Losing weight is always a struggle, in fact obesity rates in Australia have almost doubled since 1995 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. And the news is even worse for women aged 25-34 who are gaining weight the fastest.
But there is one thing that could be stopping us from shifting the kilos: Our love of takeaways and convenience food.
A study commissioned by Deliveroo has found that 69 per cent of consumers in Singapore order from food delivery apps at least once a month.
Published on March 18, the report also said that people in their thirties seem to be particularly active on food delivery apps. According to Deliveroo, 47 per cent of users in their thirties are likely to order food from food delivery apps more than three times a month.
While it may be convenient, takeaway foods can wreak havoc on your waistline when consumed in excess. To combat the pitfalls of ordering food online too often, we’re offering up super-simple weightloss hacks that will pay off in the long run for both your mind and body:
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It may sound a little (OK, a lot) ridiculous, but a study out of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago tested 3,000 people and found this to be a quirky way of cutting down over-eating.
It’s believed that smelling apples, pears and peppermint could trick your brain into thinking you’re actually eating it. This could help you cut back on bingeing on whatever sweet treat/cookie/Nutella jar is in reach.
Sure, in a tech-governed era when easy tap-and-go payment methods like PayWave rule the way we shop, when it comes to your health, it’s better to kick it old school.
Making the conscious effort to count out the cash and coin you want to spend on that third fresh coconut for the day may actually deter you from buying it at all.
Apparently, consistent exposure to light during the time of night when you’re meant to be sleeping can wreak havoc on your metabolism, meaning that you can put on weight without even eating more food.
This is because researchers at Ohio State University found that those who sleep in total darkness are consequentially far less prone to putting on weight compared to those who sleep with dim illumination (tech life, inncluded).
This may seem obvious, but drinking water has many more weightloss benefits aside from keeping you full.
Researchers have long argued that drinking water can assist in speeding up your metabolism, keep you focused (and therefore help you from not bailing on that pre-work walk with your colleague) and also protect your heart from harm.
Struggle chugging down more than a glass or two a day? Get your H2O intake up by eating water-loaded fruits like watermelon (it’s made up of 92 per cent water).
Non-salted, raw almonds, cashews and pistachios are loaded with healthy fats, meaning that each of these nut varieties make for nutritious, high-energy snacks when hunger pangs set in.
Not only that, but nuts are satiating, meaning that they will leave you feeling fuller for longer so that you won’t feel the need to hit the office vending machine for a 3pm Snickers (refined sugars can slow you down and, if over consumed, lead to a bunch of health problems).
Getting a good amount of ZZZs each night won’t just leave you feeling more energetic, but can actually help you whittle your middle without even trying.
Lack of sleep has been scientifically proven to impact the food choices you make, meaning that the more tired you are, the more likely you are to opt for a triple-cheese beef burger rather than a wholemeal chicken salad.
Did you know that just by switching out a big plate for a smaller one can help you cut your daily kilojoule count? Well, according to a study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, it’s that easy.
Yep, researchers found that by reducing the size of a plate by half, the amount of food someone consumes is cut by 30 per cent. Not only that, but if someone is serving themselves, on smaller plates, they serve themselves less food and, ultimately eat less.
Our top tip: Opt for a blue plate when serving up a meal – apparently this colour is a natural appetite suppressant!
Two words: sexercise, people!
Making love is renowned for helping people destress and releasing happy-filled endorphins, but, it is also good for getting your heart rate up and burning calories.
(Text: bauersyndication.com.au / Additional reporting: Natalya Molok)