If you’re working hard to try and stay on track with your weight-loss goals, you don’t want to do anything that will undo all your progress. And it turns out, some of your post-dinner habits could be standing in the way of shedding those pounds. Here are a few things to avoid after you eat dinner to help you stay on track.
- Eating dinner too late – First thing first, dining too late can be a problem. According to one study, folks who eat later are more likely to binge and as a result, eat more foods that are high in fat and sugar.
- Mindlessly snacking – If you do have dinner early, but keep grazing on snacks for the rest of the evening, it’s easy for those calories to add up without you realizing it. And be smart about your snacks and ditch the carbs for high-fat and protein-rich options, like almonds or string cheese to keep you full.
- Scrolling in bed – Lots of us scroll through our phones before heading off to sleep, but one study finds that people with electronic devices in their bedrooms are more likely to be overweight than those who don’t.
- Not getting enough sleep – All that late night scrolling can keep you awake and it turns out, a lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Researchers from Wake Forest University found that people who slept five hours or less ended up putting on two and a half times more belly fat, compared to those who snooze for over eight hours.
- Hitting the couch after dinner – If you head out for an evening stroll, it’s a good idea to do it right after dinner before you get all comfy watching Netflix. According to one study, going for a 30-minute walk immediately after eating leads to more weight loss.
- Keeping the room too warm – Believe it or not, the temperature of your room can affect weight loss. In one study, researchers found that participants who stayed in colder temperatures for six weeks saw a “significant decrease” in body fat.
Source: Eat This, Not That