3 Delicious Treats That Will Stop Your Stress Eating
Yes, cake is one of them!
Over 70 percent of us report mindlessly eating while under stress, which triggers a 10 times larger insulin release than when eating relaxed. Outsmart it by…
Enjoying cake for breakfast.
It might sound like a dream come true, but new, peer-reviewed research published in Nature found indulging in chocolate in the morning blocks weight gain. Scientists suspect that compounds in chocolate wake up your internal clock and signal your body it’s time to start burning calories. The trick: Enjoy within an hour of waking up since folks who ate chocolate later saw the expected gain. Indeed, other research finds that morning instead of evening treats slash the chance of weight gain by 48 percent.
Topping pizza with pepperoni.
Topping your pie with protein-packed extras like pepperoni, cheese, artichokes or spinach has two unexpected upsides: (1) It quells hunger immediately rather than the 20 minutes it usually takes for your brain to register that you’re full, and (2) It keeps you feeling full longer, say U.K. researchers. “Protein can take nearly twice as long to digest as carbohydrates do,” explains Audra Wilson, R.D., bariatric dietitian with Northwestern Medicine Weight Loss Center. “This means that not only will you feel fuller faster, you’ll also retain that feeling of fullness longer.”
Eating ice cream on a cone.
New Zealand researchers found ice-cream cones take longer to eat, which can reduce your chance of gaining weight by 42 percent. “Eating more slowly allows time for your brain to alert your body that you are satisfied,” explains Tiffany Lowe-Payne, D.O., author of A Woman’s Guide to De-Stress for Success. Bonus: Consuming more dairy can double weight loss thanks to its abundance of calcium and vitamin D.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine.
