. Check prices on products sold in different ways and places, too, such as nuts you scoop yourself versus prepacked options.</p>
<h2>5. Don’t skip breakfast on Christmas Day</h2>
<p>We’ve all been tempted to skip or have a small breakfast on Christmas morning to “save” the calories for later. But this plan will fail when you sit down at lunch hungry and find yourself eating far more calories than you’d “saved” for. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32073608/">Research</a> shows a low-calorie or small breakfast leads to increased feelings of hunger, specifically appetite for sweets, across the course of the day. </p>
<p>What you eat for breakfast on Christmas morning is just as important too – choosing the right foods will <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-trying-to-lose-weight-and-eat-healthily-why-do-i-feel-so-hungry-all-the-time-what-can-i-do-about-it-215808">help you manage your appetite</a> and avoid the temptation to overindulge later in the day. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24703415/">Studies</a> show a breakfast containing protein-rich foods, such as eggs, will leave us feeling fuller for longer. </p>
<p>So before you head out to the Christmas lunch, have a large, nutritionally balanced breakfast, such as eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.</p>
<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em> </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-make-christmas-lunch-more-ethical-this-year-218351">5 ways to make Christmas lunch more ethical this year</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Many of us gain weight over Christmas and spend more than we’d like entertaining. Here’s how to keep both in check.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107092023-08-01T20:14:54Z2023-08-01T20:14:54ZWhen Christmas comes so do the kilos. New research tracks Australians’ yo-yo weight gain<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540344/original/file-20230801-17-eiwjzq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=26%2C0%2C5964%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-bare-feet-weight-scale-bathroom-785794792">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As we revel in much-cherished festive occasions and weekly get-togethers, Australians are unwittingly bearing an increasingly heavy cost – an expanding waistline. </p>
<p>Our new <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2807660">study</a> offers a new perspective on this. We asked 375 adults aged 18 to 65 years to wear a fitness tracker and weigh themselves, preferably daily but at least weekly. The research, published in JAMA Open Network, uncovers the subtle yet significant weight gain patterns of everyday Australians. </p>
<p>When we compare this new research with patterns from the northern hemisphere, it suggests it’s holidays and festive occasions – not just cooler weather – that drives weight gain. Australians show a yo-yo pattern of weight fluctuation that’s associated with poor weight control and poorer health overall. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-last-5-kilos-really-are-the-hardest-to-lose-heres-why-and-what-you-can-do-about-it-195725">The last 5 kilos really are the hardest to lose. Here’s why, and what you can do about it</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A global concern</h2>
<p>Obesity is a major health concern worldwide. In Australia, an alarming <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/f8618e51-c1c4-4dfb-85e0-54ea19500c91/20700.pdf.aspx?inline=true">two-thirds of adults are now overweight or obese</a>. On a global stage, we have some of the highest rates of excess weight and obesity – with OECD data ranking us 8th highest out of the 41 OECD countries based on the most recent <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/overweight-or-obese-population/indicator/english_86583552-en">data</a>. </p>
<p>People who are overweight or have obesity are at <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28489290/">an increased risk</a> of preventable chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and depression and anxiety. </p>
<p>Recognising and understanding the factors that contribute to weight gain are the crucial first steps towards developing effective interventions. To explore this complex issue, we embarked on an in-depth exploration of how the weight of Australian adults fluctuates over a year. What we found was intriguing when compared to overseas studies.</p>
<h2>Happy holidays and weighty weekends</h2>
<p>Firstly, we noted a prominent weight gain during festive periods. Easter, a time of chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, saw a an average gain of about 244g (0.29% of average participant body weight). The Australian summer months associated with Christmas and New Year, feasts and festivities, had an even larger average increase of approximately 546g (0.65% of average participant body weight). </p>
<p>We also found a weekly cycle, with weight peaking on the weekend, when many people are likely letting their hair down after a busy work week and may be drinking and eating more. </p>
<p>While our study used total body weight, measured using scales, there are other options for tracking body composition. These include waist circumference, skin fold or bioelectric impedence. But these require differing levels of expertise to use. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="man measures own waist with tape measure" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540346/original/file-20230801-234597-n1srym.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Learning more about what time of year we gain weight can help target health messages.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-overweight-man-measuring-waist-205314403">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-indulged-over-the-holidays-if-im-healthy-the-rest-of-the-time-does-it-matter-195643">I've indulged over the holidays. If I'm healthy the rest of the time, does it matter?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How our weight pattern yo-yos</h2>
<p>Seasonal variations were the most striking. </p>
<p>Unlike our counterparts in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32353079/">Europe</a> and the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16340952/">United States</a>, who typically gain weight in winter and lose it in summer, Australians follow a more complex cycle. </p>
<p>Our study, the first to look at to examine changes in weight across a full calendar year in any southern hemisphere country, found Australians are heaviest in summer and lightest in autumn. Weight progressively increases in winter and early spring, only to dip at the end of spring. This pattern, akin to a yo-yo, diverges from the trends observed in the northern hemisphere, where winter overlaps with the common festive periods.</p>
<p>Frequent and significant weight cycling is problematic. It’s not just about the numbers on the scale; it’s the associated health risks that are concerning. Weight cycling, like “yo-yo dieting”, is linked to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25614199/">poor metabolic health</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27773644/">long-term weight gain</a>. </p>
<p>Small weight increases can add up each year. Those gains increase the risk of preventable chronic illness. In our study, approximately a quarter of participants finished the year 2% or more heavier than when they started – an average increase of 1.7kg.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1643497445069041664"}"></div></p>
<h2>A fresh opportunity</h2>
<p>Mapping these “temporal hot spots” presents a unique opportunity to develop more targeted and effective interventions. The periods of weight gain identified in our study (weekends, festive periods and specific seasons) provide key points on the calendar where we could try to curb unhealthy weight fluctuations.</p>
<p>How do we use this information? A great first step would be to concentrate public health campaigns and personal weight management strategies on specific times of year.</p>
<p>Awareness campaigns before and during Christmas and winter could highlight the risks of obesity and provide tips for maintaining a balanced diet, moderate drinking, and staying active amid the festivities. Encouraging regular physical activity during colder months could also help offset seasonal weight gain.</p>
<p>Ultimately, messaging should focus on encouraging sustainable habits like healthy eating, regular exercise, and holistic wellbeing, rather than suggest drastic, short-term fixes. Our study offers an additional tool for creating weight-gain prevention strategies. </p>
<p>As we learn more about the social, cultural and behavioural influences on weight gain, we can tailor our interventions to be more effective.</p>
<p>It’s clear that our love for celebrations comes at a cost. But, armed with new insight, we can still enjoy these beloved traditions while also keeping our health in check. After all, good health is a gift in itself. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exercise-is-even-more-effective-than-counselling-or-medication-for-depression-but-how-much-do-you-need-200717">Exercise is even more effective than counselling or medication for depression. But how much do you need?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210709/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carol Maher receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, the SA Department for Education, the SA Department for Innovation and Skills, the SA Office for the Early Years, Healthway, Hunter New England Local Health District, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, LeapForward and EML.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ty Ferguson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Researchers asked more than 350 adults to weigh themselves daily or weekly. They found a yo-yo pattern of weight gain over festive periods and cooler months.Ty Ferguson, Research Associate, University of South AustraliaCarol Maher, Professor, Medical Research Future Fund Emerging Leader, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2103482023-07-26T16:42:56Z2023-07-26T16:42:56ZSeven techniques to avoid weight regain, approved by experts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539576/original/file-20230726-15479-xe1phm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C0%2C3828%2C2138&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Breakfast – especially a high-fibre one – may help prevent weight regain.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-muslim-hijab-sitting-home-kitchen-2197107949">Red Stock/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Losing weight is challenging. But as anyone who has ever successfully lost weight knows, it’s avoiding weight re-gain that’s the real challenge. </p>
<p>This is true no matter what method you follow to lose weight. For example, studies show that people who follow very low calorie diets (between 800-1,200 calories per day) regain <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1038/oby.2001.134">between 26% and 121%</a> of their lost weight five years after treatment. People who follow behavioural weight management programmes (such as WW, formerly Weight Watchers) regain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19623061/">between 30-35%</a> of their lost weight after one year. </p>
<p>Even people who use weight loss medications, such as Wegovy, are shown to have regained <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441470">about two-thirds</a> of the weight they lost one year after stopping the drug.</p>
<p>There are many reasons why we regain the weight we lose. First, maintaining weight loss is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764193/">less rewarding</a> than seeing the number on the scale decrease while you’re losing weight. This makes it hard to maintain motivation and continue looking after your weight.</p>
<p>Second, it’s often difficult to maintain the lifestyle changes we made in order to lose weight – especially if these <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764193">changes are unrealistic</a> and hard to stick with in the long-term (such as very low-calorie diets or cutting out whole food groups).</p>
<p>Third, weight loss can trigger <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33289256/">increased production of hunger hormones</a> – and can even <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21538">slow your metabolism</a>. These changes can make it difficult to resit overeating and can contribute to weight regain over time. </p>
<p>But while weight regain may be a common experience, that doesn’t mean there aren’t many evidence-backed things you can still do to prevent it in the long run:</p>
<h2>1. Be flexible</h2>
<p>It’s important to understand that maintaining a healthy weight will require lifelong management – so having rigid expectations and thinking you’ll always adhere perfectly to your lifestyle changes is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764193/">unrealistic</a>.</p>
<p>Don’t feel guilty when you have a slip-up. Instead, make plans to get back on track as soon as possible. For example, if you think you may have overeaten on the weekend account for this by adding a couple extra walks into your routine the next week. </p>
<p>Doing this can prevent an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764193/">“all or nothing”</a> approach to weight management – whereby you feel guilty when you don’t achieve your goals and so instead abandon your efforts.</p>
<h2>2. Plan for disruptions</h2>
<p>Recognise that <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-29076-001">there will be disruptions</a> to your weight management efforts – such as holidays, weddings and birthday parties. </p>
<p>Plan ways to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137466/">navigate these disruptions</a> successfully. For example, losing a few extra pounds ahead of time may adjust for extra weight that may be gained during these occasions. </p>
<p>Or, if you’re going to a barbecue, bring along a healthier option (such as vegetable skewers) so you have a lower calorie option to choose. Doing this will help you enjoy special occasions with less worry.</p>
<h2>3. Be proud of your achievements</h2>
<p>Our weight <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506524/">naturally fluctuates over time</a> – and so being proud of yourself when you achieve your goals, regardless of the number on the scale, is important. </p>
<p>Research also shows that people who focus more on how they can achieve their goals – rather than the outcome – are more likely to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/08870446.2011.570867?casa_token=89SEuk-EjFcAAAAA:w_Ub7b-O0f4sqxPNHKP7AiqnErYDr26Nzy8Vx6ry6jCl3vmXPaAzCLocuytDf1IUwzL9MUD1qTzq">stick to behaviours</a> important for maintaining weight loss. This might be because they’re less likely to be affected by setbacks (such as regaining some weight).</p>
<h2>4. Make habits</h2>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33651994/">Creating habits</a> can help maintain weight loss. This is because habits are thought to be less affected by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33651994/">fluctuations in motivation</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A middle aged man and woman go for an autumn walk with their dog in a park." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539575/original/file-20230726-19-qvovln.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An evening walk is one example of a habit that can help you maintain weight loss.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mature-couple-on-autumn-walk-labrador-669130018">Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This means that even when we can’t be bothered, the habits we implemented to help us lose weight will be easier to stick with when trying to maintain weight loss. You could also create some new habits after losing weight – such as going for a walk after dinner or taking the stairs when possible. </p>
<h2>5. Get active</h2>
<p>A study which looked at people who successfully maintained their weight loss found that <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.13003">physical activity</a> was the most important factor for keeping weight off. This is because physical activity can offset some of the <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/healthy-weight-basics/balance.htm#:%7E:text=An%20important%20part%20of%20maintaining%20energy%20balance%20is,burned%29%20over%20time%20%3D%20weight%20stays%20the%20same">calories we eat</a>.</p>
<p>The best physical activity for maintaining weight loss is the one you enjoy doing most. This is because you’re more likely to stick with it in the long-term if you enjoy it. But research suggests you should try to get <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19127177/">at least 250 minutes</a> of exercise each week to maintain weight loss.</p>
<h2>6. Weigh yourself regularly</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5506524/">Weight fluctuates</a> by as much as 1kg-2kg throughout the week. By weighing yourself regularly, you can develop a <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-29076-001">personalised weight range</a> of your highest and lowest average weight. This will help you to keep track of your weight, and understand whether you need to make any changes to your diet and exercise habits in order to maintain your weight loss. </p>
<p>Research shows that people who use <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(13)00528-X/fulltext">personalised weight ranges</a> are better able to prevent large weight regain because they’re able to adjust their behaviours when necessary.</p>
<h2>7. Eat breakfast – and focus on fibre</h2>
<p>Although the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l42">overall evidence</a> on the importance of breakfast in weight management is mixed, one study found that almost <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/obr.13003?saml_referrer">97% of people</a> who kept their weight off reported having breakfast each day.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.12772">Another study</a> also found that people who ate plenty of vegetables and high fibre foods – <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/good-foods-to-help-your-digestion/">such as wholemeal breads, brown rice and oats</a> – each day were more likely to avoid weight regain. Eating these types of foods means you feel fuller and are more likely to eat less. </p>
<p>Maintaining weight loss can be hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. And even if you’re only able to maintain a small amount of the weight you lost, remember it can still be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9130034/#:%7E:text=There%20is%20increasing%20evidence%20that%20moderate%20weight%20loss%2C,significantly%20increasing%20levels%20of%20high%20density%20lipoprotein%20%28HDL%29-cholesterol.">very beneficial to your health</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210348/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Weight regain might be common, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prevent it.Henrietta Graham, PhD Candidate, Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough UniversityClaire Madigan, Senior Research Associate, Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2096362023-07-17T16:05:23Z2023-07-17T16:05:23ZHow childhood trauma can lead to obesity in people with serious mental illness<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537128/original/file-20230712-24-tjrwvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C6%2C4031%2C2257&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Research suggests childhood trauma has a big part to play in obesity.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/silhouette-woman-sitting-on-bed-beside-1439614217">Ken stocker/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>People with a serious mental illness (SMI), like schizophrenia, often experience obesity. And in the UK, such people are almost <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/severe-mental-illness-smi-physical-health-inequalities/severe-mental-illness-and-physical-health-inequalities-briefing#:%7E:text=This%20analysis%20shows%20that%20compared,the%20difference%20is%20not%20significant">twice as likely</a> to be obese compared to those without a diagnosis. </p>
<p>People with SMI also have a greater risk of having other obesity related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and heart failure. The result is a life expectancy that is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28237639/">15 years less than</a> the general population. </p>
<p>Many experts believe the greater risk of obesity is due to the medications used to treat mental illness. Antipsychotics, for example, have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37159349/">frequently been shown</a> to impact body weight. </p>
<p>But that explanation does not consider the role that deeper psychological factors play in obesity. There is a body of research that suggests childhood trauma <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33506595/">has a big part to play</a> too.</p>
<h2>Psychological trauma and obesity</h2>
<p>Psychologists often refer to the trauma experienced in childhood as “adverse childhood experiences” (ACEs). Such experiences include abuse and neglect (both physical and emotional), mental illness and substance abuse in the home, witnessing domestic abuse and having an incarcerated relative. </p>
<p>This type of trauma is <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00787-021-01938-9">strongly associated</a> with the development of mental illnesses in later life. This may explain why many people who are treated in psychiatric hospitals have had such experiences. For example, <a href="https://nccu.nhs.wales/qais/national-reviews/making-days-count/mdc-documents/making-days-count1/">70% of people</a> in forensic psychiatric hospitals have at least one ACE, compared to 47% of the population of Wales. </p>
<p>Research also shows trauma can effect the way people behave. A <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/26/suppl_1/ckw167.009/2448496">recent study</a> found someone who has experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences is twice as likely to have an unhealthy diet. This may explain why there is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003193842030278X?ref=pdf_download&fr=RR-2&rr=7e5964419ba4730c">46% increase</a> in the odds of adult obesity following exposure to multiple ACEs. </p>
<p>Despite this knowledge, however, little attention is paid by policymakers to the impact childhood trauma can have on obesity in people with serious mental illness. </p>
<p>Why is it that people who experience trauma in childhood have a greater risk of being obese? It is well known that people who have experienced traumatic childhoods engage in behaviour that isn’t particularly healthy, such as self-harming, abusing drugs and binge eating. These people do this as a form of avoidance, to distract themselves from the difficult thoughts and feelings they experience. </p>
<p>The term used to describe this behaviour is <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/experiential-avoidance-2797358#:%7E:text=Experiential%20avoidance%20is%20an%20attempt,in%20contact%20with%20internal%20experiences.">“experiential avoidance”</a>.</p>
<h2>Eating our emotions</h2>
<p>Experiential avoidance can take many forms, but a common method is emotional eating, which is the tendency to eat in response to negative emotions. It is associated with the consumption of tasty food that is high in calories. </p>
<p>When someone emotionally eats, they can experience the numbing of intense negative emotion, can be distracted and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40519-016-0301-9">feel a sense of comfort</a>. This is because when we eat food with lots of fat and sugar, it activates the reward and pleasure areas centres of the brain. Eating foods high in fats and sugar is fine in moderation, of course. But the positive effects of eating tasty, high calorie foods are often short lived. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A selection of food, including chips, doughnuts, ice cream and cakes are laid out on a blue table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537485/original/file-20230714-25-kx7uff.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Eating food high in sugar and fat activates the reward and pleasure areas centres of our brain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/unhealthy-products-food-bad-figure-skin-1062629861">beats1/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So, people who engage in experiential avoidance may rely on these foods and consume them to excess. This, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315001397?casa_token=-bqvrnAs3uIAAAAA:KJr48KBwRoU3lPcRkV-OOURVvgJ78F8gUnEkMxsNrcEVRqt3j0-esBpn5kBS_uoTjbvazswR3PQ">according to research</a>, is what can lead to weight gain and obesity. </p>
<p>Currently, the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/sharedlearning/improving-physical-health-for-people-with-serious-mental-illness-smi">treatment guidelines</a> for people with SMI do not consider the impact that ACEs can have on obesity in this group of people. This is probably due to the emphasis placed on antipsychotic drugs as the main contributor to excessive weight gain. </p>
<p>And despite the negative impact that obesity can have on people with a serious mental illness, psychiatric services often <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01211.x">overlook physical health issues</a> because some psychiatric staff feel they are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-0080.2011.01568.x">not adequately trained</a> to deal with the physical health of their patients.</p>
<p>To improve physical health in people with a serious mental illness, it is important that mental health professionals and policymakers consider the impact that psychological trauma has on obesity in this group of people. </p>
<p>Promoting a trauma-informed approach to both psychiatric and physical health care is vital. In essence, this would involve care teams having a <a href="https://www.traumainformedcare.chcs.org/what-is-trauma-informed-care/">complete picture</a> of their patient, mentally and physically, and providing adequate training around the impact that psychological trauma can have on a person’s behaviour.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209636/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joseph Lloyd Davies does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Deep psychological factors play a part in obesity, including childhood trauma.Joseph Lloyd Davies, Lecturer in Applied Psychology, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2081742023-06-26T12:21:51Z2023-06-26T12:21:51ZBMI alone will no longer be treated as the go-to measure for weight management – an obesity medicine physician explains the seismic shift taking place<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533803/original/file-20230623-5599-r64fub.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=64%2C83%2C4214%2C3188&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Body mass index has been the standard measure to classify obesity and overweight for decades. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/text-on-digital-weighing-scale-persons-looking-down-royalty-free-image/1076583812?adppopup=true">kaipong/iStock via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Amid the buzz around <a href="https://theconversation.com/drugs-that-melt-away-pounds-still-present-more-questions-than-answers-but-ozempic-wegovy-and-mounjaro-could-be-key-tools-in-reducing-the-obesity-epidemic-205549">weight loss drugs</a> and rising rates of <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/controlling-the-global-obesity-epidemic">obesity worldwide</a>, many health care professionals are questioning one of the key measures that has long been used to define obesity. </p>
<p>On June 14, 2023, the American Medical Association adopted a new policy, calling on doctors to <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/ama-use-bmi-alone-imperfect-clinical-measure">deemphasize the role of body mass index</a>, or BMI, in clinical practice. </p>
<p>The statement by the AMA, the <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/about#:">nation’s largest association</a> representing physicians, signals a significant shift in how clinicians regard BMI as a measure of general health. With <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db360-h.pdf#:">over 40% of Americans</a> having obesity as defined by BMI, a movement away from BMI could have broad implications for patient care.</p>
<p>As a board-certified <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/scott.hagan.1/bibliography/public/">obesity medicine physician with a research interest</a> in patient-centered obesity care, I have written before about my concerns over use of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-022-07821-w">BMI as a measure of health</a>. The AMA’s policy statement creates an important opportunity to review the current use of BMI in health care settings and to consider what the future holds for the assessment of the health risks of elevated body weight.</p>
<h2>BMI basics</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm">Body mass index is a measurement</a> taken by dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. The metric was developed to estimate a normal body weight <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9681(72)90027-6">depending on an individual’s height</a>, given that taller people tend to weigh more. </p>
<p>It rose to prominence for clinicians in the 1990s following the World Health Organization’s adoption of the metric as the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8594834/">official screening index for obesity</a>. </p>
<p>Research has consistently shown that BMI at a population level <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/193229680800200623">correlates strongly with body fat percentage</a> and risk for <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html">serious health conditions</a>. The index is easy to measure and inexpensive to calculate, allowing its wide implementation in health care settings.</p>
<p><iframe id="0LHD2" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/0LHD2/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Major limitations</h2>
<p>Because of that ample body of evidence from previous decades, one of the long-standing assumptions in the use of BMI as a measure of general health is that it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.25.1.42">accurately predicts an individual’s body fat percentage</a> and, therefore, the potential health risks of elevated weight. </p>
<p>However, while BMI may have strong correlations with the amount of body weight composed of body fat in studies of averages of large groups of people, it does not directly measure body fat for an individual. Therefore, people with the same BMI may have substantially different body fat percentage based on a variety of factors such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-789x.2001.00031.x">age, muscle mass, sex and race</a>. In an example from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.11">one large study</a>, adults with a BMI of 25 had a body fat percentage ranging from 14% to 35% for men, and 26% to 42% for women.</p>
<p>Ultimately, BMI cannot provide doctors with precise information about the portion of body weight composed of body fat, nor can it tell us how that fat is distributed in the body. But this distribution is important because research has shown that fat stored around the internal organs has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3324">significantly higher health risks</a> than that distributed in the extremities.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z_3S2_41_FE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">You can’t tell if someone is healthy just by looking at their body weight, and using BMI alone to determine if someone is healthy can be misleading.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Further, just as a variety of health factors may affect the accuracy of BMI to predict how much body fat someone has, health outcomes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-8587(21)00088-7">such as developing diabetes</a> at a specific BMI can vary substantially based on factors such as a person’s race, sex, age and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.16.1547">physical fitness level</a>.</p>
<p>Finally, a significant number of adults <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.168.15.1617">may have metabolically healthy obesity</a>, defined as having a BMI above 30 without having high blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol. Adults with metabolically healthy obesity <a href="https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-159-11-201312030-00008">have significantly lower health risks</a> associated with a high BMI and therefore may not benefit from weight loss.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qdh9l9Ol4rc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The American Medical Association says the data determining body mass index does not include considerations for genetics, muscle mass or racial differences.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Although research in the 1970s suggested that any BMI above a normal (18.5-24.9) range <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199509143331101">shortened life expectancy</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.113905">some modern studies</a> suggest that BMI in the overweight (25-29.9) to class 1 obesity (30-34.9) range <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.4666">does not raise risk for early death</a>.</p>
<p>The potentially lower risk of death in modern studies for people with higher body weight might be explained by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.15.1868">improved treatment of conditions</a> such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, common contributors to shortened life expectancy for people with a BMI over 30.</p>
<h2>Using BMI to guide recommendations for weight loss</h2>
<p>Clinicians commonly use BMI as the metric to decide whether to recommend weight loss, drawing from recommendations such as those released by the United States Preventive Services Task Force, an independent, national panel of health care experts that writes <a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations">guidelines on preventive health</a>. The task force recommends <a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/obesity-in-adults-interventions">lifestyle-based weight loss programs</a> such as diet and exercise for adults with a BMI above 30, or above 25 if they have other obesity-associated health conditions such as high blood pressure or high blood sugar. Its members cite the potential for lifestyle-based weight loss interventions to reduce obesity-related health risks as justification for the recommendation.</p>
<p>However, in their 2018 evidence review for these guidelines, task force researchers found <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.7777">no significant improvements in cardiovascular events</a>, mortality or health-related quality of life in studies comparing those who received a lifestyle-based or medication-based weight loss intervention, or both, versus those who did not. </p>
<p>The only specific health outcome that was prevented was developing diabetes. Whether newer, more effective weight loss medications, <a href="https://theconversation.com/ozempic-helps-people-lose-weight-but-who-should-be-able-to-use-it-196794">such as Ozempic</a>, will lead to long-term health benefits <a href="https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03574597">remains to be seen</a>.</p>
<p>Part of the reason that the evidence for health benefits of weight loss interventions is so poor is that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1210/er.2017-00111">body weight is regulated by a complicated hormonal system</a>. An adult trying to lose weight with diet and exercise <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1105816">will face indefinite increases in hunger</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199503093321001">reductions in daily calories burned</a> as the body attempts to correct weight back to baseline. As a result, even in the optimal setting of clinical trials, the task force found that only 1 in 8 adults would sustain clinically meaningful weight loss of at least 5% of their prior body weight.</p>
<h2>Alternatives for assessing weight and health</h2>
<p>With the shift away from BMI, the AMA recommends alternative measures that clinicians can use for the assessment of the health risks of an elevated body weight. A variety of measures are suggested, including <a href="https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/bai">body adiposity index</a>, <a href="https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/relative-fat-mass">relative fat mass</a>, <a href="https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/waist-hip-ratio#:">waist-to-hip ratio</a> and waist circumference. </p>
<p>These measures attempt to better characterize fat distribution in the body, given the increased health risks of fat stored around the internal organs. They require additional measurements in a clinic visit. Given the prevalence of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-022-00686-3">anti-fat bias in health care settings</a>, patients may find such measurements to be stigmatizing. Further, while these measurements may <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(05)67663-5">better predict health risks</a> of elevated weight, evidence for using these measurements to improve health outcomes is lacking.</p>
<p>In acknowledging the limitations in using BMI as a general measure of health or as a tool to assess the need for obesity treatment, the AMA has taken an important step toward diminishing the role of BMI in clinical practice. Further research is needed to identify the best ways to assess the health risks of elevated body weight.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208174/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Hagan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Overreliance on BMI as a measure of weight and health has deepened inequities and led to inaccuracies and overgeneralizations.Scott Hagan, Assistant Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of WashingtonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1983082023-03-12T01:47:18Z2023-03-12T01:47:18ZIs menopause making me put on weight? No, but it’s complicated<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513585/original/file-20230306-14-kco62o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C14%2C9504%2C6302&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s a question people ask often: does menopause cause weight gain?</p>
<p>Women commonly put on weight as they enter menopause. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8569454/">Research</a> shows women aged 46-57 gain an average of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11910598/">2.1kg over five years</a>.</p>
<p>But like many things related to weight, all is not what it seems, and the relationship between menopause and weight gain is not straightforward.</p>
<p>Here’s everything you need to know about menopausal weight gain and what you can do about it.</p>
<h2>What typically happens to women’s bodies during menopause?</h2>
<p>Menopause marks the natural end of the reproductive stage of a woman’s life. It officially starts when a woman has not menstruated for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673698053525">12 months</a>, and most women reach menopause between the ages of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/5/1542/695928?login=false">45 and 55</a>, but it can happen much earlier or later.</p>
<p>The transition to menopause, however, typically starts four years prior, with perimenopause marking the time when a woman’s ovaries start slowing down, producing less oestrogen and progesterone. Eventually, these hormone levels fall to a point at which the ovaries stop releasing eggs and menstruation stops.</p>
<p>The symptoms associated with the menopausal transition are many and varied, and can include irregular periods, breast pain, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and changes in mood and libido.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-long-does-menopause-last-5-tips-for-navigating-uncertain-times-195211">How long does menopause last? 5 tips for navigating uncertain times</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So does menopause cause weight gain?</h2>
<p>The short answer is no. But it’s complicated.</p>
<p>When it comes to menopause and weight, it’s weight redistribution – not weight gain – that is actually a symptom. <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/fulltext">Research</a> has confirmed menopause is linked to an increase in belly fat but not an increase in overall weight. </p>
<p>This is because the hormonal changes experienced during menopause only prompt a change in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002937896701114">where the body stores fat</a>, making women’s stomachs and <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/fulltext">waists</a> more prone to weight gain. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10702775/">Research</a> shows visceral fat (deep belly fat) increases by nearly 50% in postmenopausal women, compared with premenopausal women.</p>
<p>It’s also important to recognise some menopause symptoms may indirectly contribute to weight gain:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>sleep issues can lead to sleep deprivation, disturbing the body’s <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.23616">appetite hormones</a>, increasing feelings of hunger and triggering food cravings</p></li>
<li><p>some mood changes can activate the body’s stress responses, increasing the production of the hormone cortisol, promoting fat storage and triggering unhealthy food cravings. Mood can also impact the motivation to exercise </p></li>
<li><p>fatigue, breast pain and hot flushes can make physical activity challenging or uncomfortable, also impacting the ability to exercise. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Woman looking at laptop in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513594/original/file-20230306-22-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A lack of sleep can disturb the body’s appetite hormones.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The truth? Ageing is the real cause of menopausal weight gain</h2>
<p>You read that right – the weight gain often associated with menopause is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163709000415">byproduct of ageing</a>.</p>
<p>As the body ages, it stops working as efficiently. It experiences an involuntary loss of muscle mass – referred to as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0070215305680052">sarcopenia</a> – and fat levels begin to increase.</p>
<p>Because muscle mass helps determine the body’s metabolic rate (how much energy the body burns at rest), when we lose muscle, the body starts to burn fewer calories at rest.</p>
<p>Ageing also means dealing with other health issues that can make weight management more complex. For example, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537590/">medications</a> can impact how the body functions, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529154/">arthritis</a> and general aches and pains can impact mobility and the ability to exercise. </p>
<p>In short – the body’s ageing process and changing physicality is the real reason women experience menopause weight gain.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/brain-fog-during-menopause-is-real-it-can-disrupt-womens-work-and-spark-dementia-fears-173150">'Brain fog' during menopause is real – it can disrupt women's work and spark dementia fears</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>It’s not just weight gain</h2>
<p>While menopause doesn’t make you put on weight, it can increase a woman’s risk of other serious health conditions.</p>
<p>The redistributed weight that leads to more fat being carried in the belly can have long-term effects. Belly fat that lies deep within the abdominal cavity (visceral fat) is an especially unhealthy fat because it’s stored close to the organs. People with a high amount of visceral fat have a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1464-5491.2011.03503.x">higher risk</a> of stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease than people who hold body fat around their hips.</p>
<p>The reduction in the amount of oestrogen produced by the ovaries during menopause also increases a woman’s risk of heart disease and stroke. This is because oestrogen helps keep <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637768/">blood vessels dilated</a> – relaxed and open – to help keep cholesterol down. Without it, bad cholesterol can start to build up in the arteries.</p>
<p>Lower oestrogen can also result in a loss of bone mass, putting women at <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297264/">greater risk of osteoporosis</a> and more prone to bone fractures and breaks.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Woman on yoga mat" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513595/original/file-20230306-28-jiw1te.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Mood changes and fatigue can affect exercise motivation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The bottom line: can we prevent weight gain during menopause?</h2>
<p>Menopause itself does not cause weight gain; it unfortunately just occurs during a stage of life when other factors are likely to. The good news is weight gain associated with ageing is not inevitable, and there are many things women can do to avoid weight gain and health risks as they age and experience menopause.</p>
<p>Start with these six steps:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>incorporate daily exercise into your routine, with a mixture of intensities and variety of exercises, <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians">including body-strengthening exercises</a> twice a week</p></li>
<li><p>stop dieting. Dieting drives up the weight your body will strive to return to (your “<a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-weight-set-point-and-why-does-it-make-it-so-hard-to-keep-weight-off-195724">set point</a>”), so you’ll end up heavier than before you began. You’ll also slow down your metabolism with each diet you follow </p></li>
<li><p>curb your sugar cravings naturally. Every time you feel an urge to eat something sugary or fatty, reach for nature first – fruits, honey, nuts, seeds and avocado are a few suitable examples. These foods release the same feelgood chemicals in the brain as processed and fast food do, and leave us feeling full</p></li>
<li><p>create positive habits to minimise comfort-eating. Instead of unwinding in the afternoon or evening on the couch, go for a walk, work on a hobby or try something new</p></li>
<li><p>eat slowly and away from distractions to reduce the quantity of food consumed mindlessly. Use an oyster fork, a child’s fork or chopsticks to slow down your eating</p></li>
<li><p>switch off your technology for a minimum of one hour before bed to improve sleep quality.</p></li>
</ol>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/it-changed-who-i-felt-i-was-women-tell-of-devastation-at-early-menopause-diagnosis-176015">'It changed who I felt I was.' Women tell of devastation at early menopause diagnosis</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198308/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Many women say they put on weight during menopause, but is the menopause actually causing the weight gain? Here’s what the science says.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1956432022-12-28T21:10:22Z2022-12-28T21:10:22ZI’ve indulged over the holidays. If I’m healthy the rest of the time, does it matter?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501175/original/file-20221214-16735-eb6tdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=9%2C9%2C6221%2C4138&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">pexels/nicole michalou</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The holidays are often called the “silly season” – a time when we eat, drink and be merry. But these holiday indulgences can lead to feelings of guilt and fear that we’ve undone all the healthy habits from the rest of the year. But how much do you really need to worry about the impacts of holiday overeating?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trust-me-im-an-expert-what-science-says-about-how-to-lose-weight-and-whether-you-really-need-to-122635">Trust Me, I'm An Expert: what science says about how to lose weight and whether you really need to</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Yes, weight gain can happen in the holidays</h2>
<p>There are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31953670/">studies</a> that show weight gain can and does occur in the silly season. But on average it’s not as dramatic as diet culture would have us believe, coming in at about 0.7kg.</p>
<p>However, because humans are complex and varied, and nutrition science is hard, there are studies with varied findings. Some show that despite significant increases in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32203107/">overall energy intake</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27618574/">reductions in diet quality</a>, <a href="https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1300&context=etd">weight gain doesn’t occur</a>. </p>
<p>Importantly, much of this research comes from the northern hemisphere where the major holidays coincide with winter. And these studies focus on weight, not health. Weight is just a marker that’s convenient to measure, but <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-10-9">health is more complicated</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/eat-your-vegetables-studies-show-plant-based-diets-are-good-for-immunity-107964">Eat your vegetables – studies show plant-based diets are good for immunity</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Women standing around a cande-lit table, drinking wine" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=898&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501176/original/file-20221214-14385-n9bnc3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1129&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Food is not just fuel.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">pexels/cottonbro studio</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Food is not just fuel</h2>
<p>Food isn’t just energy and nutrients. It’s a big part of our cultures and celebrations, and contributes to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J140v06n04_04?casa_token=B88qy23WbRMAAAAA:HbizzLaYk_SDbucI00WWrJ1krwp5lZFgJjDpFBs6CkbkEXHEbfVhPfbH9uUooPh0z5ay3vLkKRJ-di8">social, cultural and emotional wellbeing</a>.</p>
<p>While it’s harder to study, nourishing our souls with foods that connect us to our loved ones and our traditions is just as important as the role food plays in nourishing our bodies.</p>
<p>Holiday feasts are also an opportunity to share meals. Sharing meals <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-017-0061-4">contributes to our emotional wellbeing and happiness</a>.</p>
<h2>Say hello to homeostasis</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/homeostasis">Homeostasis</a> is a scientific term that describes how systems self-regulate. The word comes from the ancient Greek words for “similar” and “steady”. </p>
<p>In living things it means that biology can adapt to changes to keep things in their normal constant state. Essentially, our body is always making little constant biological changes to help things stay the same. This is how we regulate things like our body temperature, blood sugar, blood pressure and other systems important for survival. </p>
<p>The principles of homeostasis also apply to our <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.658997/full">eating and metabolism</a>. If we eat more for one or two holiday feast days (or even weeks) our biology works to minimise the impacts. This is also why losing weight on restrictive diets can be hard – homeostasis means as we reduce our energy intake our bodies adjust to using less energy. </p>
<p>So for most people, discrete periods of indulgence aren’t likely to be the major determinants of health outcomes. It’s more likely the patterns we follow most of the time will influence our long term health.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-youre-on-a-diet-is-half-the-problem-heres-how-to-be-a-mindful-eater-99207">Thinking you're 'on a diet' is half the problem – here's how to be a mindful eater</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>It’s about balance</h2>
<p>Biology and social norms both mean restrictive diets are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538029/">hard to maintain long-term</a>. Some people are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296321002940">more successful</a> in maintaining a balanced diet when indulging is allowed. </p>
<p>And now science has helped you to relax a little, a few words of caution.</p>
<h2>Drink in moderation</h2>
<p>Over-consumption of alcohol can cause <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:%7E:text=Over%20time%2C%20excessive%20alcohol%20use,liver%20disease%2C%20and%20digestive%20problems.&text=Cancer%20of%20the%20breast%2C%20mouth,liver%2C%20colon%2C%20and%20rectum.">increased risk for chronic diseases</a>. </p>
<p>Excess alcohol consumption in the festive period increases the risk of alcohol-related harm, <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/-/media/ResourceCentre/PublicationsandResources/alcohol-misuse/Drinking-cultures-social-occasions-Factsheet_public-holiday.pdf?la=en&hash=6C43A7F27769C7016FBBC0C1AA35CA3FC74A7A0C">including accidents and violence</a>. </p>
<p>Staying hydrated by alternating with non-alcoholic beverages helps reduce how much you drink and how bad a hangover is, but it won’t eliminate the risks.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Wine glasses touching in 'cheers'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501178/original/file-20221214-14534-p74buy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Drinking too much over the festive season is not without risk.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">pexels/karolina grabowska</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Food safety risks</h2>
<p>Festive eating, with sharing, travelling and over-crowded fridges increases our <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holidays.html">risks of food poisoning</a>. Summer holidays also bring the added risk of heat. </p>
<p>You want to share food and joy, not germs, so remember your <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/food-poisoning-prevention">basic food safety rules</a> like hand washing, avoiding cross contamination of uncooked meats and other foods, storing food chilled, and heating thoroughly. </p>
<p>It’s also a good idea to make sure you talk to your guests or hosts about food allergens to make sure everyone has a safe holiday feast. </p>
<h2>The bottom line</h2>
<p>What we eat is a big part of determining our health, but adding a side serving of guilt to your festive feast isn’t healthy either. </p>
<p>For true healthy choices, focus on balance and moderation for the bulk of the year and for most of your choices, but social and cultural eating is part of balance.</p>
<p>Enjoying your celebration foods doesn’t need to mean throwing away all your healthy habits, but healthy eating and healthy indulgence can co-exist if we let it.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dieting-after-birth-can-make-mums-self-esteem-worse-100247">Dieting after birth can make mum's self esteem worse</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195643/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Beckett has received funding for research or consulting from Mars Foods, Nutrition Research Australia, NHMRC, ARC, AMP Foundation, Kellogg, and the University of Newcastle. She is a member of committees/working groups related to nutrition or the Australian Academy of Science, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Nutrition Society of Australia.</span></em></p>We all eat and drink a bit too much over Christmas and the holidays. But how guilty do we really need to feel about it?Emma Beckett, Senior Lecturer (Food Science and Human Nutrition), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1921142022-10-12T15:33:42Z2022-10-12T15:33:42ZLate night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489325/original/file-20221012-17-ng7sza.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3840%2C2144&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">This isn't the first study to show a link between late night eating and weight gain.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-businesswoman-eating-noodles-cup-junk-2175675261">MMD Made my dreams/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s long been popular advice for people looking to lose weight to avoid late night snacking. It’s no wonder, with a host of research showing that <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(22)00397-7?_returnURL=https%253A%252F%252Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%252Fretrieve%252Fpii%252FS1550413122003977%253Fshowall%253Dtrue">late night eating</a> is linked to greater body weight and increased risk of obesity. </p>
<p>But until now, few studies have actually investigated precisely why late night eating is linked to greater body weight. This is what a <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(22)00397-7?_returnURL=https%253A%252F%252Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%252Fretrieve%252Fpii%252FS1550413122003977%253Fshowall%253Dtrue">recent US study</a> set out to uncover. They found that eating four hours later than normal actually changed many of the physiological and molecular mechanisms that favour weight gain.</p>
<p>This work adds to other recently <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdfExtended/S1550-4131(22)00344-8">published work</a> which has found that eating earlier in the day is more beneficial for both appetite and body weight control.</p>
<h2>Late eating</h2>
<p>To conduct their study, the researchers had 16 participants follow two different meal schedules, each for a period of six days total. </p>
<p>The first protocol had participants eat their meals early in the day with the last meal consumed approximately six hours and 40 minutes before bedtime. The second protocol had participants eat all of their daily meals approximately four hours later. This meant they skipped breakfast and instead had lunch, dinner and an evening meal. Their last meal was consumed only two and a half hours before sleep. </p>
<p>The study was conducted in a controlled lab, which ensured the participants in each group consumed an identical diet, and that all of their meals were evenly spaced with around four hours between them.</p>
<p>To understand how late eating affected the body, the researchers specifically looked at three different measures which are associated with weight gain:</p>
<ol>
<li>The influence of appetite, </li>
<li>The impact of eating time on energy expenditure (calories burned), and</li>
<li>Molecular changes from fat tissue. </li>
</ol>
<p>Appetite was measured using two techniques. The first technique was having participants rate their feelings of hunger throughout the day. The second technique was by collecting blood samples to look at the levels of appetite-regulating hormones in participants’ blood – such as leptin (which helps us feel full) and ghrelin (which makes us feel hungry). These hormones were assessed hourly over a 24 hour period during the third and sixth day of each trial. </p>
<p>To assess the effect of meal timing on daily energy expenditure, a technique called “indirect calorimetry” was used. This measures both the amount of oxygen a person uses alongside the amount of carbon dioxide they produce. This helps researchers estimate how many calories a person’s body uses throughout a normal day. </p>
<p>To examine how late night eating affects the way the body stores fat on a molecular level, the researchers performed a biopsy on fat tissue taken from the abdomen. Only half of the participants agreed to this.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man eats a large bowl of pasta." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489329/original/file-20221012-11-1j3fqj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The participants who ate late felt hungrier the following day – which could lead to over-eating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/handsome-man-eating-pasta-meatballs-tomato-1448107205">Krakenimages.com/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The team found that compared to an early eating pattern, late eating not only increased subjective feelings of hunger the following day, it also increased the ratio of “hunger” hormones in the blood – despite participants eating an identical diet in both protocols. Late eating also caused a decrease in the number of calories burned the following day. In the participants who did the fat tissue biopsy, late eating was also shown to cause molecular changes that promote fat storage.</p>
<p>Together, these results indicate that late eating leads to a number of physiological and molecular changes that, over time, could lead to weight gain.</p>
<h2>Potential for weight gain</h2>
<p>While we don’t fully understand all of the mechanisms underlying why late night eating promotes weight gain, this study shows us that it’s probably the result of many factors working together. </p>
<p>One theory for why eating late causes weight gain could be due to our circadian rhythm. The human body has a natural circadian rhythm, which is controlled by the brain to influence the normal ebb and flow of hormones. It’s particularly responsive to daylight and food intake. </p>
<p>Time of eating is intrinsically linked to the circadian rhythm in humans, as we normally sleep when it’s dark out and eat when it’s daylight. When we eat late, this could challenge the natural circadian rhythm, causing disruptions to the body’s hunger signals and the way it uses calories and stores fat. However, this link has only been shown in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1008734107">studies on animals</a> thus far.</p>
<p>Given the new study was only conducted on a limited number of participants and over a very short time frame, more research will be needed to further understand whether these changes are only temporary, and what affect long-term late night eating can have on these weight gain mechanisms. But we do know from other studies that people who tend to eat late in the evening also tend to gain weight more easily. </p>
<p>Other large-scale studies looking at the relationship between <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jne.12886">disturbances in meal timing on energy balance</a> (such as skipping breakfast, late night eating and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28975706/">shift work</a>) have found these patterns of eating were linked to higher body weight and greater risk of metabolic disorders (such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes). </p>
<p>This study adds to a growing body of evidence showing just how important meal timing can be when it comes to body weight. Based on what this and other studies have shown, people who are watching their weight may want to ditch the late night snacks and favour of eating most of their meals earlier in the day.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alex Johnstone receives funding from UKRI, The University of Aberdeen, The Scottish Government, National Health Service Endowments award, Tennovus Charity and Chief Scientist Office.</span></em></p>This study adds to a growing body of research showing the links between meal timing and body weight.Alex Johnstone, Personal Chair in Nutrition, The Rowett Institute, University of AberdeenLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1841282022-08-22T12:26:15Z2022-08-22T12:26:15ZTwo surprising reasons behind the obesity epidemic: Too much salt, not enough water<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471724/original/file-20220629-12-h11vd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3600%2C2398&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Salty french fries may taste good, but they just contribute to dehydration and obesity.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/cropped-image-of-tempted-boy-holding-french-fries-royalty-free-image/660559557?adppopup=true">William Voon/EyeEm via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Scientific studies and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/what-percent-young-adults-obese/2021/12/03/b6010f98-5387-11ec-9267-17ae3bde2f26_story.html">media coverage</a> are rife <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22073">with warnings</a> on how <a href="https://doi.org/10.31883/pjfns/110735">sugar</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12559">carbohydrates</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.111.153460">saturated fat</a> and <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/physical-activity-and-obesity/">lack of exercise</a> contribute to obesity. And <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7721435/">tens of millions of Americans are still overweight or obese</a> in large part because of the classic Western diet and lifestyle. </p>
<p>As an <a href="https://drrichardjohnson.com/about/#">educator, researcher and professor of medicine</a>, I have <a href="https://drrichardjohnson.com/books/">spent more than 20 years</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dTgECeMAAAAJ&hl=en">investigating the causes of obesity</a>, as well as related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease. </p>
<p>Throughout my many years of studying obesity and related health conditions, I’ve observed that relatively little is said about two significant pieces of this very complex puzzle: lack of hydration and excessive salt intake. Both are known to contribute to obesity. </p>
<h2>Lessons learned from a desert sand rat</h2>
<p>Nature provides a clue to the role these factors play with the desert sand rat <em>Psammomys obesus</em>, a half-pound rodent with a high-pitched squeak that lives in the salty marshes and deserts of Northern Africa. It survives, barely, by eating the stems of <em>Salicornia</em> – the glasswort – a plant that looks a bit like asparagus. </p>
<p>Although low in nutrients, the glasswort’s fleshy, succulent sap is filled with water that’s rich in salt, at concentrations as high as what’s found in seawater.</p>
<p>Recent studies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1713837115">have provided new insights</a> into why the desert sand rat might crave the salty sap of glasswort. Although this has not yet been proven specifically in the sand rat, it is likely that a high-salt diet helps the sand rat convert the relatively low amount of carbohydrates it’s ingesting into fructose, a type of sugar that occurs naturally in fruits, honey and some vegetables.</p>
<p>This <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.12993">helps the animal survive</a> when food and fresh water are sparse. This is because fructose activates a “survival switch” that stimulates foraging, food intake and the storage of fat and carbohydrates that protect the animal from starvation.</p>
<p>However, when the rat is brought into captivity and given the common rodent diet of about 50% carbohydrates, it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1152/ajplegacy.1965.208.2.297">rapidly develops obesity and diabetes</a>. But if given fresh vegetables low in starchy carbohydrates, the rodent remains lean. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A desert sand rat, with prominent whiskers and a brown and white coat, takes a look outside its burrow." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/471738/original/file-20220629-21-kvfn1y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=544&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The desert sand rat, also known as the fat sand rat, is actually a gerbil. It’s found in Asia as well as Africa.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/fat-sand-rat-emerging-from-burrow-in-coastal-royalty-free-image/617548398?adppopup=true">Kristian Bell/Moment via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://drrichardjohnson.com/books/">My research</a>, and the research of many other scientists over the decades, shows that many Americans unwittingly behave much like a captive desert sand rat, although few are in settings where food and water are limited. They are constantly activating the survival switch. </p>
<h2>Fructose and our diets</h2>
<p>As mentioned, fructose, a simple sugar, appears to have a key role in activating this survival switch that leads to fat production.</p>
<p>Small amounts of fructose, like that found in an individual fruit, are not the problem – rather it is excessive amounts of fructose that are problematic for human health. Most of us get our fructose from table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Intake of these two sugars <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/03/05/five-percent-of-calories-should-be-from-sugar/6097623/">totals approximately 15% of calories</a> in the average American diet. </p>
<p>These sugars encourage people to eat more, which can lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-021-00627-6">weight gain, fat accumulation and prediabetes</a>. </p>
<p>Our bodies also make fructose on their own – and experimental studies suggest it may be enough to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA118.006158">trigger the development of obesity</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A spoonful of sugar, surrounded by sugar cubes, on a wooden table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468593/original/file-20220613-17-sgohui.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are two of the culprits that can cause weight gain and obesity.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/sugar-spoon-on-wood-royalty-free-image/681197933?adppopup=true">ATU Images/The Image Bank via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since fructose is made from glucose, production of fructose increases when blood glucose levels are high. This process happens when we eat a lot of rice, cereal, potatoes and white bread; those are carbs that rapidly release glucose into the blood rapidly.</p>
<p>And notably, fructose production can also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA118.006158">be stimulated by dehydration</a>, which drives fat production. </p>
<h2>Fat provides water</h2>
<p>Fat has two major functions. The first one, which is well known, is to store calories for a later time when food is unavailable. </p>
<p>The other major but lesser-known function of fat <a href="https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2015121314">is to provide water</a>. </p>
<p>To be clear, fat does not contain water. But when fat breaks down, it generates water in the body. The amount produced is substantial, and roughly equivalent to the amount of fat burned. It’s so significant that some animals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1681/ASN.2015121314">rely on fat to provide water</a> during times when it’s not available. </p>
<p>Whales are but one example. While they drink some seawater, they get most of their water from the foods they eat. And when they go for extended periods without food, they get their water <a href="https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.204.11.1831">primarily by metabolizing fat</a>. </p>
<h2>Hold the fries</h2>
<p>The role of dehydration as a contributor to obesity should not be underestimated. It commonly occurs after eating salty foods. Both dehydration and salt consumption lead to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1713837115">the production of fructose and fat</a>. </p>
<p>This is why salty french fries are especially fattening. The salt causes a dehydration-like state that encourages the conversion of the starch in the french fry to fructose.</p>
<p>What’s more, studies show most people who are overweight or obese <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602521">don’t drink enough water</a>. They are far more likely to be dehydrated than those who are lean. Their salt intake is also very high compared with lean people’s. </p>
<p>Research shows that people with obesity frequently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2012.88">have high levels of vasopressin</a>, a hormone that helps the kidneys hold water to regulate urine volume. </p>
<p>But recent studies suggest vasopressin has another purpose, which is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.140848">to stimulate fat production</a>. </p>
<p>For someone at risk of dehydration or starvation, vasopressin may have a real survival benefit. But for those not at risk, vasopressin could drive most of the metabolic effects of excess fructose, like weight gain, fat accumulation, fatty liver and prediabetes. </p>
<h2>Drinking more water</h2>
<p>So does this mean drinking more water can help us lose weight? The medical community has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/well/live/how-much-water-should-I-drink.html">often scoffed at the assertion</a>. However, our research team found that giving mice more water slowed <a href="https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.140848">weight gain and the development of prediabetes</a>, even when the mice had diets rich in sugar and fat. </p>
<p>There is also increasing evidence that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14102070">most people drink too little water</a> in general, and increasing water intake may help people who are obese <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.409">lose weight</a>. </p>
<p>That’s why I encourage drinking eight tall glasses of water a day. And eight is likely enough; don’t assume more is better. There have been cases of people drinking so much that “water intoxication” occurs. This is particularly a problem with people who have heart, kidney or liver conditions, as well as those who have had recent surgery or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa043901">are long-distance runners</a>. It’s always good to first check with your doctor about water intake. </p>
<p>For the desert sand rat, and for our ancestors who scavenged for food, a high-salt and limited-water diet made sense. But human beings no longer live that way. These simple measures – drinking more water and reducing salt intake – offer cheap, easy and healthy strategies that may prevent or treat obesity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184128/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Johnson is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus who has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, Veteran's Health Administration, and Department of Defense to understand the role of fructose metabolism in a variety of metabolic disorders. He also has equity with Colorado Research Partners LLC that is developing inhibitors of fructose metabolism. He is also author of Nature Wants Us to Be Fat (Benbella books, 2022) that discusses the science of fructose and its role in obesity and metabolic disorders.</span></em></p>Studies show that most people who are overweight or obese are also chronically dehydrated.Richard Johnson, Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1738682021-12-21T11:37:16Z2021-12-21T11:37:16ZIt could take 12 hours of walking to burn off your Christmas dinner<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/438599/original/file-20211221-15-1l0ir6x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C6000%2C3997&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Christmas is a time when many people put on a few extra pounds.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/funny-santa-claus-walking-down-street-1867646272">sutulastock/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Overeating at Christmas time is almost like a tradition. Many of us look forward to piling our plates full of festive foods, snacking on chocolate throughout the holidays or sipping on festive drinks. Even if you were trying to eat healthier, indulgent foods are often <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-psychology-of-christmas-shopping-how-marketers-nudge-you-to-buy-88011">displayed more prominently</a> in supermarkets and shops during the holidays, making it difficult to pass up on our favourite foods and drinks.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.bdaworkready.co.uk/eat-drink-healthy-christmas/">British Dietetic Association</a> estimates that on Christmas day alone people might consume around 6,000 calories – with Christmas dinner responsible for most of these. But spending time with friends, work Christmas parties and New Year’s celebrations might all see us overeat in the days and even weeks before and after Christmas. It’s no wonder the average adult gains <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5514330/pdf/JOBE2017-2085136.pdf">around 0.5-1kg</a> over the Christmas holidays. </p>
<p>While that might not sound like a lot, the weight we gain during the festive season <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152&type=printable">isn’t always lost</a> in the new year. This excess weight gain over the years could see some people become overweight or obese, which may increase their <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/">risk of many conditions,</a> including cancer, diabetes, hypertension or stroke. </p>
<p>But <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/content/74/3/269.info">research shows</a> that giving people information about how many minutes of walking (or running) it will take to burn off the calories from foods or drinks can help people eat less and avoid <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4867">gaining weight at Christmas</a>. So, how much walking do you need to do in order to burn off Christmas dinner? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A table showing the number of calories Christmas foods contain, and how many minutes it might take to burn them off." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=882&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=882&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=882&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1108&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1108&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437797/original/file-20211215-25-1i6ec67.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1108&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Burning off Christmas dinner.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Amanda Daley</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For an adult weighing 84kg it will take about 12 hours of steady paced walking (around four miles an hour) to burn off the calories of an average Christmas dinner. This is the equivalent of walking approximately 50 miles. Or, if you prefer, you could jog for about five to six hours. </p>
<p>Of course, the <a href="https://www.wcrf-uk.org/health-advice-and-support/health-checks/exercise-calorie-calculator/">number of calories</a> in your dinner will also depend on what foods you eat, how you prepare them and whether you go back for seconds. For example, if you cut out the pre-dinner nibbles and appetisers, and only have a yule log for dessert alongside two glasses of wine, your Christmas dinner may only come in around 2,080 calories. For someone weighing 84kg, this would only take around six and a half hours of walking to burn off.</p>
<p>The amount of physical activity you’ll need to do to burn off your dinner will also depend on <a href="https://www.bupa.co.uk/health-information/tools-calculators/calories-calculator">many factors</a> such as age, gender and weight. </p>
<p>Holiday weight gain does not have to be inevitable – and walking is a great activity you can do by yourself or with others. While walking for 12 hours straight isn’t something anyone wants to do during the holidays, there are many easy ways you can sneak more physical activity in during the holidays each day. For example, try walking to the shops instead of using your car if you can, or take a cycle around your neighbourhood with your children to look at the Christmas lights. </p>
<p>Of course, it’s hard not to indulge over Christmas since it only comes around once a year. Some other easy ways to eat fewer calories during the holidays include snacking wisely, and being cautious with your portions. If you find that you have gained weight after Christmas don’t be disheartened and try to focus on reducing the treats, and setting yourself a goal to get your weight back on track as soon as you can in the new year.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173868/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Professor Amanda Daley receives funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)</span></em></p>On Christmas day alone, it’s estimated that people consume around 6,000 calories.Amanda Daley, Professor of Behavioural Medicine, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1719332021-12-10T01:53:57Z2021-12-10T01:53:57ZCOVID kilos: why now is the best time to shed them<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435993/original/file-20211207-136652-1r1hh9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-bare-feet-weight-scale-bathroom-785794792">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If your clothes are feeling snug after lockdown, you’re not alone. A survey of more than 22,000 people across 30 countries found almost <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/one-in-three-australians-have-gained-weight-during">one-third of respondents</a> gained weight during the COVID pandemic.</p>
<p>Major contributors include stress, takeaway and working from home. Sound familiar?</p>
<p>As you gain more freedom of movement post-lockdown, some of this extra weight may come off naturally. However, your body might need a nudge to return to its pre-lockdown weight, and it’s probably better to act now than wait until New Year’s resolutions time. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/you-dont-have-to-be-the-biggest-loser-to-achieve-weight-loss-success-11587">You don't have to be the biggest loser to achieve weight loss success</a>
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<h2>Harness your inner ‘fat brake’</h2>
<p>Humans tend to maintain a steady weight over time, give or take a few kilos. </p>
<p>One scientific theory on how the body does this is the “set point” theory. It posits that whenever we deviate from our weight set point, our body activates defence mechanisms that tend to shift us back to base. </p>
<p>When your weight goes up, your body may react by:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>reducing hunger and the amount of food needed to feel satisfied, possibly brought on by <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/9/2635">changing appetite hormones</a> </p></li>
<li><p>increasing your propensity to be <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13040">physically active</a>, which can involve conscious activity like walking, or even subconscious activity like fidgeting</p></li>
<li><p>raising your metabolic rate, a change that <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/114/4/1396/6315829">some people</a> exhibit more than others (you may notice feeling hot-under-the-collar if this happens to you).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>This array of physiological responses, which we call the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-now-is-the-best-time-to-go-on-a-diet-or-the-science-of-post-holiday-weight-loss-52075">fat brake</a>” because it slows fat gain, has been documented in experiments where adults were overfed for periods spanning several hours to several weeks. This time frame is similar to the time frame of feasting over a holiday season.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A slice of pizza in an open box." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436010/original/file-20211207-141979-1q8gwvt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">More takaways than usual contributed to lockdown weight gain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/piece-pizza-box-650412841">Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Practically speaking, this means in the aftermath of a brief period of overeating, you may find yourself having less interest in food and wanting to move more than usual.</p>
<p>In other words, a window of opportunity exists where your body is likely to work alongside you in shedding weight.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-now-is-the-best-time-to-go-on-a-diet-or-the-science-of-post-holiday-weight-loss-52075">Why now is the best time to go on a diet, or the science of post-holiday weight loss</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>What happens if we overeat for months?</h2>
<p>The latest Sydney lockdown lasted almost four months (107 days). Melbourne’s lockdown was more fragmented, but no shorter in duration.</p>
<p>It’s not entirely clear how our bodies react to this length of potential overeating. This is because most human overfeeding experiments don’t last beyond two months.</p>
<p>One of the longest is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/56/5/857/4715531?redirectedFrom=fulltext">classic study</a> where “lean young men” were fed an excess of 4,200 kilojoules (1,000 calories) per day for 100 days. At the end, their metabolic rate was found to be higher than before the overfeeding began.</p>
<p>Importantly, in the four months post-experiment, they lost 82% of the weight and 74% of the fat they had gained. </p>
<p>These results are encouraging because they suggest the “fat brake” can remain active even after several months of overeating.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young man walks in front of a purple house." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/436007/original/file-20211207-25-ipr1i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A study of lean young men found they lost most of the weight they’d gained.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-man-walking-casual-happy-on-761397553">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All things, however, tend to come to an end. In <a href="https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2050-2974-2-8">animal studies</a>, the effects of the fat brake have been shown to subside with time. </p>
<p>We can’t predict if or when this might happen in humans, but we do know <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2004.00118.x">genes</a> play a major role in determining how our bodies respond to overeating. </p>
<p>We also know that loss of excess weight tends to be more permanent in children and young people, which could be related to a more <a href="https://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0039/ea0039OC9.2">flexible weight set point</a>.</p>
<p>So, the aforementioned study in “lean young men” likely presents the best-case scenario in terms of recovering from prolonged overeating. </p>
<p>For those of us who don’t have genes or age on our side, being proactive about post-lockdown weight loss and seizing the window of opportunity our fat brakes offer could provide a path of least resistance, at least from a physiological view point. </p>
<h2>How to go about losing COVID kilos</h2>
<p>It’s important to listen to your body’s signals. Eat only when you’re hungry and stop as soon as you’re satisfied. </p>
<p>When you are hungry, aim for smaller portions and lighter foods. One way to do this at mealtimes is to prioritise and “fill up” on vegetables before eating any other food on your plate. You may be surprised by how little it takes to feel satisfied, especially if your fat brake is activated. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-how-to-work-out-how-much-food-you-should-eat-30894">Health Check: how to work out how much food you should eat</a>
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<p>If you have an iPhone, a free app (<a href="https://apps.apple.com/sa/app/wink-by-amanda-salis/id1495613647">Wink by Amanda Salis</a>) can help you learn to eat according to your body signals.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a> provide evidence-based information on what foods to eat and how much to eat. For more personalised information, <a href="https://healthyeatingquiz.com.au/">this free quiz</a> offers a quick assessment of your diet and tailored ideas on things you could improve on.</p>
<p>To avoid eating when you’re not hungry, it’s helpful to do things that are active and exciting. Think team sports, dancing, or other activities you couldn’t do during lockdown. </p>
<p>It’s also a good idea to remove snacks and temptations around the house to minimise “mindless” grazing.</p>
<p>If you’re carrying more weight than a few excess COVID kilos, consider professional help. Young people who have support from a dietitian tend to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-016-0190-2">lose more weight</a> than older adults who seek the same help. </p>
<p>For adults with related medical issues that would improve with weight loss, there are more intensive treatments that are effective for a majority of people, such as <a href="https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(20)30851-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2405844020308513%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">severely energy restricted liquid meal replacement diets</a> but this must be done under medical supervision. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/concerned-about-overeating-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-food-addiction-169352">Concerned about overeating? Here's what you need to know about food addiction</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171933/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hoi Lun Cheng is affiliated with the the Wellbeing, Health & Youth (WH&Y) NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence. She receives competitive grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Salis owns 50% of the shares in Zuman International, which receives royalties for books she has written about adult weight management, and income from education about adult weight management and research methodology. She also receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia.</span></em></p>Your body might need a nudge to return to its pre-lockdown weight. And it’s probably better to act now than wait.Hoi Lun Cheng, Marie Bashir Clinical Research Fellow in Adolescent Health, University of SydneyAmanda Salis, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the School of Human Sciences, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1702682021-11-23T13:30:45Z2021-11-23T13:30:45ZThe COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to make a healthy shift in body ideals<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/429824/original/file-20211102-27-1cwrekq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=28%2C0%2C6202%2C4156&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Behavioral science researchers have found that people tend to have more positive body self-images when they appreciate the body for what it can do – not just how it looks.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-man-looking-into-the-mirror-in-a-fitness-royalty-free-image/1345958237?adppopup=true">Tempura/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everyday life for many people in both trivial and profound ways. Embracing pants without a waistband, trying out creative baking – and perhaps spending a great deal of time sitting, whether for virtual meetings or Netflix binges. </p>
<p>For many people, these kinds of behaviors, coupled with the ongoing stressors and limitations of the pandemic, translated to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020671">pounds gained</a> and newfound or increased feelings <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2020.110426">of discomfort about body image</a>.</p>
<p>It may seem untimely to think about addressing weight loss or body image while still dealing with the uncertainties and pressures of the ongoing pandemic. However, science has shown that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.16.1.14">living through disasters and personal upheavals</a> often causes a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037//0893-3200.16.1.14">shift in life priorities</a> and thinking more about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2009.02466.x">the value of one’s own life</a>. Science also reveals that life disruptions can be a great time to think about, and bring about, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.11.008">habit change</a>. </p>
<p>I’m a <a href="https://psy.uncg.edu/people/boseovski/">developmental psychologist</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Gwes7ewAAAAJ&hl=en"></a><a href="https://www.precisionnutrition.com/certified-coach-directory">health coach</a>. I’ve taught university students about cognition and motivation <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Gwes7ewAAAAJ&hl=en">for the past 20 years</a>, as well as about lifelong physical and mental well-being. Behavioral scientists find that when these sorts of upheavals disrupt regular routines, it can become easier than ever before <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/bsp.2016.0008">to get rid of unhealthy behaviors</a> and replace them with positive <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.11.008">changes in personal habits</a>.</p>
<p>That said, this isn’t another article about how to lose weight. It’s not intended to provoke a knee-jerk reaction like pursuing a <a href="https://theconversation.com/j-los-body-distressing-or-inspiring-for-mid-life-women-131351">Jennifer Lopez</a> rear or <a href="https://theconversation.com/thor-ragnarok-the-end-of-the-world-but-not-as-we-know-it-86345">Chris Hemsworth-y</a> lats. </p>
<p>Instead, I am inviting people to redefine “the ideal body” by better appreciating the body’s functionality – what it can do – rather than focusing mostly on how it appears. </p>
<h2>Celebrities aren’t good role models</h2>
<p>According to Merriam-Webster, an ideal is a <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideal">“standard of perfection, beauty or excellence</a>.” </p>
<p>However, respecting and appreciating one’s body for what it can do, rather than how it looks or compares to cultural ideals, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.11.006">can positively influence body image</a>. For example, behavioral scientists have found that exercising for health, enjoyment and wellness is associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12575">a positive body image and healthy eating habits</a>, while a more negative body image is associated with exercising for appearance-related reasons. </p>
<p>There are physical benefits as well. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102995">putting an emphasis on fitness goals</a>, rather than weight loss, has been shown to enhance longevity. Scientists have also found that <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-104080">exercise can reduce an adult’s risks for a severe case of COVID-19</a> as well as <a href="https://theconversation.com/exercise-may-help-reduce-risk-of-deadly-covid-19-complication-ards-136922">potentially deadly complications</a>. </p>
<p>On top of all this, as journalist Charles Duhigg reports in his book <a href="https://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/">“The Power of Habit,”</a> experts have found that exercise is a keystone habit that often supports adopting other positive health behaviors, such as better nutrition. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman running with dog on a beach road." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/430079/original/file-20211103-17-307qq3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">To successfully change an old habit for the better, it’s important to create an environment that supports the new goal – such as picking out exercise clothes the night before for an early morning walk or run.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/woman-running-with-dog-royalty-free-image/627573747?adppopup=true">Zing Images/Digital Vision via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Appearance and attainability</h2>
<p>As a psychologist, I am aware that we are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.390">an appearance-oriented culture</a>. I’m not suggesting that people disregard aesthetic goals.</p>
<p>Rather, I’m suggesting that looking to other people to define one’s own body image ideals can be maladaptive. This is especially true when people choose celebrity icons and social media influencers as their ideals. For instance, there’s evidence that comparing one’s own appearance to images of celebrities is associated with both <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105320988312">body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating</a>. </p>
<p>Research suggests that the most effective role models are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000059">people with whom one identifies or shares some similarities</a>. This makes it easier to set goals that are attainable, rather than focusing on the public images of celebrity icons. Here, too, it is important that the goals are realistic and applicable to people’s own lives. It’s also important that they avoid making appearance comparisons to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.10.004">people that they know</a>, as this can also lead to body dissatisfaction.</p>
<p>Setting attainable goals instead involves focusing on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617729634">specific behaviors</a> to which one can commit. For example, if someone sets a goal of moving with greater ease, they might plan on going to the gym for 30 minutes three times per week. If the goal is fitting into pre-pandemic clothing, they might eliminate a less-than-healthy snack from the daily eating routine. </p>
<p>These are actions that people can control directly, whereas it is unclear how one would achieve the appearance or weight of a particular celebrity or friend.</p>
<h2>A personal example</h2>
<p>Clarifying the personal meaning of “ideal body” isn’t just a thought experiment. Understanding one’s values helps in setting goals and then establishing habits in daily life to achieve them. </p>
<p>Using myself as an example: As a 48-year-old, my personal body image ideal involves becoming as strong as possible as I age. I don’t want to feel or look delicate, so my workouts primarily involve resistance training – with some running thrown in for stress relief. These are attainable because I value the benefits of these activities.</p>
<p>To be sure that I will maintain my exercise routines, I schedule them in advance so that I know exactly how I will fit them into my day rather than leaving it up to chance and forgoing them entirely or doing them too close to my bedtime, which interferes with my sleep.</p>
<p>For role models, I look to the behavior of other strong women – such as the women of <a href="https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/">Girls Gone Strong</a>, an organization that promotes women’s health and strength through fitness – to inspire me to achieve my goals. </p>
<h2>Changing the context</h2>
<p>Even after figuring out personal body image values and setting attainable goals, it can still be hard to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615598515">let go of older unhealthy habits</a>. Wendy Wood, a University of California psychologist and foremost expert in this arena, has found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.10.011">many behaviors are activated automatically</a> by being in a context – a location – that has past associations with that behavior. Further, those associations matter more than a person’s current goals. </p>
<p>[<em>More than 140,000 readers get one of The Conversation’s informative newsletters.</em> <a href="https://memberservices.theconversation.com/newsletters/?source=inline-140K">Join the list today</a>.]</p>
<p>Say that attaining one’s body image and fitness goals involves taking a brisk walk every morning. Turning that into a habit means <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10463283.2020.1808936">avoiding past behaviors</a> – don’t set the coffee maker to make the morning java, turn on the television or check the phone before the walk – as well as adopting new behaviors, such as setting out the right clothes the night before and establishing a route in advance. </p>
<p>How to get started? A fruitful first step might be to ask: In what ways has the pandemic crisis changed my life values, priorities and attitudes? The answers may be a good foundation for successfully making a healthy shift in body ideals.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170268/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janet J. Boseovski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For many, the pandemic has disrupted daily habits around eating and fitness – which makes it a prime time to shake up old assumptions about achieving an ideal body.Janet J. Boseovski, Professor of Psychology, University of North Carolina – GreensboroLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1707582021-11-18T13:20:46Z2021-11-18T13:20:46ZOvertraining probably isn’t behind your weight loss plateau – here’s why<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432444/original/file-20211117-17-1rgi5jq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=56%2C0%2C6240%2C4147&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Some people claim that stress from overtraining is the reason people struggle to lose weight.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/exhausted-man-after-exercise-drinking-water-1978844849">InesBazdar/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to improving our physical fitness, the time you don’t spend exercising (often known as “recovery”) is <a href="https://www.bases.org.uk/imgs/tses_expert_statement_spread_recovery_strategies947.pdf">as important</a> as the exercise and training you do. </p>
<p>Not only is recovery important for anyone who wants to build muscle mass, taking enough time to recover between training sessions is also important for avoiding “overtraining” – a form of extreme fatigue where recovery can take <a href="https://theconversation.com/overtraining-syndrome-what-it-is-and-how-to-avoid-it-145508">weeks to years to occur</a>. </p>
<p>Overtraining happens when there’s an imbalance between the amount of exercise you do and the amount of recovery you have between sessions. It can cause an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23247672/">impaired immune response</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5541747/">altered hormonal activity</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23247672/">persistent fatigue</a> (often lasting for more than four weeks). But some reports and comments online also suggest that overtraining might be a reason why some people are struggling to lose weight – or may even be causing them to <a href="https://www.livestrong.com/article/456348-over-exercising-weight-gain/">gain weight</a>. This is unlikely to be the case – here’s why.</p>
<p>To <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003580/">lose weight</a>, you must create what’s known as a “calorie deficit”. This essentially just means burning more calories than you’re taking in, and over a sustained period of time.</p>
<p>There are two ways to achieve a calorie deficit – whether that’s changing your diet so you’re eating fewer calories than your body burns, or increasing the amount of exercise you do so you’re burning more calories than you’re taking in. </p>
<p>On this basis, it would seem realistic to expect that if someone is overtraining then they’d probably be burning more calories than they’re taking in – leading to weight loss. But some people believe that because exercise stresses the body, overtraining would therefore cause long-term stress to the body – subsequently leading to weight gain. This counterintuitive link normally involves a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27345309/">hormone called cortisol</a>.</p>
<p>The hormone cortisol is usually released in response to stress – such as from mental stress due to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/40967503?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">work</a> or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01396.x">school</a>. Cortisol is also released when we complete <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2011/01000/Plasma_and_Salivary_Steroid_Hormone_Responses_of.4.aspx">moderate or intense exercise stress</a>. The body does this in order to help prepare for the stress it will experience – so it tells the body to <a href="https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/cortisol/">release some energy</a> to help to complete whatever exercise we’re doing. </p>
<p>Increases in cortisol levels from exercise-related stress are typically short-lived and usually return to normal <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21157386/">within an hour</a> after exercise. Anyone who frequently trains at a high level will therefore repeatedly experience <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428710/">elevated cortisol levels</a> due to exercise-related stress.</p>
<h2>Stress and weight</h2>
<p>Overexposure to cortisol leads to an increase in the activation of a particular enzyme called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/lipoprotein-lipase">lipoprotein lipase</a> that exists in fat cells. This enzyme tells cells to increase their storage of fats and explains why excess stress can sometimes lead to an increase in fat in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3428710/">abdomen area</a>, <a href="https://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/cortisol/">face and chest</a>. Excessive cortisol levels can also make it easier for fat tissue to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15181022/">regenerate cortisol</a> in the fat tissue itself – further increasing the activity of lipoprotein lipase and subsequent fat storage.</p>
<p>There’s some evidence that the group of glands that make cortisol (known as the HPA axis) are affected by overtraining. But much of this research shows that the response of cortisol to stress <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20304442/">actually decreases</a> during a period of overtraining. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Tired woman rests on an exercise bike after her workout." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/432393/original/file-20211117-13-cj4h5t.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Research shows overtraining might actually decrease blood cortisol.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-brunette-woman-relaxing-after-training-181224845">kryzhov/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23710973/">Work from my own laboratory</a> found that the cortisol response to a high-intensity, 30-minute cycle exercise stress test is lowered following a short period (11 days) of intensified exercise. This, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-003-0940-1">alongside findings from other research</a>, suggests that during periods of overtraining cortisol concentrations in our blood may actually be decreased in response to a stressful event – such as exercise. </p>
<p>This may be a protective mechanism for the body when it is repeatedly exposed to increased cortisol levels. It means that it’s unlikely a period of overtraining will increase fat storage and weight gain.</p>
<h2>Prevalence of overtraining</h2>
<p>Even if you exercise regularly, it’s really hard to know what your risk may be of overtraining. We do know that <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200434140-00003">high-level athletes</a> are more likely to suffer from overtraining due to their intense training demands, with studies showing between <a href="https://arbor.bfh.ch/11079/">30%</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23016079/">60%</a> of athletes experience overtraining. But research looking specifically at how often the average person experiences overtraining is scarce. </p>
<p>So why might people be experiencing a weight loss plateau even if they’re exercising often? While the hormone cortisol is linked with weight gain, it’s unlikely that the average person who exercises a few times a week is going to stress their body enough to cause the kind of significant and sustained cortisol spike needed to do this.</p>
<p>The reason people might be experiencing a weight loss plateau – or even weight gain – despite going to the gym a few times a week or even daily can be due to any number of factors. Excess stress in your day-to-day might be one cause, alongside poor diet, not being in a calorie deficit or even overestimating the number of calories you’re burning in the gym. </p>
<p>If you’ve already succeeded in losing some weight but find that your progress has stalled, it may be worth calculating whether you now <a href="https://theconversation.com/weight-loss-heres-why-those-last-few-pounds-can-be-hardest-to-lose-according-to-science-140150">require fewer calories</a>. Adding in some additional light activity everyday – such as a lunchtime walk – might also help you burn some additional calories without stressing your body.</p>
<p>While it’s unlikely that overtraining is preventing the average person from losing weight, it’s always important to schedule rest days into your exercise routine to avoid fatigue and allow your muscles to recover.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170758/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Hough does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Despite some claims, ‘overtraining’ is likely the last reason you’re struggling to lose weight.John Hough, Senior Lecturer, Exercise Physiology, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1676682021-10-01T13:00:33Z2021-10-01T13:00:33ZTen small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424187/original/file-20211001-21-c7n5u8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C3817%2C2160&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Make your daily dog walks a little longer.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/side-view-young-happy-woman-casual-1786823897">Serhii Bobyk/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Between the <a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-119-7_Part_2-199310011-00004">ages of 20 and 55</a>, most adults gain between <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/NBK/nbk133218">0.5 and 1kg</a> a year, which could see some people become overweight or obese over time. This weight gain isn’t usually the result of overeating large amounts of food. Instead, it’s usually caused by eating a small amount – around <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/2/477/4596677">100-200 extra calories</a> – more than <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/what-should-my-daily-intake-of-calories-be/">is needed</a> each day.</p>
<p>The good news is that we may be able to prevent ourselves from gaining weight by making small changes to our diet or physical activity. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13357">Our recent review</a> found that eating 100-200 calories less, or burning an extra 100-200 calories each day, may be enough to stop ourselves from gaining weight in the long run. This is known as a “small-changes approach”, which was first proposed in 2004 by <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/2/477/4596677">James Hill</a>, an American expert on obesity, to help people manage their weight. </p>
<p>Many small studies have investigated the use of the small-changes approach for weight management. We combined the results of these smaller studies into a larger review to get an average (and more statistically reliable) result of the effect of this approach on weight management. We looked at 19 trials – 15 of which tested a small-changes approach to prevent weight gain, and four that test this approach for weight loss. </p>
<p>We analysed the data of nearly 3,000 people in weight-gain prevention trials, and 372 people in weight-loss trials. Participants were aged between 18 and 60, 65% of whom were female. In those who used the small-changes approach to prevent weight gain, we found that participants gained almost 1kg less compared with those who didn’t use this approach over a period of eight to 14 months. The 1kg difference was statistically significant, meaning it was unlikely to be the result of chance.</p>
<p>While the small-changes approach was shown to be effective for preventing weight gain, it was not proven to be effective for weight loss. </p>
<h2>Preventing weight gain</h2>
<p>The trials we looked at used a number of different small changes to help participants prevent weight gain. Here are some of the successful techniques used in these trials:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A chocolate bar cut in half." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/424189/original/file-20211001-27-cjhbx3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you do decide to have something sweet, consider saving some of it for tomorrow.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chocolate-226202980">Fabio Balbi/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Get off the bus one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way</strong>. You may end up walking ten to 15 minutes more and this could help you burn up to <a href="https://coolconversion.com/calories-burned/Calories-burned_-walking_-10_minutes">60 calories</a>. Doing this on the way home as well could mean you burn up to 120 calories. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Skip the chips that come as a side.</strong> Small portions of oven chips served alongside main meals contain <a href="https://www.nutracheck.co.uk/calories/calories_in_vegetables/calories_in_oven_chips_thick_cut_frozen_baked">hundreds of calories</a> . Saying no to these – or opting for a salad or vegetables as a side instead – could help you reduce your daily calorie intake by up to 200 calories. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Switch from a regular to a diet drink</strong>. Although it might not taste the same, making this switch could reduce your calorie intake by <a href="https://www.healthyman.com.au/how-many-calories-in-can-of-coke/">145 calories</a>. However, recent research suggests that <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2784545?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=092821">switching to diet drinks</a> may not be great for weight management – so choosing to drink water instead of your regular fizzy drink might be best. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Have an Americano instead of a latte.</strong> The milk in a regular latte can contain up to <a href="https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/milk-cows-fluid-whole?portionid=1136439&portionamount=300.000#:%7E:text=There%20are%20186%20calories%20in%20300%20ml%20of,beginning%20any%20weight%20loss%20effort%20or%20diet%20regimen..">186 calories</a>, so switching to an Americano could prevent weight gain.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Add one less tablespoon of oil while cooking.</strong> One tablespoon of olive oil, for example, contains slightly over <a href="https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/olive-oil?portionid=30460&portionamount=1.000#:%7E:text=There%20are%20119%20calories%20in%201%20tablespoon%20of,Common%20Serving%20Sizes%3A%20Star%20Extra%20Light%20Olive%20Oil">100 calories</a>, so using less can be one way of avoiding additional calories. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>If you have something sweet, save half of it for tomorrow.</strong> Eating only half a KitKat, for example, could reduce your calorie intake by about 102 calories – and give you something to look forward to tomorrow. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Take one or two fewer potatoes in your roast dinner</strong>. One medium roast potato can contain as many as <a href="https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/generic/white-potato-roasted?portionid=21189&portionamount=1.000">200 calories</a>, so be mindful of how many you put on your plate. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Take phone meetings while walking.</strong> You could burn an extra <a href="https://fatcalories.org/interesting-about-calories/30-minute-walk-how-many-calories.html">100 calories</a> if you opted to take a 30-minute phone call on the go. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Avoid sweets.</strong> Saying no to cakes, biscuits and other sweets could help you easily cut an extra 100-200 calories from your diet – maybe more, depending on the food.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Take your dog for an extra 30-minute brisk walk each day.</strong> The dog will appreciate it, and you could burn over <a href="https://burned-calories.com/sport/walking-fast#:%7E:text=Then%20we%20multiply%20this%20with%200.0175%20and%20the,minutes%20of%20Walking%20%28fast%29%20you%20burn%20154%20kcal.">150 calories</a>. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>The small-changes approach has many advantages for managing weight. First, small changes are easier to incorporate into everyday life over larger ones. For example, it’s easier to eat 100-200 fewer calories a day than to eat 500 fewer calories each day (basically, an entire meal). Small changes are also easier to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33651994/">maintain in the long run</a>, which is key to managing weight. And, if people succeed at making these small changes, it may lead them to make <a href="http://happyheartfamilies.citymax.com/f/self_efficacy.pdf">bigger changes</a> in their life.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167668/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Making small changes daily can help prevent weight gain in the long run.Claire Madigan, Senior Research Associate, Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour, Loughborough UniversityHenrietta Graham, PhD Researcher, Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1661342021-08-19T15:50:11Z2021-08-19T15:50:11ZMetabolism may not slow after 20 – so why do we still gain weight?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/416966/original/file-20210819-15-qlp2nw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4500%2C2991&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Don't blame your metabolism for middle age weight gain.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/male-on-weight-scale-check-diet-1087799819">Monthira/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For a long time, it was believed that after the age of 20 your metabolism decreased dramatically – making it harder to lose weight and keep in shape. But a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34385400/">recent study</a> has shown our metabolism – also known as energy expenditure – stays relatively stable between the ages of 20 and 60, before decreasing at older ages. </p>
<p>The researchers looked at existing studies on energy expenditure from 29 different countries. In total, they looked at data on around 6,400 people from birth to 95 years of age. Each study measured energy expenditure using a method called <a href="https://doubly-labelled-water-database.iaea.org/dataOverview">doubly labelled water</a>. This has participants drink a special type of water, in which a safe, non-radioactive marker has been added. The marker identifies the hydrogen and oxygen present in the water, which allows researchers to track how quickly the body processes both. Urine samples are then taken from each person to track the rate they’ve both travelled through the body. This gives researchers an accurate measure of a person’s <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zg2xxnb/revision/1">metabolic rate</a> – the amount of energy they used in a day.</p>
<p>The analysis showed that energy expenditure (metabolism) rapidly increased from birth to one year. After this, energy expenditure gradually decreased until the age of 20, at which point it became stable until age 60 – even during pregnancy. After 60 was when energy expenditure begins to fall. These findings were true even when researchers took into account different factors – such as physical activity and body composition (how much fat or muscle a person had and how much they weighed) – which can affect a person’s metabolism. </p>
<p>This study builds on our understanding of the human metabolism. Knowing how our metabolism may (or may not) change during our lives can be important for knowing how diseases – such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers – can be treated. </p>
<p>But one problem with the study’s findings is that they didn’t take into account a person’s energy intake. Many people still see their weight increase as they get older, despite their metabolism staying relatively the same throughout their life. This suggests that weight gain isn’t a result of a slowing metabolism. Rather, it’s more likely to be due to eating more food (energy) than our body uses. </p>
<h2>Energy and weight gain</h2>
<p>Metabolism is affected by many factors – including the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339317/SACN_Dietary_Reference_Values_for_Energy.pdf">amount of food we eat</a>, how much physical activity we get, weight, and whether we have a lot of muscle. Metabolism can also affect how energy is obtained from foods. For example, when we <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2897177/">eat more than we need</a>, the body is more likely to use carbohydrates and protein from these foods as fuel, and store the fat – causing weight gain. Weight gain and obesity are both linked to metabolic rate, caused by eating more energy than we use.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A family sitting around a dinner table eating." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/417001/original/file-20210819-15-1e93mpt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=541&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s important to be aware of what – and how much – you’re eating.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/big-multigenerational-family-dinner-process-top-1679988679">Soloviova Liudmyla/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With so many things to keep track of, it can be difficult to understand how best to manage one’s weight. This is why experts have created <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/339317/SACN_Dietary_Reference_Values_for_Energy.pdf">national recommendations</a> of how many calories people of different ages and activity levels should get. These recommendations are made using data on energy expenditure – rather than energy intake. This is because measuring expenditure is thought to be more accurate than measuring energy intake, which is usually done by asking people to self-report what they eat daily. </p>
<p>But the problem with using data on energy expenditure is that these recommendations are made using an average value – so what works for some may not work for everyone. For example, some people who are not very active may need to eat less than guidelines recommend. This may also be why we’re seeing such a mismatch with energy expenditure levels and reported energy intakes in British adults. In fact, <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485982/familyfood-2014report-17dec15.pdf">some studies</a> suggest they are eating well below what the daily recommendations are – and yet we’re still seeing more people <a href="https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/obesity">becoming overweight and obese</a> in the UK every year. </p>
<p>Why people appear to be eating below the national recommendations could be due to a number of reasons. For example, research on energy intake shows that some participants may <a href="http://www.behaviouralinsights.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/16-07-12-Counting-Calories-Final.pdf">misreport</a> how much they eat daily in surveys. Under-reporting may not be the whole story. Even apps which <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30089491/">measure food intake</a> in detail also give lower values of the amount people eat compared to recommendations. This can make it look like people are actually eating less than they need. Other things, such as amount of activity and body size can affect how much energy we need. Recommendations may not take these things adequately into account.</p>
<p>What is promising about the data from this study is that it used a more accurate measure of energy expenditure with people of all ages than some studies have used in the past. This study shows us that energy needs don’t appear to change dramatically over an adult’s life, so these findings may well be useful for adjusting our current recommendations for energy requirements. But it will be key to match new recommendations on energy intakes to how requirements can vary from each person according to their activity levels and body weight. It will also be important to develop better ways of personalising recommendations, so that each person can manage their weight most effectively. </p>
<p>But there are still many simple ways a person can prevent weight gain throughout their life. Keeping physically active and having a healthy diet are both important. Although there can be some margin of error, recording food intake daily can help track how much you’re eating, and can be useful for knowing where you may need to cut back if your weight increases.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/166134/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Janet Cade Chairs the Board of Dietary Assessment Ltd and developed myfood24. She has received funding from the UK Medical Research Council in the past. She is Hon Sec for the Association for Nutrition. </span></em></p>Eating more than your metabolism burns is likely to cause you to gain weight.Janet Cade, Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health, University of LeedsLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1614032021-05-27T20:41:13Z2021-05-27T20:41:13ZHow to ‘build back better’ health habits after the pandemic year<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/402731/original/file-20210525-23-qzcmgh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C91%2C6098%2C3274&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People around the country are ready to celebrate.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/multi-ethnic-laboratory-team-cheering-at-workplace-royalty-free-image/1275317177?adppopup=true">janiecbros/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The U.S. is in far different shape today than it was last Memorial Day, and many Americans are, too. </p>
<p>According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2021/one-year-pandemic-stress">undesired changes in weight</a> driven by pandemic stress are widespread: 42% of adults reported gaining weight, with a median weight gain of 15 pounds, while 18% reported undesired weight loss. About 66% of people reported changes in their sleep habits, and 23% of respondents reported an increase in alcohol use.</p>
<p>In addition, many people have delayed routine medical and dental maintenance: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.rcl.2020.09.008">Think mammograms</a>, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e2.htm">childhood immunizations</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-2404-y">teeth cleaning</a>. There’s also a mental health pandemic underway <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/covid-19">in parallel with</a> increased substance use, which must also be addressed.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholars.msu.edu/scholar/stack/16156/CLAUDIA-FINKELSTEIN">physician and associate professor of medicine at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine</a>. In my role as the director of wellness, resiliency and vulnerable populations, I hear the concerns of faculty and staff regarding returning to on-site work.</p>
<p>The switch that got flipped in March 2020 to social distancing, remote schooling, mask-wearing and long-distance work – or no work – is switching back almost as abruptly. With little preparation time, many people are faced with wanting to be in top form for reentry. Resuming – or beginning – healthier habits is a wonderful goal. Trying to get back to normal too quickly, however, may be hard on joints and hearts. Here is a guide to help you get back in shape without hurting yourself.</p>
<h2>Attitude matters</h2>
<p>It is vital to begin with acceptance of your current state while you plan and implement changes. It may be necessary to hold two seemingly contradictory truths at once – a core tenet of <a href="https://behavioraltech.org/resources/resources-for-clients-families/">dialectical behavioral therapy, or DBT</a>. A classic example of DBT is when a therapist tells a client, “I love you exactly the way you are, and I’m here to help you change.” The statements are simultaneously in opposition to each other and true.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Hand using pen to write checklist on notebook." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403206/original/file-20210527-20-ho8t5n.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Setting concrete, actionable goals can help make them feel more achievable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/RLw-UC03Gwc">Glenn Carstens-Peters/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Doing this in terms of pandemic-driven changes involves three steps:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Take note of the current reality, such as, “I am up 10 pounds,” “I am drinking more than before the pandemic,” or “I’m not getting enough exercise anymore,” but without negative self-judgment.</p></li>
<li><p>Make realistic, measurable goals for change: “I want to lose a pound in four weeks,” “I want to climb a flight of stairs without becoming breathless,” or “I will drink alcohol only when out with friends.”</p></li>
<li><p>Create a plan to achieve these goals. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Also, wanting to take good care of oneself, rather than wanting to look or be a certain way, is an important focus. A little self-knowledge goes a long way here. People who tend to go “all in,” rather than doing things gradually, need to be sure their plans are safe by seeking professional guidance from a reliable source, such as getting weight loss advice from a family doctor rather than from people or companies that a New York Times opinion writer recently described as “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/opinion/culture/dieting-covid-weight-loss.html">weight-loss profiteers</a>.”</p>
<p>How can this process be applied to some common pandemic-driven health problems? Here are some suggestions.</p>
<h2>Sleep</h2>
<p>One of the most effective and “simple but not easy” ways to normalize sleep is to pay attention to one’s <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene">sleep hygiene</a>. Good sleep hygiene includes having a distraction-free, dark, quiet place to sleep. This may require using a sleep mask, blackout curtains or a white noise machine, and having no TV in the bedroom. </p>
<p>Even parents of very young children who may find these steps unrealistic can make some changes to help improve sleep, such as avoiding naps, sticking to a schedule, developing a routine, and engaging in some physical activity to tire oneself out before bedtime. Having a cutoff time for caffeinated beverages, as well as avoiding late night dining and too much alcohol, also help. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Arm entangled in bedsheets reaching towards a pair of glasses." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403211/original/file-20210527-13-i1nwod.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Small behavior changes can help build healthy sleep habits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/kHHwYNA1lnM">Matheus Vinicius/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If excessive snoring is a problem, or getting very sleepy and dozing off throughout the day, or any other unusual symptoms, consulting a doctor should be part of the plan. </p>
<h2>Alcohol</h2>
<p>There are many shades of alcohol consumption between <a href="https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-use-disorder">complete abstinence and full blown alcohol use disorder</a>. If the goal is to stop drinking alcohol entirely, it’s important to stay alert to signs of alcohol withdrawal, which can range in severity from symptoms of a mild hangover to <a href="https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-treatments#1">delirium tremens (experiencing a sudden and severe state of confusion), seizures and delusions</a>. The good news is that <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2FHRP.0000000000000079">there are now medications</a> in addition to behavioral and support groups that can help. </p>
<p>If you’re concerned, try a brief <a href="https://auditscreen.org/check-your-drinking/">self-screening test</a> and talk with your physician.</p>
<h2>Physical activity</h2>
<p>To come up with a safe exercise plan, start with an honest self-assessment. This includes looking at your current age and physical condition (particularly knees, hips, lungs, heart and balance); weight and weight changes during the pandemic; and activity levels before and during lockdown. The National Academy of Sports Medicine offers a <a href="https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/par-q-acsm.pdf">downloadable questionnaire</a> that can help with making this self-assessment.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Legs of someone wearing orange and gray shoes walking up concrete steps." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/403208/original/file-20210527-22-5lqbhf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Checking in with your body can help you safely and effectively reach your health targets.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/PHIgYUGQPvU">Bruno Nascimento/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Remember there are weight bearing, aerobic and stretching types of exercises. With each, begin at a level of comfort and gradually go slightly further. For example, if the goal is to start running, consider starting small, with a 30-minute routine a few days a week that involves a jog for one minute followed by walking for four minutes. Each week up the ante, such as shifting on the second week to jogging for two minutes then walking for three.</p>
<p>If the goal is to start walking, setting a time limit can help to achieve tangible goals: a 10-minute walk a few days the first week, 15 minutes the next week and so on, until the walk lasts 30 minutes and happens a few times a week. Then focus on increasing the pace.</p>
<p>Chest or arm pain, dizziness or extreme discomfort, are all signs to stop. While it’s useful to get to know <a href="https://www.self.com/story/how-to-know-the-difference-between-good-post-workout-soreness-and-potential-injury">what it feels like to be a little sore</a> from working hard and how that differs from pushing it too far, it’s also a good idea to become familiar with the <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-attack/warning-signs-of-a-heart-attack">warning signs of a heart attack</a>.</p>
<p>Whether they involve mental or physical health - while this tends to be an artificial separation - post-lockdown behavior changes should begin with an accurate assessment of how things are, a realistic goal for what they will become, and a plan to get there. All of these should reflect care and love for one’s self and one’s body.</p>
<p>Have a happy - and safe - reentry!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/161403/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Claudia Finkelstein does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A doctor offers tips on how to safely get exercise, sleep and drinking habits back into shape as the pandemic wanes.Claudia Finkelstein, Associate Professor of Medicine, Michigan State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1578522021-04-02T12:18:32Z2021-04-02T12:18:32ZUnwanted weight gain or weight loss during the pandemic? Blame your stress hormones<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392966/original/file-20210331-21-h3dbvx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3902%2C2561&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Stress hormones are closely tied to hunger and motivation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/young-woman-is-weighing-herself-in-a-weighing-scale-royalty-free-image/1139272587?adppopup=true">Karl Tapales/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392963/original/file-20210331-17-1uy16hd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>If you have experienced unwanted weight gain or weight loss during the pandemic, you are not alone. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/03/march-weight-change">61% of U.S. adults reported undesired weight change</a> since the pandemic began. </p>
<p>The results, released in March 2021, showed that during the pandemic, 42% of respondents gained unwanted weight – 29 pounds on average – and nearly 10% of those people gained more than 50 pounds. On the flip side, nearly 18% of Americans said they experienced unwanted weight loss – on average, a loss of 26 pounds.</p>
<p>Another study, published on March 22, 2021, assessed weight change in 269 people from February to June 2020. The researchers found, on average, that people gained a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.2536">steady 1.5 pounds per month</a>.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=sOMbzQ0AAAAJ">nutritional neuroscientist</a>, and my research investigates the relationship between diet, lifestyle, stress and mental distress such as anxiety and depression. </p>
<p>The common denominator to changes in body weight, especially during a pandemic, is stress. Another poll done by the <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/02/adults-stress-pandemic#:%7E:text=The%20majority%20of%20adults%20reported,the%20U.S.%20Capitol%20on%20Jan">American Psychological Association</a> in January 2021 found that about 84% of U.S. adults experienced at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in the prior two weeks.</p>
<p>The findings about unwanted weight changes make sense in a stressful world, especially in the context of the body’s stress response, better known as the fight-or-flight response.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A 3D model of cortisol" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=357&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392964/original/file-20210331-23-o2jkk1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Neurotransmitters – like cortisol, seen here – mediate the fight-or-flight response and can have a huge impact on eating and behavior.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cortisol-3D-balls.png#/media/File:Cortisol-3D-balls.png">Ben Mills/Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
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<h2>Fight, flight and food</h2>
<p>The fight-or-flight response is an innate reaction that evolved as a survival mechanism. It empowers humans to react swiftly to acute stress – like a predator – or adapt to chronic stress – like a food shortage. When faced with stress, the body wants to keep the brain alert. It decreases levels of some hormones and brain chemicals in order to turn down behaviors that won’t help in an urgent situation, and it increases other hormones that will.</p>
<p>When under stress, the body lowers levels of neurotransmitters such as <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0975-7406.111818">serotonin, dopamine and melatonin</a>. Serotonin regulates emotions, appetite and digestion. So, low levels of serotonin <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2010.09.003">increase anxiety and can change a person’s eating habits</a>. Dopamine – another feel-good neurotransmitter – regulates <a href="https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58321">goal-oriented motivation</a>. Dwindling levels of dopamine can translate into lower motivation to exercise, maintain a healthy lifestyle or perform daily tasks. When people are under stress, they also produce <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2010.09.003">less of the sleep hormone melatonin</a>, leading to trouble sleeping.</p>
<p>Epinephrine and norepinephrine mediate the physiological changes associated with stress and are <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.4103%2F0975-7406.111818">elevated in stressful situations</a>. These biochemical changes can cause mood swings, impact a persons’s eating habits, reduce goal-oriented motivation and disrupt a person’s circadian rhythm. </p>
<p>Overall, stress can throw your eating habits and motivation to exercise or eat healthy way out of balance, and this last year has certainly been a stressful one for everyone. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A spoon with chocolate spread" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=384&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392967/original/file-20210331-17-1qi0k5s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sugars give an immediate but short-lasting mood boost.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/chocolate-spread-in-spoon-a-jar-of-hazelnut-royalty-free-image/613319032?adppopup=true">MarianVejcik/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Easy calories, low motivation</h2>
<p>In both of the studies, people self-reported their weight, and the researchers didn’t collect any information about physical activity. But, one can cautiously assume that most of the weight changes were due to people gaining or losing body fat.</p>
<p>So why did people gain or lose weight this last year? And what explains the dramatic differences?</p>
<p>Many people find comfort in high-calorie food. That is because chocolate and other sweets can make you happy by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27166525/">boosting serotonin levels in the short term</a>.
However, the blood clears the extra sugar very quickly, so the mental boost is extremely short-lived, leading people to eat more. Eating for comfort can be a natural response to stress, but when combined with the lower motivation to exercise and consumption of low-nutrient, calorie-dense food, stress can result in unwanted weight gain. </p>
<p>What about weight loss? In a nutshell, the brain is connected to the gut through a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-brain-connection#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2">two-way communication system called the vagus nerve</a>. When you are stressed, your body inhibits the signals that travel through the vagus nerve and slows down the digestive process. When this happens, people experience fullness. </p>
<p>The pandemic left many people confined to their homes, bored and with plenty of food and little to distract them. When adding the stress factor to this scenario, you have a perfect situation for unwanted weight changes. Stress will always be a part of life, but there are things you can do – like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/positive-self-talk#_noHeaderPrefixedContent">practicing positive self-talk</a> – that can help ward off the stress response and some of its unwanted consequences.</p>
<p>[<em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=experts">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get expert takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em>]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157852/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lina Begdache receives funding from the National Science Foundation, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, New York State Health Foundation, Regional Economic Development Council and other foundation and intramural sources.</span></em></p>It’s been a stressful year, and for 61% of US adults, a year of unwanted weight change too. This isn’t surprising, as stress, eating and motivation are all linked through hormones in the brain.Lina Begdache, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Binghamton University, State University of New YorkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1559422021-03-05T10:00:56Z2021-03-05T10:00:56ZFungal microbiome: Whether mice get fatter or thinner depends on the fungi that live in their gut<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387567/original/file-20210303-19-1s9cedq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=118%2C107%2C2156%2C1229&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Fungi make up a small but important part of gut microbiomes.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Saccharomyces&title=Special:Search&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&advancedSearch-current=%7B%7D&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&ns100=1&ns106=1&searchToken=63g4fmnfbj9we5zc655ffepiz#%2Fmedia%2FFile%3ASaccharomyces_cerevisiae_SEM.jpg">Mogana Das Murtey and Patchamuthu Ramasamy via Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em></p>
<h2>The big idea</h2>
<p>Mice with certain communities of fungi living in their gut gained more weight when eating processed food than mice whose gut microbiomes hosted different communities of fungi, according to <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01820-z">our study</a> published March 5 in the journal Communications Biology.</p>
<p>Microbiomes are communities of microorganisms. In this study, we explored whether the fungal members of the gut microbiome – called the mycobiome – changed their host’s metabolic reaction to processed food. To do this, we obtained genetically identical mice from four different companies – each with different fungal microbiomes – and then fed the mice either standard mouse food or processed food resembling the typical American diet. After six weeks, we measured their body fat as well as genes and hormones involved in metabolism.</p>
<p>We specifically looked at the relationship between the fungal microbiome and processed foods – foods that contain refined sugars, monounsaturated fats and white flour, for example – because these foods are linked to <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0285-4">unhealthy weight gain in humans</a>. Eating processed food made most mice fatter, but how much weight and how their metabolism changed varied between mice with different microbiomes. After measuring the microbiomes of each mouse, we used machine learning to figure out which fungi had the strongest influence on metabolism.</p>
<p>We found that mice whose gut microbiomes contained more of the fungi Thermomyces – which manufacturers use to break down fat in commercial processes – and less Saccharomyces – yeasts used in baking and brewing – gained about 15% <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01820-z">more weight</a> than the mice with different microbiomes. We found similar but smaller differences in mice on a normal diet.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A hamburger and onion rings on a plate." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387568/original/file-20210303-19-1bd3yht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The microbiome plays an important role in how bodies react to processed foods.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hamburger_and_onion_rings.jpg#/media/File:Hamburger_and_onion_rings.jpg">Jeffrey W via Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>The gut microbiome can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12506">influence metabolism</a>. </p>
<p>Most people assume the microbiome is entirely bacteria. However, fungi – though usually <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1038/nri3684">less common</a> than bacteria – are often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2017.07.002">critical members</a> of these microbial communities. Microbiomes vary among individuals, so the species of fungi living in your gut might be different from your neighbor’s. This was also true for mice in our study. </p>
<p>Researchers only recently discovered the <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1126/science.1221789">fungal microbiome</a> and have limited knowledge of how it affects <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2019.05.023">human health</a>. Our study is one of the first to identify how gut fungi can influence metabolism. </p>
<p>If gut fungi influence metabolism in people similarly to the way they do in mice, researchers might be able to develop diets tailored for specific microbiomes. It might also be possible to adjust a person’s fungal microbiome to control weight in specific situations – such as after weight-loss surgery.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A fat black mouse and a skinny black mouse standing next to each other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=351&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/387570/original/file-20210303-16-1q08she.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=441&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fungal microbiomes play a role in influencing the metabolism of mice. How this translates to humans remains to be seen.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/genetic-obese-mouse-with-black-healthy-control-royalty-free-image/848002620?adppopup=true">Georgejason/iStock via Getty Images Plus</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What still isn’t known</h2>
<p>Scientists are still learning which species of fungi make their home in the gut versus fungi that might just be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/gb-2011-12-5-r50">passing through</a>. While many of the interactions between humans and their gut fungi are likely beneficial, this may not always be the case. For example, fungi may play a role in <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2017.06.004">irritable bowel syndrome</a> and increase the risk of developing <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1608-2">pancreatic cancer</a>.</p>
<p>Not only could the presence or absence of certain fungi have direct effects on health, fungal interaction with bacteria is also likely very important. Our work has made some key first steps in understanding the complex relationship between <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1155/2020/9560684">bacterial and fungal communities</a> when they cooperate to digest processed food. </p>
<h2>What’s next</h2>
<p>We are planning to perform studies in humans and mice looking at how the fungal microbiome influences metabolism on high-fat diets and after weight loss surgery. And to learn more about how different fungi affect metabolism, we’d like to create mice with artificial microbiomes that we either assemble ourselves or transplant from a human donor.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/155942/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kent Willis receives funding from the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (Grant K08HL151907) and was the recipient of the 2021 Kaul Pediatric Research Institute Award from the Children's of Alabama Hospital.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Justin D. Stewart does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Fungi are a small but important part of the gut microbiome. A new study in mice shows that how much weight mice gain on a processed food diet depends on this fungal microbiome.Kent Willis, Assistant Professor of Neonatology, University of Alabama at BirminghamJustin D. Stewart, PhD Candidate in Evolutionary Biology, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1523162021-01-19T19:07:39Z2021-01-19T19:07:39ZNot feeling motivated to tackle those sneaky COVID kilos? Try these 4 healthy eating tips instead<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379395/original/file-20210119-22-prbelg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5463%2C3170&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32819875/">Australia</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33068668/">around the world</a>, research is showing changes in body weight, cooking, eating and drinking patterns associated with COVID lockdowns.</p>
<p>Some changes have been positive, such as people <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33374619/">cooking at home more</a>, and eating <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33398347/">more vegetables</a>.</p>
<p>But many people have also reported <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33198215/">snacking more</a>, and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32784530/">eating</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33364250/">drinking</a> in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32589149/">response to stress</a>. </p>
<p>As the new year starts, you may be planning to tackle COVID-related weight gain. Before you do, consider that it may be better to focus on your eating patterns, rather than looking to the latest fad diet.</p>
<h2>Emotional eating and weight gain</h2>
<p>A survey of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33065821/">13,829 Australian adults</a> found one in five reported drinking more alcohol during COVID. In a survey of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33454159/">over 22,000 drinkers</a> in the United Kingdom, one-quarter reported drinking more than usual over the previous week.</p>
<p>In Italy, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32707724/">of 602 people surveyed</a> about changes in their eating habits during isolation, almost half said they sought “comfort foods” and ate more to feel better. </p>
<p>Eating and drinking alcohol boosts the release of “feel good” chemicals <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17945385/">in your brain</a>, making you feel better in the short term. </p>
<p>During times of stress, anxiety and boredom, like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32707724/">during lockdown</a>, food and alcohol can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26011903/">seem like a quick fix</a>. But overindulging isn’t going to help you in the long term.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A person stands on the scales, holding an apple in one hand, and a donut in the other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379381/original/file-20210119-22-tx79lb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A new year can be a good time to think about your eating habits.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p>According to a global <a href="https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200518/webmd-poll-many-report-weight-gain-during-shutdown">WebMD poll</a> on self-reported weight gain during the pandemic, about one-quarter of people in Hong Kong and Germany reported gaining weight, roughly 45% in Australia, Canada and the UK, and over 60% in Brazil and Italy.</p>
<p>United States respondents who reported putting on weight were asked to estimate how much weight they thought they had gained. Some 49% said less than 3 kilograms, 26% said 3-4kg, and 25% reported more than 4.5kg.</p>
<p>Participants believed a lack of exercise, stress eating and drinking more alcohol were contributing factors.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-whats-the-best-diet-for-weight-loss-21557">Health Check: what's the best diet for weight loss?</a>
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<h2>It’s not just about weight</h2>
<p>While weight gain can <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32203236/">increase your risk of health problems</a>, recent research suggests having healthy eating patterns is more important than weight. </p>
<p>A US study <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32539102/">of 210,000 adults</a> followed for up to 32 years found that irrespective of body weight, having a high diet quality was associated with lower risk of heart disease and stroke compared to having low diet quality. </p>
<p>A “high-quality” diet includes lots of variety within the basic food groups of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains, and includes limited junk food. A “low-quality diet” is the opposite. </p>
<p>Similarly, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32941436/">Swedish study followed 79,000 adults</a> over 21 years and found that among people with a higher body weight, also having a high-quality diet was protective against dying from any cause. But having a body weight in the healthy range was not protective among those who had a low-quality diet. </p>
<p>While higher diet quality is associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19335941/">better overall health</a>, increasing your diet quality can also <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-13-82">help reduce weight</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-six-tips-for-losing-weight-without-fad-diets-52496">Health Check: six tips for losing weight without fad diets</a>
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<h2>4 tips to improve your diet and beat COVID kilos</h2>
<p><strong>Home cooking and eating together</strong></p>
<p>If you spent more time cooking and eating meals at home during the pandemic, keep doing it. As well as being better for you than eating take-away foods and ready-made meals, it promotes well-being.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21613564/">study of 160 adults</a> found people who ate healthy foods cooked at home experienced more intense positive emotions and worried less, compared to people who ate away from home. </p>
<p>For adolescents, a review found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25676655/">frequent family meals</a> were associated higher self-esteem and other indicators of better mental health.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young family cooking together in the kitchen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=370&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=465&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=465&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/379390/original/file-20210119-18-1t4z5vu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=465&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many people were cooking and eating at home more during lockdown.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p><strong>Eat more vegetables and fruit</strong> </p>
<p>A US study of 133,468 adults found those who increased their vegetable and fruit intakes <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001878">lost weight</a>. Every extra daily serve of fruit was associated with a weight loss of 250 grams over a four-year period, and every extra daily serve of vegetables with a loss of 110 grams. People who ate more berries, apples, pears, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables and carrots experienced greater weight loss.</p>
<p>This has <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31152539/">well-being</a> benefits too. For example, an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27400354/">Australian study</a> which followed 12,385 adults from 2007 to 2013 and found greater life satisfaction, happiness and well-being among those who increased their intake of vegetables and fruit.</p>
<p>Try buying bigger quantities and a greater variety of vegetables and fruit when you do your grocery shopping.</p>
<p><strong>Keep a food diary</strong> </p>
<p>Recording what you eat and drink and then checking the kilojoule and nutrient content helps boost your knowledge of what’s in various foods and drinks. It also increases awareness of your eating habits, especially snacking. You can use <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21443993/">an app or pen and paper</a>.</p>
<p>Once you’ve recorded your food and drink intake for a few days, you will notice <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-ten-ways-to-save-2-000-kilojoules-and-drop-a-clothes-size-37039">areas to target for improvement</a>. </p>
<p>You might also consider keeping a mood diary. This can help you identify other ways to improve your diet quality. The mood you’re in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32378437/">affects your food choices</a> and your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30537665/">food choices affect your mood</a>. Keeping track of both food and mood helps to identify triggers for eating. </p>
<p><strong>Plan meals and snacks ahead</strong> </p>
<p>Check what ingredients you already have and plan meals and snacks to use these up. Next write a grocery list, just for what you need. Even if you’re staying home, prepare your lunch and snacks for the day in advance. This saves you time, money, limits food waste and reduces the number of times you have to think about food.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-cook-changed-during-lockdown-and-we-can-learn-from-this-for-life-after-the-pandemic-152140">How we cook changed during lockdown – and we can learn from this for life after the pandemic</a>
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<p><em>Visit the <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/">No Money No Time website</a> to check your diet quality score using our free healthy eating quiz and find simple, inexpensive and healthy recipes.</em></p>
<p><em>If you’d like to learn more about food, nutrition and weight management, enrol in our free online course, <a href="https://www.edx.org/course/the-science-of-weight-loss-dispelling-diet-myths">The Science of Weight Loss – Dispelling Diet Myths</a>, which starts on January 27.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152316/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clare Collins is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the University of Newcastle, NSW. She has received research grants from NHMRC, ARC, MRFF, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Diabetes Australia, Heart Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, nib foundation, Rijk Zwaan Australia, WA Dept. Health, Meat and Livestock Australia, and Greater Charitable Foundation. She has consulted to SHINE Australia, Novo Nordisk, Quality Bakers, the Sax Institute and the ABC. She was a team member conducting systematic reviews to inform the Australian Dietary Guidelines update and the Heart Foundation evidence reviews on meat and dietary patterns.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Williams is affiliated with the Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition and The Faculty of Health and Medicine at the University of Newcastle. </span></em></p>While 2020 is now behind us, some of us may still be hanging on to a few COVID kilos. Shifting them can start with a few simple changes.Clare Collins, Laureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of NewcastleRebecca Williams, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1500352020-11-27T11:12:17Z2020-11-27T11:12:17ZGaining weight can be difficult – but here are the safest ways to do it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371033/original/file-20201124-19-6l9aa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C7%2C5150%2C3446&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Eating small meals often, or snacking on nutrient-dense foods (like nuts), is one way to increase calorie intake.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-snack-concept-top-view-1673466118">Tatiana Bralnina/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s no shortage of articles and resources out there offering people advice on the best ways to lose weight. But not everyone wants to lose weight. For those who want to gain weight, finding good advice on how to reach the weight they desire can be harder to come by. </p>
<p>Whether it’s a sports person wanting to increase muscle mass, somebody recovering from a long illness or someone with a high metabolism who’s naturally thin, it can be just as difficult for some to gain weight as it is for others to lose it. </p>
<p>The only way to gain weight is to consume more energy (calories) than your body typically requires on a daily basis. Weight gain should also be a gradual process – around one pound a week is a realistic achievement. Gradually increasing calories with healthy foods alongside strength exercise – whatever your age – will help to ensure that the weight gained is most beneficial and can be maintained.</p>
<p>However, if someone is losing weight for a medical reason (such as an overactive thyroid or inflammatory bowel disease) seeking medical help to treat the underlying cause is immediate priority. Only when weight is stable can you begin to successfully gain additional pounds.</p>
<p>Ideally weight gain should be achieved in the healthiest way possible by considering nutrients as well as energy. Consuming extra <a href="https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/food-and-nutrition/eating-well/eatwell-guide-how-to-eat-a-healthy-balanced-diet">nutrient dense foods</a> and fluids rather than opting sugar or fat laden choices, will provide additional nutrients (including protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fats) that improve overall health and wellbeing. </p>
<p>Consuming 300-500 calories more per day than <a href="https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/bmr-harris-benedict-equation">your body requires</a> should lead to steady weight gain. If keeping track of calories seems too much effort, some other ways you can increase overall intake include:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>Have larger portions at mealtimes</strong>: for those with a good appetite adding in another portion of cereal at breakfast, an extra egg or cheese slice to your lunchtime sandwich and an additional potato or spoon of pasta at dinner – or even following it with pudding – is an easy way to boost overall intake without needing to count calories. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Eat little and often</strong> (including snacks between meals) instead of just three main meals per day. It can sometimes be easier for those with a poor appetite to graze on smaller portions instead of consuming a big meal all at once. Trying to eat every two to three hours can also result in a more nutritious daily intake than more intermittent meals.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Include nutrient dense snacks</strong> such as nuts, dried fruit, cereal bars, oatcakes, crackers and cheese, breadsticks and houmous, yoghurt between meals. Not only are such snacks high energy and high protein, they also boost levels of vitamins and minerals too, such as calcium and iron - both essential to good health.</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Including nutritious drinks</strong> throughout the day can boost total energy intake. Instead of water, try milk and milky drinks, fruit juices, smoothies. Using full fat milk in drinks and yoghurt in smoothies is another easy way to increase calories. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Adding cheese</strong> into soups, spreads on sandwiches or toast, and using extra oils in cooking or as dressings can help add extra calories to your meals without adding to the bulk. For example, a matchbox size piece of cheese (30g) provides 125 calories and 8g protein. </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Incorporate healthier fats</strong> into the diet by including oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, pilchards), olives, avocado, nuts and seeds, olive, rapeseed or sunflower oils and spreads. As well as being calorie rich, they are packed with essential heart healthy fatty acids including omega 3. </p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A plate of cooked salmon with rice and avocado." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371036/original/file-20201124-15-14si18.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Healthy fats, such as salmon and avocado, also contain many important nutrients.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/salmon-honeysoy-glaze-rice-spinach-avocado-1256381284">freeskyline/ Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>But if a person is looking to <a href="https://www.academia.edu/7989562/Synergistic_effects_of_resistance_training_and_protein_intake_Practical_aspects">gain muscle</a> as well, a combination of more food and protein, with a resistance training programme is the best way to build lean tissue rather than fat tissue. Getting the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832868/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines.pdf">recommended amount of exercise</a> (150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week plus strength building exercises) will also help preserve muscle mass throughout life. Regular strength building/<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22770932/">resistance type exercise</a> (such as yoga, weightlifting, or circuit training) alongside a protein rich diet has been shown to promote this.</p>
<h2>Causes of weight loss</h2>
<p>Many factors can cause <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-healthy-lifestyle/body-mass-index-bmi">unintentional weight loss</a> including depression, anxiety, an overactive thyroid gland, sudden illness or chronic health conditions. Rapid weight loss is of greatest concern due to loss of muscle as well as body fat. Such weight loss is common with digestive disorders (such as Crohns disease or cancers of the digestive tract. These can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4513829/">malabsorption</a>)</p>
<p>Unintentional weight loss can lead to <a href="https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/malnutrition.html">malnutrition</a> – and <a href="https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/malnutrition-in-older-people.html">the elderly</a> are particularly vulnerable to this. Malnutrition can in turn cause fatigue, increased risk of falls, difficulty coughing (which increases risk of chest infections) and heart failure. Weight and lean body mass can often decline as a natural part of the ageing process, with up to 50% of people 80 and older experiencing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4269139/#:%7E:text=Sarcopenia%20is%20a%20condition%20characterized,exclusively%20seen%20in%20older%20persons.">sarcopenia</a> (muscle wasting and decreased strength).</p>
<p>Whether somebody has lost weight or is naturally thin, a person is classified as “underweight” if they have a body mass index (BMI) <a href="https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/a-healthy-lifestyle/body-mass-index-bmi">less than 18.5kg/m²</a>. This is just a starting point however. Having a low BMI doesn’t necessarily mean a person is malnourished – but it could indicate that there may be an issue around dietary intake.</p>
<p>Having a low body weight can also lead to health consequences, including nutritional deficiencies (such as <a href="https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/nutritional/iron-deficiency-anaemia">iron deficiency anaemia</a> and <a href="https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/conditions/osteoporosis">osteoporosis</a>), <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1198743X17301015">lower immune function</a>, impaired fertility, low energy and lethargy, and susceptibility to cold. </p>
<p>While gaining weight can be challenging for some people, eating the right foods alongside exercise, where possible, will ensure that it’s done in the healthiest way, and leads to better health overall.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150035/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Emma Kinrade does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The only way to gain weight is to eat more calories than your body requires.Emma Kinrade, Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, Glasgow Caledonian UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1462002020-09-17T03:48:44Z2020-09-17T03:48:44ZSKIMS: Kim Kardashian’s new range of maternity shapewear could exacerbate body image issues for pregnant women<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/358279/original/file-20200916-18-hlyjv7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7904%2C5272&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Controversy has erupted in recent days over the launch of <a href="https://www.bet.com/style/fashion/2020/09/15/kim-kardashian-skims-maternity-criticism.html">Kim Kardashian West’s</a> new range of <a href="https://skims.com/collections/coming-soon#?">maternity shapewear</a>.</p>
<p>Available online from today, the products are part of Kardashian West’s existing shapewear brand, <a href="https://skims.com/pages/about">SKIMS</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CFCtwI-FcD6","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>These sorts of garments are otherwise known as maternity support bands, and have actually been around for a long time. But there’s <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jp/2019/2163790/">limited evidence</a> to support their touted medical benefits, including alleviating back and pelvic pain.</p>
<p>In the case of Kardashian West’s pregnancy shapewear, endorsing these products to millions of followers is concerning for women already plagued with body image issues.</p>
<h2>What is a maternity support band?</h2>
<p>Designed to support the belly during pregnancy, this garment generally features a tubular piece of elastic that sits underneath the breast and covers the trunk. The material around the stomach is a slightly thinner than at the back, to allow the belly to grow.</p>
<p>Some maternity support bands include built-in shorts for compression in the bottom and thighs, and can also provide coverage of the upper back and bust.</p>
<p>These bands are commonly used to try to alleviate pregnancy conditions such as pain in the lower back or pelvis. Some health professionals might also recommend wearing them after childbirth to help close a separation in the abdominal walls.</p>
<p>Maternity support bands shouldn’t be confused with belly belts, which are more rigid and sit below the belly, bearing weight.</p>
<h2>Do they work, and are they safe?</h2>
<p>There’s no <a href="https://search.proquest.com/docview/2329436705?pq-origsite=primo">quality evidence</a> wearing maternity support bands during pregnancy or after birth can relieve back pain or pelvic pain, or reduce the separation in abdominal muscles. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17999695/">small study</a> has shown improvements in pain, but considering limitations in the research design, this may well have been a placebo effect. </p>
<p>Your best bet to reduce pain in pregnancy is to see a doctor or an <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/53/2/90.full.pdf">exercise professional</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-vigorous-exercise-safe-during-the-third-trimester-of-pregnancy-121762">Is vigorous exercise safe during the third trimester of pregnancy?</a>
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<p>There’s also a lack of quality research on the possible negative effects of wearing maternity support bands. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jjam/30/1/30_110/_article">one study</a>, women who were at risk of premature labour were instructed to avoid constrictive clothing around the trunk. </p>
<p>This group had significantly lower incidence of premature births than a control group who were not advised on constrictive clothing. This needs further study, but could indicate long-term use of constrictive clothing around the trunk may lead to issues with blood flow.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Pregnant woman stands in the kitchen eating a piece of cucumber. There are a variety of vegetables on the bench." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=409&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/358281/original/file-20200916-24-6wezv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=514&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keeping up a healthy diet is important during pregnancy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If there’s potential to improve pain (whether placebo or not), and we have no conclusive evidence to suggest maternity support bands are not safe, then what’s the problem?</p>
<h2>Body image in pregnancy</h2>
<p>While maternity support bands may help some women with pain, the commercialisation of pregnancy shapewear is probably contributing to body image dissatisfaction and unrealistic expectations for pregnant women.</p>
<p>Research shows many women feel <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1359105312462437">dissatisfied with their bodies</a> during pregnancy. In a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1098-108X%28199003%299%3A2%3C153%3A%3AAID-EAT2260090204%3E3.0.CO%3B2-8">1990 study</a>, up to 40% of pregnant women feared weight gain during pregnancy. </p>
<p>With social media often perpetuating unrealistic expectations of body image during pregnancy and after birth, this has likely become even more of a problem in recent years.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27428109/">2016 study</a> found an association between increased time spent on social media and greater body dissatisfaction in pregnancy.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fat-bland-boring-incubators-ordinary-pregnant-women-dont-feel-like-beyonce-72419">'Fat, bland, boring incubators': ordinary pregnant women don't feel like Beyoncé</a>
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<p>There seems to be a perceived expectation women will maintain their same figure, just with a cute bump. But for most women, that’s not the case.</p>
<p>Products in the SKIMS maternity range carry <a href="https://skims.com/products/maternity-sculpting-bodysuit-mid-thigh-onyx">descriptions like</a>: “lifts, sculpts and shapes your natural silhouette during pregnancy”.</p>
<p>Kardashian West has defended against criticism, emphasising her products are <a href="https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1305255502650249217">not designed to slim</a> but to support. </p>
<p>It’s important women don’t feel shapewear is necessary to “slim” any part of their body during pregnancy.</p>
<h2>Fat and cellulite are normal</h2>
<p>You do accumulate more fat when you’re pregnant — it accounts for <a href="https://theconversation.com/chemical-messengers-how-pregnancy-hormones-affect-the-body-52305">about half</a> of normal pregnancy weight gain. </p>
<p>Thanks to various hormones, you’ll store more fat on your arms, thighs and bottom (to name a few!). Your body is working to give you enough support to grow a baby, while the increased fat also helps prepare for breastfeeding. </p>
<p>With an increase in fat you’ll also have an increase in cellulite. This is a completely normal adaptation to pregnancy.</p>
<p>It is pleasing to see some influencers sharing more typical body changes on social media, both during pregnancy and after birth.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/CEgmIrXhDAF","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>Embrace your changing body</h2>
<p>In severe cases, body dissatisfaction can lead to <a href="https://doaj.org/article/1c07909647fa45d7bbcfc036c0351859">disordered eating and excessive exercise</a> in pregnancy. And if mum doesn’t gain enough weight, it puts the baby at risk of being born <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/40/1/65/661543">prematurely</a> or at a low birth weight.</p>
<p>The amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy <a href="https://ranzcog.edu.au/womens-health/patient-information-resources/why-your-weight-matters">depends on</a> the weight at which you start pregnancy. This is something you can discuss with your doctor. </p>
<p>It’s important for women to eat an array of healthy foods and do regular physical activity (<a href="https://ranzcog.edu.au/RANZCOG_SITE/media/RANZCOG-MEDIA/Women%27s%20Health/Statement%20and%20guidelines/Clinical-Obstetrics/Exercise-during-pregnancy-(C-Obs-62).pdf?ext=.pdf">150–300 minutes per week</a>) throughout pregnancy. The goal here should be the health of both mum and baby — not weight loss. </p>
<p>If shapewear makes you feel more comfortable or confident, by all means wear it. Just check with your medical professional whether it’s right for you.</p>
<p>And remember, regardless of what you eat, how much you exercise, or even what you wear, it’s unrealistic to expect you won’t accumulate any fat beyond your belly. So try to embrace your changing body — after all, it’s making it possible for you to grow a baby for nine months.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/weight-gain-during-pregnancy-how-much-is-too-much-89016">Weight gain during pregnancy: how much is too much?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/146200/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kassia Beetham does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Shapewear for expectant mothers, particularly when it’s endorsed by celebrities, may contribute to body dissatisfaction in pregnancy.Kassia Beetham, Exercise Physiology Lecturer, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1442382020-08-14T15:31:08Z2020-08-14T15:31:08ZHere’s why we crave food even when we’re not hungry<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/352971/original/file-20200814-20-dskzst.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C11%2C7360%2C4891&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Our “food reward” system can seriously undermine our ability to resist temptation.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diet-finished-wow-yumyum-beautiful-excited-769003771">Roman Samborskyi/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Food cravings are very familiar to most people. We may see or smell food and want to eat, or sometimes we suddenly feel like eating something delicious. These intense desires occur even when we’re not hungry and can be very difficult to resist. </p>
<p>There are many reasons why we may “feel” hungry even if our stomachs aren’t growling. Physical hunger in our bodies is controlled by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390812000196">complex physiological signals</a> which stimulate our appetite and then suppress it after we’ve eaten (known as satiety). However, eating is much more than just responding to a biological need. </p>
<p>There’s another system that drives and motivates us to consume foods that are rich in energy (calories): the brain’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938409001206#bib11">“food reward” system</a>. The rewarding nature of food can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938404001842">easily override our satiety signals</a> and seriously undermine our ability to resist temptation.</p>
<p>Eating delicious foods is inherently pleasurable. This anticipated enjoyment is a powerful motivator of our food intake. The sight and smell of food <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24025548/">attracts our attention</a>, and we may start to think about how nice it would be to eat. This may result in cravings and food consumption. </p>
<p>Research has even shown that junk foods, such as chocolate, ice cream, chips and cookies, are especially <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0117959">hard to resist</a>. These types of food are high in fat and/or sugar, which makes them <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938416301196">highly appetising</a> and therefore desired. </p>
<p>Food reward is underpinned by complex brain biology, including the endogenous opioid system and the endo-cannabinoid system, both of which have roles in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/09540260902782810?casa_token=klmcPfQ90gUAAAAA:vNfe3dDvA-Pl5-mM0dF7Mp_a6SWQnE6-SwzUfDbYadFwHn25kzODrIUNVUGydhdeAiDJVqeSF1E">“liking” and “wanting”</a> of food (such as the enjoyment of eating, and the motivation to attain food). The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2717031/">nucleus accumbens</a> (an area of the brain that controls motivation and reward) contains overlapping opioid and cannabinoid receptor sites which, when stimulated, produce powerful effects on desire, craving, and food enjoyment. </p>
<p>In some people, these systems may be more active than others, and so their motivation to eat is incredibly powerful. For example, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17714197/">brain imaging studies</a> have shown that in people who habitually crave chocolate, there is greater activity in brain-reward regions when presented with the sight and taste of chocolate, compared to people who aren’t chocolate cravers. These individual differences are likely due to a combination of genetic and learned factors which have yet to be fully understood. </p>
<p>The reward system also enables us to form associations between being in certain situations and eating high-calorie foods, such as wanting fish and chips when we’re at the seaside or popcorn at the cinema. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23831016/">An interesting study</a> found that people could easily learn such associations when they were given a milkshake while being shown images on a computer screen. The participants reported greater desire for a milkshake when they were shown these images compared to when they were shown images that were not associated with the milkshake.</p>
<p>The food reward system is highly efficient at directing us towards food sources and encouraging consumption and, because of this, it can easily override satiety signals. In our evolutionary past, when we were hunter-gatherers, this system would have been <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666309006606">highly advantageous</a> as we needed to be able to rapidly detect food sources and consume high quantities of energy-rich foods when available. This opportunistic over-consumption would have protected us against future periods of famine and ensured our survival. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man deciding between healthy and unhealthy food." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/352916/original/file-20200814-18-175w9oo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our desire for high-energy foods could be unhealthy for us.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/handsome-man-craving-after-junk-food-186453077">All kind of people/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, in modern society, our natural motivation to seek out high-energy foods puts us at <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938404001842">risk of weight gain</a>. Modern dietary environments have been called “obesogenic” due to the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.22073">abundance of high-calorie foods</a>, which are often low-cost and served in large portions. Maintaining healthy eating behaviours in this environment is incredibly difficult and requires constant exertion. </p>
<h2>Food cravings</h2>
<p>Firstly, it’s important to understand that there are powerful biological and psychological forces that motivate us towards food and which are constantly operating in an obesogenic environment. There’s nothing morally inferior about giving into food cravings. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0803-x?fbclid=IwAR0lsd4jfqmJb1NzSAnWVdG20wXRGAJmRXD_VdeDVFBfiNH52qYyb2EbdLY">Blame and stigma</a> around eating and weight are known to be highly detrimental and need to be eradicated. However, there are ways that we can bring our cravings under control.</p>
<p>People often go on restrictive diets as a way of managing their eating and weight. However, dieting can paradoxically make food cravings worse. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666312000219">In one study</a>, dieters experienced strong cravings for the very foods they were trying to restrict. Avoidance can make problematic foods even more prominent in our minds, and once we start thinking about these foods it increases <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/psychology-of-food-craving/3BF21EC65DFE3A23A3590DB4CC557346">desire and cravings</a>.</p>
<p>So, setting realistic eating and weight management goals is likely to be a better approach. Achieving goals increases belief in our ability to succeed as well as improving mood, which in turn can help us stick to healthier eating patterns. In contrast, setting unrealistic goals has the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2005.241">opposite effect</a>.</p>
<p>It’s also important to identify and manage tempting situations. For example, avoiding the confectionery aisle in the supermarket altogether may help to prevent cravings and curb impulse buys.</p>
<p>Many people also experience cravings and desire to eat in response to mood. Therefore, trying to develop <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2005.00170.x?casa_token=lnF2hJ5w2uAAAAAA%3AUzICRRIOlP3psdgxNKEgqvV-AdkRtN5DD6ppjLpC5wc2yZTRWTHOXXexrRFkG-2LKbQQOC_jqIcy">alternative coping strategies</a> that don’t involve food and drink (such as going for a walk) can be helpful. </p>
<p>Finally, distinguishing between physical hunger signals and cravings may also help with control of food intake. “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12918">Mindful eating</a>” involves paying attention to hunger and satiety signals, and has been shown to be an effective weight-loss strategy. </p>
<p>We all can, and should be able to, enjoy eating nice-tasting foods. It’s just important to listen to our body’s satiety signals so we don’t go overboard.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144238/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charlotte Hardman receives research funding from the European Commission, Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council, Economic & Social Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, Scottish Government, and the American Beverage Association. She has previously received speaker fees from the International Sweeteners Association.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carl Roberts receives research funding from Unilever. He also consults to Boehringer Ingelheim</span></em></p>Our “food reward” system is powerful – and is largely behind why we crave unhealthy foods.Charlotte Hardman, Senior Lecturer in Psychology of Appetite and Obesity, University of LiverpoolCarl Roberts, Tenure Track Research Fellow, University of LiverpoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1315642020-05-04T19:50:56Z2020-05-04T19:50:56ZWhy do women gain weight during menopause?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332197/original/file-20200504-42942-rk49pe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C35%2C5946%2C3556&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">kudla/ Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For most women, perimenopause – the transition to menopause – begins in their 40s. The entire menopause process typically lasts around four years and begins with the ovaries making less estrogen. </p>
<p>A woman is considered to be post-menopausal when she <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673698053525">hasn’t experienced a menstrual period</a> for 12 months. This <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/5/1542/695928">usually occurs</a> between the ages of 46 to 52 years.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-work-menopause-friendly-dont-think-of-it-as-a-problem-to-be-managed-105138">How to make work menopause-friendly: don't think of it as a problem to be managed</a>
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<p>Symptoms of menopause can include irregular periods, hot flushes, fatigue, tender breasts, night sweats, vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, changes in mood and lower libido. </p>
<p>During menopause, hormonal changes can affect the way fat is distributed in the body, but ageing is more likely to be the cause of any weight gain associated with menopause. </p>
<p>Gaining weight isn’t inevitable, though. There’s plenty you can do to combat weight gain as you age. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332199/original/file-20200504-42903-7cicz7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ageing is more likely to be the cause of any weight gain associated with menopause.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Hormonal changes alter where the body deposits fat</h2>
<p>Certain areas such as your stomach are more prone to weight gain during menopause. This is because the change in hormones, which lead to a higher testosterone-to-estrogen ratio, <a href="https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(19)30588-5/abstract">alters where the body deposits fat</a>. Fat comes off the hips and is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002937896701114">deposited around the middle</a>.</p>
<p>But the hormonal changes involved in menopause aren’t the reason you gain weight. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332196/original/file-20200504-42923-1amsef1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A higher testosterone-to-estrogen ratio resulting from menopause can restribute weight from the hips to the middle.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Maridav/ Shuttertock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Ageing is the real cause</h2>
<p>The weight gain that comes with menopause is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568163709000415">by-product of ageing</a>. </p>
<p>As we age, our body stops working as efficiently as it did before. Muscle mass starts to decrease – a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0070215305680052">process known as “sarcopenia”</a> – and fat begins to increase. </p>
<p>And because muscle mass is one of the determining factors of how fast your metabolism will run, when your muscle mass decreases, your body starts to burn fewer calories at rest. This might make it more challenging to maintain your weight. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trick-or-treat-alternative-therapies-for-menopause-18007">Trick or treat? Alternative therapies for menopause</a>
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<p>As we age, we tend to continue with our same food habits but <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15496544">don’t increase our activity</a>. In fact, aches and pains can make some people actively decrease theirs. </p>
<p>Not compensating for the ageing process and the change in body composition can lead to weight gain. </p>
<p>And this <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2019/8031705/">applies to men too</a> – they are just as likely to gain weight due to this process known as sarcopenia.</p>
<h2>Menopause and weight gain take their toll</h2>
<p>Due to a change in body fat distribution and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/28/7/850/2887789">increase in waist circumference</a>, menopause can also increase your risk of other health conditions. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/hot-flashes-night-sweats-progesterone-can-help-reduce-symptoms-of-menopause-119466">Hot flashes? Night sweats? Progesterone can help reduce symptoms of menopause</a>
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<p>Following menopause, your ovaries make very little of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637768/">Estrogen helps to keep your blood vessels dilated</a> – relaxed and open – which helps keep your cholesterol levels down. </p>
<p>Without estrogen, or with lower quantities, your bad cholesterol (known as low-density lipoprotein or LDL-cholesterol) starts to build up in your arteries. This can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. </p>
<p>Having less estrogen also results in a loss of bone mass, putting you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297264/">at risk of the disease osteoporosis</a>, which makes your bones more prone to fractures.</p>
<h2>What can you do?</h2>
<p>Weight gain associated with ageing is not inevitable. There are a number of things you can do to maintain your weight as you age. </p>
<p><strong>1. Exercise</strong></p>
<p>Incorporate <a href="https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines#npa%2065">regular daily exercise</a>, with a mixture of intensities and variety of activities. Try to include body-strengthening exercises two days per week.</p>
<p><strong>2. Weigh yourself – but not too much</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2011/03000/the_national_weight_control_registry__a_study_of.7.aspx">Weigh yourself once a week</a> at the same time and day to monitor the trend over time. Any more than this will only create a fixation with weight. Day-to-day fluctuations in weight are to be expected.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/332202/original/file-20200504-42913-1pqp80b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Regularly weighing yourself can help you monitor your weight over time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Stock-Asso/ Shutterstock</span></span>
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<p><strong>3. Create positive habits</strong></p>
<p>Create positive habits by replacing negative behaviours. For example, instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media of an evening or turning on the TV and comfort-eating, replace it with a positive behaviour, such as learning a new hobby, reading a book or going for a walk. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-beat-weight-gain-at-menopause-123368">How to beat weight gain at menopause</a>
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<p><strong>4. Eat more slowly</strong></p>
<p>Eat food away from technological distractions and slow down your food consumption.</p>
<p>Try using a teaspoon or chopsticks and chew your food thoroughly as slowing down your food consumption <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.20715">reduces the quantity consumed</a>. </p>
<p><strong>5. Switch off from technology:</strong></p>
<p>Turn off technology after dusk to improve your sleep. Blue light emission from phones, tablets and other devices tell your brain it’s day, instead of night, which will keep you awake. </p>
<p>Lack of sleep (less than six hours per night) <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3763921/">can compromise your decision-making abilities</a> which might lead you to make unhealthy choices that contribute to weight gain.</p>
<p><strong>6. Curb sugar cravings naturally</strong></p>
<p>If you’re craving sugar you’re better off reaching for foods naturally high in sugar and fat first. Some great options are fruits, nuts, avocado and 100% nut butters. These foods release the same feel-good chemicals in the brain as processed and fast food and leave us feeling full. </p>
<p>Allow yourself your favourite treats, but keep them to once per week.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131564/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can alter the way fat is deposited in the body, but weight gain associated with menopause is more likely to be a by-product of ageing.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.