Unexpected Facts About Weight Loss

Many people want to lose weight - they exhaust themselves with diets and workouts, order drugs online hoping they might help. But sometimes all you need is to understand how your body works so you could realize the real options for weight loss.

Obesity can be genetic

People with two copies of a specific gene ("fatso") are 60% more likely to be obese and 40% more likely to have diabetes than those who don't have it. Those with only one copy of this gene tend to weigh more as well. According to statistics, about 16% of the population has two copies of this gene, and about half of us - one copy. Moreover, researchers think that there are about 100 of fat genes, although they have a smaller impact on a person's weight than "fatso" gene does.

Stress promotes weight gain

Stressful situations promote cravings for foods rich in carbohydrates (snacks, cakes, etc.). It happens because when we are under stress our body uses a lot of energy; therefore, once the stressful situation is gone, it needs to replenish its energy stores. Stress hormones enhance fat storage as well. This mechanism developed in prehistoric times, when stress meant fighting with wild animals or starvation - extra energy was important for survival. Nowadays we take stress sitting down and extra calories accumulate in the form of excess weight.

Sleep more to lose more

Researchers have found out that sleep deprivation upsets the balance of hormones and triggers an increase in a hormone called ghrelin (it's responsible for the feeling of hunger) and decrease in leptin (it's responsible for the feeling of satiety). Such hormonal imbalance results in overeating and eating even when we are not hungry. Obesity experts say that 7 or 8-hour sleep can become the easiest and cheapest obesity treatment for many people.

Sex doesn't replace a cardio workout

Physical activity can promote shortness of breath and make our heart beat faster, so it's reasonable to assume that sexual activity can burn lots of calories (most people think that the numbers vary between 100 and 300 kcal). However, the truth is that the level of energy expenditure during sex is similar to that achieved during moderate-pace walking - most of us burn about 21 kcal during sexual intercourse.

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