Words
Karen Fittall
Photography
Getty Images
weightwatchers.com/au 17SLOWLY DOES IT
Bear that mantra in mind the next time you
sit down to a meal. Researchers from
Hiroshima University in Japan have proved
that eating too quickly leads to a higher
likelihood of developing risk factors
associated with heart disease, diabetes
and stroke, including high blood sugar and
increased abdominal fat.
As well as not giving your
body a chance to feel full,
which can lead to
overeating, eating too
fast causes more
intense fluctuations in
blood glucose levels,
say researchers.TRY THIS: When
you’re eating a meal,
put your cutlery down
in between bites. It’s a
technique that’s been
scientifically proven to
help people eat more slowly.Can’t sleep? Try tai chi.
According to a US study,
because it’s a type of
activity that encourages
a mind-body connection,
it significantly improves
sleep quality. Practise tai
chi for at least 90 minutes
a week to start seeing
results, say researchers.SLEEP ON THIS...
When you’re trying to lose weight, it pays to make getting a good
night’s sleep a priority. Losing sleep upsets the ratio of two types
of gut bacteria, a shift that makes it easier to gain weight and harder
to lose it, say researchers from Sweden’s Uppsala University.COMMUNITY SPIRIT
It’s official: research proves that when you’re trying
to lose weight, being part of an online support
community can help you reach your weight-loss goals.
“When people seeking to lose weight join a virtual
support community and share their plans online to
attain their goals, they invite members to join them by
offering encouragement in both words and actions,”
says the study’s co-author, Assistant Professor Tonya
Williams Bradford from the University of California. “This
exchange of online support facilitates adherence to the
offline goal of losing weight. Public accountability is key.”
And the good news? Not only was WW’s online
community, Connect, part of the study, once you’re
a member, you have instant access to it.