IstockphotoWe all know were supposed to eat healthy portions. So why is it that a rough day at the office or even just the smell of chocolate-chip cookies can cause us to throw our best intentions out the window?
Missing out on your zzzs not only puts you in a mental fog, it also triggers a constellation of actual metabolic changes that may lead to weight gain. A lack of shut-eye harms your waistline because it affects two important hormones that control appetite and satiety—leptin and ghrelin—says Kristen L. Knutson, PhD, a research associate specializing in sleep and health at the University of Chicagos Department of Medicine.
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According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, people who slept only four hours a night for two nights had an 18 percent decrease in leptin (a hormone that signals the brain that the body has had enough to eat) and a 28 percent increase in ghrelin (a hormone that triggers hunger), compared with those who got more rest. The result: Sleep-deprived study volunteers reported a 24 percent boost in appetite. Short sleep can also impair glucose metabolism and over time set the stage for type 2 diabetes, Knutson notes.
When were exhausted, we hunger for just about everything in sight, especially if its sugary or high in carbs. That may be because these foods give us both an energy boost and comfort (since lack of sleep is a stressor), Knutson says. To quell the urge for fattening foods and still get the energy kick you need, reach for a combination of complex carbs and protein.
2. Youre sabotaged by stress
Constant stress causes your body to pump out high doses of hormones, like cortisol, that over time can boost your appetite and lead you to overeat. “Cortisol and insulin shift our preferences toward comfort foods—high-fat, high-sugar, or high-salt foods,” says Elissa Epel, PhD, an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Department of Psychiatry and a leader of the UCSF Center on Obesity Assessment, Study, and Treatment.
Sure, real-life pressures can put you in nonstop-nibble mode. But working stress-reduction techniques into your busy days can really help. Yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises are powerful tools that keep tension in check. And spending 20 minutes doing progressive muscle relaxation—alternately tensing and relaxing muscle groups—significantly lessens stress, anxiety, and cortisol, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders.
3. Youve got fatty foods (literally) on the brain
Were hardwired to hunger for fatty, sugary, salty foods because, back when our ancestors were foraging for every meal, palatable eats meant extra energy and a leg-up on survival, says David A. Kessler, MD, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.
Avoid eating your favorite treat if youre in a particular mood, if its a certain time of day, or if youre in a specific place; this will prevent you from creating a triggering link between those feelings or locations and that treat, Kessler says. And since the smell and sight of fatty, sugary foods is pure temptation, try to keep yourself from passing the bakery or ice cream shop you cant resist.
You Pigged Out—Now What?
Bounce back after a binge with these smart moves:
- Forgive yourself. “Having one overindulgent meal should not derail you from your healthful eating habits, while being too negative will make you more likely to throw up your hands in despair and overindulge at the next meal or several meals for days to come,” Elisa Zied, RD, says.
