The Non-Diet Secret to Losing the Weight for Good
(Photo: Olsson Mattias)
Every year nearly 40 percent of Americans make a weight-related New Year’s resolution, yet only 8 percent of people actually keep their resolutions, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychology. So how can you be in that 8 percent of people in 2015?
Try this trick: instead of making a resolution to change how you eat, make a resolution to limit your screen time, and you might lose the weight in the process. According to the National Weight Control Registry—a database of over 4,000 adults who have lost 30 pounds or more and maintained that weight loss for over a year (5½ years on average!)—one of the key strategies to their success was limiting TV time.
See more: 20 Superfoods For Weight Loss
Research has correlated successful weight loss over an extended period of time with a minimal amount of time spent watching TV. Sixty-two percent of NWCR participants watched less than 10 hours of TV per week and a third of participants watched less than 5 hours per week. And seeing as how the national average is 28 hours of TV per week, it makes sense that cutting back on TV time (and other types of screen time as well) could chip away at our sedentary time and make a major difference in weight loss goals.
One key time to turn off the tube? During meals. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that people who ate in front of the TV consumed more food and were more likely to describe their meal as unsatisfying as well. In short, distractions like the TV or our phones make us remember less about our meal, and the less we remember, the more likely we are to eat more later. So keep away from those screens during meal times and you’ll automatically get closer to that 5-10 hour limit-per-week goal. And if you just can’t cut out some of your favorite shows to shave your screen time down to that range, make sure you stay active while you watch. Blast the Bachelor while hitting on the treadmill or try these strength exercises while embroiled in Downton Abby. You get to watch all of your shows and burn some calories—best of both worlds!
By Sarah-Jane Bedwell
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