Tag Archives: weight-loss

Lose Weight By Eating CHOCOLATE!

Image from: http://healthmeup.com/

It would be a dream come true for anyone in the western world to eat what they want and look good doing it. We are constantly reminded of this dream of a diet-free life that guarantees our good looks on a regular basis by internet advertisements, infomercials, and magazines. Some recent discoveries, however, have ensured that the chocolate lovers of our world can live the dream.

Eat chocolate and you’ll lose weight! Incredible, right? Dark chocolate, despite being seen more as an indulgence than a weight-loss strategy, is full of many natural benefits. Primarily, it is full of antioxidants, which boost cellular metabolism, thus burning more energy while at rest. A 2012 study done at the University of California highlights this effect in the following CNN report.

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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVTeHwOWksA

In addition to its metabolic benefits, dark chocolate also helps the body manage sugar spikes by significantly reducing insulin sensitivity. Increases in insulin sensitivity means that the hormone insulin no longer functions as well as it should. As a result, muscle and fat cells will be less effective at using sugar, resulting in weight gain, and eventually Type 2 diabetes. A 2005 study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition goes into greater depth with regards to chocolate’s effects on insulin resistance.

Image from: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/

So next time you feel the urge to have a sweet snack or a bit of dessert after a meal, don’t feel the need to resist. You may be doing yourself worlds of good by satisfying your chocolate crave! Despite its benefits however, the benefits only exist in moderation. Chocolate is not a miracle weight-loss drug, but its addition into a healthy diet and a bit of exercise can greatly improve your chances of fitting into those new skinny jeans for the summer!

By: Kia Sanjabi

References

  1. Fetters, A. (2014). Can eating chocolate help you lose weight? Retrieved 03/17, 2014, from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/chocolate-weight-loss#.
  2. Grassi, D., Lippi, C., Necozione, S., Desideri, G., & Ferri, C. (2005). Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(3), 611-614.

Shivering can help lose weight!

Losing weight may not be an easy task as it requires great self-discipline and motivation on going to the gym and eating healthy; however, a new study shows that you can now lose weight in the comfort of your home.

Dutch researchers from Maastricht University Medical Center have now proved that you can lose weight by simply turning down the heat at home and allowing your body to shiver.

 

Turning down the heat is a possible way of losing weight

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The study known as “cold thermogenisis” shows that most household kept their temperature around 21 degrees Celsius. If you drop the heat down to about 16 degrees Celsius, your body temperature will drop at a more rapid pace and your will brain respond by telling your muscles to starts shivering to maintain a stable body temperature. By doing so, the rapid movements of the muscle is not only keeping your body warm, but it is also increasing your metabolic rate by up to 30%. When the involuntary movement of shivering occurs, your muscles are moving so fast that researchers are comparing it to as if you were performing cardiovascular exercises. By shivering for one straight hour, you are able to burn up to 400 calories, which is equivalent to a 40 minute run at a moderate pace.

This is something very interesting because my previous knowledge to this technique had been either working out in cold weather or taking ice baths; thus, still quite time consuming as it still requires you go out of your way to do this. The new of shivering to lose some weight seems like a much simpler; however, it does not mean it is a treat either. Many must agree with me that feeling cold is a very tough to cope with and would not want to be in a cold environment for a long period of time.

In the end, if you are brave on a cold night like tonight, it is the perfect opportunity to turn down your thermostat  and shiver some of the weight off of your body.

Here is a video that shows the testing of “cold thermogenesis”:YouTube Preview Image

References

Cannon, P., & Keatinge, W. (1960). The metabolic rate and heat loss of fat and thin men in heat balance in cold and warm water. The Journal of Physiology, 154(2), 329-344.

Craig, A. D. (2002). How do you feel? interoception: The sense of the physiological condition of the body. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3(8), 655-666.

Gagge, A. P., Fobelets, A., & Berglund, L. (1986). A standard predictive index of human response to the thermal environment. ASHRAE Trans.;(United States), 92(CONF-8606125-)