Lead Yourself Into Temptation

When turning over a new weight-loss leaf, one of the first things people do is to conduct a search and destroy operation in their kitchen, jettisoning the junk food before it ends up in the wrong place - their mouth. The thought process is, if it's there, I'll eat it. This makes sense. Putting distance between you and the food is a logical deterrent. However, new research suggests that this method could be merely a stop-gap instead of a long-term lifestyle solution.

"Tempting foods can actually increase willpower," says Kelly Geyskens, an assistant professor of marketing at the Lessius Hogeschool in Antwerpen, Belgium, and lead author of the study. The theory is that having temptations lurking nearby helps to trigger a "self-control strategy" which becomes stronger with use but fails to develop in the absence of any self-control conflicts. "In other words," says Geyskens, "we believe that self-control can be trained."

You can download the report of the study "When temptation hits you: The influence of weak versus strong food temptations" at: http://www.econ.kuleuven.be/eng/fetew/medewerker/pers_publication.aspx?PID=1023
 

Weekend Weakness

During the week, we go about our business in, more or less, a routine fashion. Our time is structured. Our days are organized. And so is our food intake. Then the weekend comes. The alarm doesn't ring. You go at your own pace. You eat at your own pace. You reward yourself for making it through another hectic week.

"Weekend indulgences can wreak havoc on weight control, either causing our weight to increase or, if we are following a diet to lose weight, can hinder our weight loss efforts," says Susan Racette, an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis and author of the study "Influence of Weekend Lifestyle Patterns on Body Weight" published in the journal Obesity (June 12, 2008).

Research showed that a combination of increased caloric intake on Saturday and reduced physical activity on Sunday resulted in consistent weekend weight gain. During the week, the weight would decline, only to rise again the next weekend. This two-steps-forward-one-step-back pattern helps to explain the slower-than-expected weight loss of many dieters.

Racette warns, "Being vigilant on the weekends is really important for people either trying to lose weight or maintain a weight loss."
 

Beware the Idle Hours

Remember, during the Olympics, hearing about Michael Phelps gigantic, 4000 calorie breakfasts? While it is  a little nauseating to imagine anyone eating that much at one sitting, it's understandable because of what he does the rest of the day - swim! Conversely, someone who doesn't swim for hours a day, or run, or even walk very much should be able to get through the day with very little food or hunger cravings. Not the case, according to the study, "Effects of Inactivity and Energy Status on Appetite Regulation in Men and Women."

The study, performed at the University of Missouri, Columbia, found that the less active we are, the hungrier we perceive ourselves to be. Research subjects whose activity levels were severely restricted - to the point of being pushed from place to place in wheel chairs - reported higher levels of hunger, were able to eat more and felt less satisfied after eating, than when they were allowed to engage in low level physical activity, such as folding laundry, walking or picking up books. This suggests that sitting for long periods of time is a double whammy for weight control; not only do you burn fewer calories, you also feel hungrier.
For more specifics on this study, go to: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/09/appetite_activity.html
 

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