Want to lose weight but keep getting fatter? Maybe you're not getting enough sleep

In Chinese food culture, rice and noodles are common on the table. The energy density of these foods cannot be underestimated: a bowl of white rice contains about 200 kilocalories, while a serving of ordinary noodles contains about 220 kilocalories. In order to consume the energy provided by these foods, an adult needs to walk about 5,000 steps, which is equivalent to walking for 40-50 minutes, nearly 4 kilometers.

What are the long-term consequences of not doing the right amount of physical activity after meals? Weight gain.

Medically, this phenomenon is called fat accumulation , and its root cause is that the energy intake far exceeds the daily consumption. Although slight weight gain may simply reflect the difference in individual body shape, every body shape has its beauty. However, excessive weight gain, that is, obesity, will lead to excessive accumulation of body fat, which may have serious effects on health in the long run.

Obesity is not only a problem of appearance, but also a medical cause of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. Even the World Health Organization has long defined obesity as a disease. According to statistics from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate among adults in my country has reached 12%. The increase in this number means that obesity is not only a personal health problem, but has also become a major challenge affecting public health.

Our eating habits, exercise frequency, sleep quality and even mental state, each aspect has a profound impact on our weight and health.

The first thing is to keep your mouth shut.

In the three meals a day, a simple and effective strategy is to choose whole grains and coarse grains instead of refined white rice and pasta. What is a whole grain? Simply put, it is a grain that is different from refined grains. It is not finely processed and can retain the four parts of the grain: the bran, endosperm, endosperm and germ. It is rich in dietary fiber and a variety of natural nutrients needed by the human body. For example, brown rice and coix seed contain high fiber, which helps to increase satiety and slow down the rate of blood sugar rise. In addition, reducing the intake of high-sugar beverages and processed foods is also key to controlling weight. Long-term intake of these high-sugar, high-calorie foods may make people gain weight unknowingly. In addition, drink more water!

The second step is to move your legs.

The World Health Organization recommends that adults perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Activities such as brisk walking, running, and cycling are all effective forms of exercise. With the popularization of fitness awareness, more and more Chinese people are beginning to realize the importance of exercise. But for many busy office workers, regular exercise in the gym is still a luxury. In fact, rope skipping, brisk walking, yoga and other sports that do not require expensive equipment can be completed at home every day and are effective alternatives.

Young people should also learn to combine work and rest, and pay equal attention to schoolwork and physical exercise. In recent years, my country's education department has made efforts to increase students' physical activity time through policies and encourage children to develop exercise habits from an early age. Students also need to break the idea that "physical education classes" and "cultural classes" are completely separated, and should regard exercise as a part of daily life. Studies have shown that students who regularly participate in physical activities not only perform well in weight control, but also outperform their peers in personal confidence, mental outlook, and mental vitality because of their normal body shape.

The third is to learn to sleep.

The importance of high-quality sleep to the body is self-evident. Good sleep also plays an important role in weight management. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can disrupt the body's hormone balance and easily lead to weight gain. At the same time, people who lack sleep are more likely to make impulsive decisions in their diet, such as choosing high-sugar or high-fat foods to relieve fatigue, which further increases the risk of obesity.
Finally, a good mood.

Maintaining a positive mental state is one of the keys to preventing and treating obesity. Stress is inevitable in life, but it can be relieved by doing things you like, such as listening to music, reading, or chatting with friends. This can effectively prevent overeating caused by mood swings. In addition, long-term negative emotions can interfere with the endocrine system, leading to metabolic disorders and ultimately weight gain.

It is particularly important to point out that although some quick weight loss methods, such as extreme carbon restriction, reliance on meal replacements or intermittent fasting, may be effective in the short term, these methods often cause long-term damage to the body. For example, extreme carbon restriction may lead to malnutrition and metabolic disorders, long-term reliance on meal replacements will disrupt normal eating habits, and intermittent fasting may increase the risk of overeating and affect gastrointestinal health.

It can be seen that scientific prevention and treatment of obesity is a gradual process. By controlling your diet, exercising, learning to sleep, and maintaining a good mood on a daily basis, you can gradually find your own weight balance point and achieve a healthy life.

This article is a work supported by the Science Popularization China Creation Cultivation Program

Author: Dongdongmiao Popular Science

Reviewer: Zhao Yong, Professor of Nutrition and Health, Chongqing Medical University

Produced by: China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Producer: China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., Beijing Zhongke Xinghe Culture Media Co., Ltd.