Belly fat

Our habits must support our health and development. Some of the habits that everyone consider to be normal could give you belly fat and can increase the body weight. If you have such habits you may need to review and change it for good.  Our activities and eating habits should be healthy and support our health.  

1. Less sleep, not sleeping enough: If you are sleeping less than five hours it can be interfering in your weight loss program. It can put more weight in your belly. Leptin is a hormone that controls our eating. Its production depends on our sleep and metabolism. Less leptin production affects our metabolism and makes you hungrier.
2. You sleep a lot: Sleeping more than nine hours per day can damage your waistline. It disrupts our circadian rhythm and body struggles to adjust to natural time. It results in obesity and weigh gain. With this there is a chance of developing diabetes, BP, heart conditions, cognitive impairment.
3. Drinking diet soda: As we are aware, soda contains sugar and calorie. Drinking soda everyday or often interferes in metabolism and results in weight gain.
4. Eating in big plates: If you have a habit of eating in big plates, then look at the portion that you eat. We tend to fill the plate and eat everything at once or go back to get more. Controlling portion becomes difficult when we eat in larger plates. Select medium plate or small plate that is comfortable to eat.
5. You eat in front of TV: When watching TV or smart screen we mostly get distracted. While focusing on entertainment, we tend to eat snacks, drink soda or eat larger portion lunch or dinner. It becomes to take control over the portion that we are supposed to consume.
6. You are an emotional eater: Every time when we are hurt or not in mood or feeling bored, we tend to eat something like chocolate, ice cream or chips kind of snacks. We might feel better emotionally but the damage on our body already done with those junk foods. Mindful eating is a good habit that helps to reduce stress and brings back our focus on food.
7. You eat quickly You: Eating quickly without biting and chewing lead to weight gain. When we eat fast, we tend to eat excess and our calorie intake is more.  Eating leisurely allows enough time to send signal to brain to say whether our stomach is full or not. Eating quickly disturbs this signal and we will end up taking more calories that results in weight gain.
8. You don’t drink enough water: When we don’t drink enough water, we will not just have dehydration, but also body tends to bloat up. Dehydration distracts the signal to brain by taking away the thirst signals and sends hunger signals instead causing us to eat more. Our body does not make enough digestive juices that results in slower metabolism and weight gain.
9. You eat snack in between meals: Consuming snack means, consuming extra calories. Between meals, if we have habit of eating snacks that are rich in salt, carbohydrate and fat- it results in weight gain.
10. You sit a lot: If your job requires you to sit throughout the day, then think about changing the habit of sitting. You need to take break in between and move around. Practicing yoga, exercising before or after work, going for walk or a run will help to maintain good weight. Sitting means slow metabolism and weight gain.
11. You eat less fruits and vegetables: We need fiber for body. Consume fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber. Not eating vegetables or fruits means eating more carbohydrates and fat. This results in constipation, bloating and weight gain.
12. You tend to eat more salt: Adding more salt to food or eating salty food retains water in the body. Higher amount of salt is also linked to fat increase in waistline. Chips, snacks, fried and processed foods all these generally are high in sodium and we tend to overeat these foods.  

Adopting to better lifestyle and picking good habits helps to reduce weight and strengthen our immunity and overall health.

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