Is De-Stressing the Key to Weight Loss?

If you're no stranger to dieting, then you've probably tried a lot of popular tactics: low-carb eating plans, juice fasts, Paleo recipes, and cleanses. But interestingly, a new study from the University of Kentucky suggests that when it comes to weight-loss success, what you eat may not be as important as what's eating you. 

In the study, which has yet to be published, researchers divided study subjects into two groups of dieters: The first group was given instruction on intuitive-eating techniques, while the second group learned tactics for managing stress. After seven weeks, the members of the first group didn't lose a significant amount of weight. However, the dieters who were taught stress-management techniques did—as much as 17 pounds. 

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Why did the group that learned to ease stress rack up better results? Study author Kelly Webber, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of dietetics and human nutrition at the University of Kentucky, says it might be because stress management addresses the underlying reasons many people gain weight. "Many of us are stress or emotional eaters," she says. "That is, we eat too much and eat unhealthy foods in order to calm our response to stress." A larger study is in the works to look into the issue more. In the meantime, if you're struggling to downsize, it can't hurt to take up a few stress-reduction techniques (like these eight ways to de-stress your life).

MORE: The Easy Way to Prevent Emotional Eating 

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