Eating While Distracted
Instead of scrolling through your smartphone while you snack, pay attention to your meals and savor the flavors.
The more mindful you can be while eating, the less likely you are to overeat. Notice your food, chew with care, and be present in your body as you nosh. Your waist will thank you.
Getting Poor Sleep
In one study, adults under 40 who slept less than 5 hours a night gained more belly fat than those who got more ZZZs. But if you’re sleep-deprived, don’t go overboard to correct it — sleeping more than 8 hours a night can have the same gut-expanding effect.
Eating White Bread
The refined grains in white bread and other processed foods are stripped of slow-digesting fiber, so your body digests it faster, raising your blood sugar. Over time, this can lead to weight gain. Choose whole-grain carbs instead.
Drinking Diet Soda
You may think swapping full-sugar soda for the diet version would keep your calorie count low and therefore curb weight gain.
But scientists say that’s not true at all: Aspartame, the artificial sweetener in many diet sodas, actually increases belly fat. Skip soda altogether and quench your thirst with water.
Skipping Meals
Did you know opting out of breakfast makes you 4½ times more likely to be obese? Going without a meal slows down your metabolism, which makes it more probable you’ll overeat later on when you’re hungry.
Eating ‘Low-Fat’ or ‘Fat-Free’ Food
It’s good to watch your fat intake, but foods that take out fat can often be higher in carbs. High-carb foods can raise your triglycerides, increase your insulin sensitivity, and increase fat in your midsection …
