By Jessica Girdwain

Your stomach knows what time it is. That’s the new finding from Australian researchers, who discovered that your gut has its own circadian rhythm, much like the one that governs sleep and wake times.

When you eat, your stomach stretches out, which activates nerves in your tummy. And how these nerves respond depends on the time of day, says study coauthor Amanda Page, Ph.D. During the day, the nerves are less sensitive, so you can eat more. “The stomach needs to be much fuller before these nerves send signals to the brain that you’re done eating,” says Page. At night, it’s the opposite: The nerves are more sensitive and signal fullness quicker.

So who cares? Your weight does. Disrupting this rhythm may be one reason why people who work overnight shifts—and therefore eat more during the night and less during the day—have higher rates of obesity than those who clock normal hours.

The research is still in its very early stages, but it might mean that we can maximize timing of food intake to control weight gain. Other studies, however, have shown that when—and what—you eat at certain times matters:

Wake up with protein: When people ate a high-protein breakfast like eggs, they were less hungry in the morning and reduced their food intake at lunch compared to a low-protein like pancakes and syrup, found a University of Missouri study.

Lunch before 3: A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that eating your biggest meal—in this case lunch—before 3 p.m. may help you lose more weight compared to eating later in the day.

Add even more protein: Eating a 160-calorie snack that included 24 grams of protein three hours after lunch reduced hunger, upped fullness, and helped prevent overeating, according to another University of Missouri study. Try 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese in the afternoon—it packs about 28 grams of protein and 163 calories.

from eat this, not that

Would you believe a guy who claimed to have lost 180 pounds—in less than a year—without exercising? We didn’t either, until we saw Raul Guerrero’s before and after pictures and read the amazing story of how he reclaimed his life with Eat This, Not That! By employing our advice, he managed to outsmart clever food marketers and shake himself loose from the clutches of calorie-dense, nutritionally empty foods. You can do the same.

12 Best Restaurant Weight Loss Tips

12. Weight Loss Tip #1: Don’t assume fancier means healthier

 

Fast food can make you fat, so dinner at a sit-down chain must be better, right? In fact, our menu analysis of 24 national chains revealed that the average entree at a sit-down restaurant contains 867 calories, compared with 522 calories in the average fast-food entree. And that’s before appetizers, sides, or desserts—selections that can easily double your total calorie intake.

 

11. Weight Loss Tip #3: Don’t order the “medium” soda

 

That “medium” soda may actually be a large. Duke University researchers discovered that some fast-food chains encourage their customers to buy larger soft drinks—which justifies higher prices—by increasing the number of ounces in all sizes of drinks. They know what you may not: Most people subconsciously pick the middle option without considering the actual amount, says study author Richard Staelin, Ph.D. Remember, 8 ounces is one serving. That means a “small” Coke at McDonald’s is already 2 servings of carbonated sugar—and a large is 4!

 

 

10. Weight Loss Tip #4: Remember, the waiter is a salesperson

 

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services found that you’re more likely to order a side dish when the server verbally prompts you (“Do you want fries with that?”). Restaurants know this, and now you know it, too. When the waiter makes a suggestion, remember his job is not to make you happy. His job is to extract money from your wallet and insert fat in its place.

 

 

9. Weight Loss Tip #5: Don’t celebrate any old meal

 

Before you head out to your next meal, really take stock of how many times you’ve eaten out this week. A 2008 study in the International Food Research Journal found that people are less likely to make healthy restaurant choices when they feel that they’re dining out for a “special occasion.” If you’re eating every meal at home and dining out truly is a once-a-week splurge, then don’t worry about it so much. But if you’re like most of us, eating out is probably more like a once-a-day splurge. And if that’s the case, remember, there’s nothing special here. Eat smart today because you’ll have to do it again tomorrow.

 

 

8. Weight Loss Tip #6: Grab a smaller plate at the buffet

 

When, for a 2008 study published in the journal Obesity, researchers offered patrons two plate sizes, 98.6 percent of those with the highest BMI took the larger of the two to the buffet. A bigger plate tricks your eye into thinking you’re not eating as much when you load it up—and after you start eating. Use a smaller plate, get a smaller belly.

 

 

7. Weight Loss Tip #7: Eat dessert elsewhere

 

Need a simple way to cut down on desserts? Pay for your meal and take a walk. Researchers in the U.K. found that taking a short walk can weaken chocolate cravings. In the study, regular chocolate eaters refrained from eating the treat for 3 days and then either took a 15-minute walk or stayed idle. The strollers’ cravings dropped by 12 percent after a walk, but those of the coach potatoes intensified. “Like chocolate, exercise may increase the levels of feel-good chemicals in the brain, reducing a desire for sweets,” says study author Adrian Taylor, Ph.D. If, after a little stroll, you’re still hungry, go ahead and indulge—at least you earned it!

 

 

6. Weight Loss Tip #8: Resist the blob mentality

 

Your dining partner may be making you fat. Researchers from Eastern Illinois University have discovered that people consume 65 percent more calories when they eat with a person who opts for seconds than when they dine with a  companion who doesn’t. “Just being aware of it can help you avoid becoming a victim,” says Men’s Health nutrition advisor Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. Instead of taking seconds, opt for a cup of herbal tea after you finish your main course. It will keep your mouth busy while providing a refreshing, no-calorie end to your meal.

 

 

5. Weight Loss Tip #9: Guzzle the icewater first

 

Thirst can masquerade as hunger, which is one reason dieters should stay hydrated. Now German researchers have found another reason: Water fuels your body’s fat burners. For 90 minutes after drinking 16 ounces of chilled water, adults saw their metabolisms rise by 24 percent over their average rates. The increase is partially attributed to the energy your body generates to warm the water during digestion.

 

 

4. Weight Loss Tip #10: Cut up your food

 

Japanese researchers recently proved what dieticians have been saying for years: Slicing your food into strips or chunks may help you eat less. Study participants who compared equal amounts of sliced and whole vegetables rated the sliced serving as much as 27 percent larger. The end result: Believing that you are eating a larger portion of food causes you to feel more satisfied with fewer calories.

 

 

3. Weight Loss Tip #11: Watch out for weekends

 

A study in the journal Obesity reveals that people eat an average of 236 more calories on Saturday than on any given weekday. Blame it on the break from your usual routine. “Since your day is not as structured on the weekends, neither are your eating habits,” says study author Susan Racette, Ph.D. Approach your weekend like any other day: An opportunity to treat your body as well as it deserves.

 

 

2. Weight Loss Tip #12: Start small

Here’s the good news: No one is going to stop you from ordering seconds. So be like any good businessperson, and start small. Here’s exactly how expensive it really is when you go for the “bargain”:

* 7-Eleven. Gulp to Double Gulp Coca-Cola Classic: 37 cents extra buys 450 more calories

* Cinnabon. Minibon to Classic Cinnabon: 48 more cents buys 370 more calories

* Movie theater. Small to medium unbuttered popcorn: 71 additional cents buys you 500 more calories

* Convenience store. Regular to “The Big One” Snickers: 33 more cents packs on 230 more calories

* McDonald’s. Quarter Pounder with Cheese to Medium Quarter Pounder with Cheese Extra Value Meal: An additional $1.41 gets you 660 more calories

* Subway. The 6- to 12-inch Tuna Sub: $1.53 more buys 420 more calories

* Wendy’s. Classic Double with Cheese to Classic Double with Cheese Old Fashioned Combo Meal: $1.57 extra buys you 600 more calories

* Baskin Robbins. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Kids’ Scoop, to Double Scoop: For another $1.62, you’ve added 390 calories

The bottom line: For 8 bucks, you’ve bought yourself 3,620 calories. If you eat each of these foods once a week but go with the smaller size—again, your favorite foods, but more reasonable sizes—you’d save about $417 a year. That’s enough to put you on a plane to the Bahamas, where you can show off your new body. After all, you’d also save 188,240 calories a year, or 54 pounds of belly fat! It’s hard to imagine a better investment.

1. Weight Loss Tip #2: Don’t get “supersized”

Sure, it feels like you’re getting a bargain because you’re getting proportionately more food for proportionately less money. But a “value meal” is only a value for two sets of people: the corporations that make the food and the corporations that make liposuction machines and heart stents. Because food is so inexpensive for manufacturers to produce on a large scale, your average fast-food emporium makes a hefty profit whenever you supersize your meal—even though you’re getting an average of 73 percent more calories for only 17 percent more money. But you’re not actually buying more nutrients; you’re just buying more calories. And that’s not something you want more of.

Quick Tips For Holiday Eating

Holiday eating is one of those things that if not monitored can and will get the best of you, and potentially send you into a tailspin of an unhealthy eating pattern that may last for days and even weeks to come. Here are some tips to make it through the holidays without all the guilt.

1. Be prepared.

Be prepared. Know that you will be in an environment with lots of temptations. If you mentally prepare yourself and set yourself up for eating success, you are more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan.

2. The past

If you have had success in the past with weight loss, healthy eating, or have reached a fitness goal, use that as a reason to stick to a healthy eating plan. Consider the weight loss you have achieved, the goals you have hit, and the healthy lifestyle you are living. Is splurging really worth messing all that up?

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are empty calories and make it harder for you to avoid temptation. So try to avoid drinking if possible.

4. Snacks

Eat a healthy small meal or snack before the special occasion so that you are less hungry and won’t overdo it.

5. Water

Drink plenty of water or other low calorie beverages so that you feel fuller
when you show up to your special occasion.

6. Small amounts

Eat the “bad” food in small amounts. It’s ok to have them in moderation.
Eat them slowly and enjoy every bite.

7. Hands

Keep your hands busy by holding a beverage. It is hard to overeat if your hands are busy.

8.Calories

Choose low calorie healthy snacks such as veggies, or lean cuts of meat.

9. Celebrate

Don’t deny yourself. People celebrate, mourn, and bond with food. So although you don’t want to overdo it, you also want to be a part of the festivities. You are NOT perfect and nobody should be expected to eat perfect all the time. It’s ok to splurge from time to time, and in doing so you won’t necessarily mess up your entire eating program. You can’t begin or end a diet with ONE meal. Watch your portion size, be accountable for what you are consuming, and you won’t end up overdoing it.

10. Focus

Focus on the environment around you; the conversation and having a good time,
rather than the eating.

11. Mints

Chew gum or have mints handy. These help with cravings for sugar and will keep your mouth busy keeping you from grazing on unhealthy snacks.

12. Temptations

If the only way you can handle temptation is to avoid it, don’t go.