07/05/2023
24. Get rid of excess belly fat
Excessive abdominal fat, or visceral fat, is a uniquely harmful type of fat distribution that is linked to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
For this reason, your waist size and waist-to-hip ratio may be much stronger markers of health than your weight.
Cutting refined carbs, eating more protein and fiber, and reducing stress (which can reduce cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers abdominal fat deposition) are all strategies that may help you get rid of belly fat.
25. Avoid restrictive diets
Diets are generally ineffective and rarely work well long term. In fact, past dieting is one of the strongest predictors for future weight gain.
This is because overly restrictive diets actually lower your metabolic rate, or the amount of calories you burn, making it more difficult to lose weight. At the same time, they also cause alterations to your hunger and satiety hormones, which make you hungrier and may cause strong food cravings for foods high in fat, calories, and sugar.
All of this is a recipe for rebound weight gain, or “yoyo” dieting.
Instead of dieting, try adopting a healthier lifestyle. Focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it.
Weight loss should follow as you transition to whole, nutritious foods — which are naturally more filling while containing fewer calories than processed foods.
26. Eat whole eggs
Despite the constant back and forth about eggs and health, it’s a myth that eggs are bad for you because of their cholesterol content. Studies show that they have minimal effect on blood cholesterol in the majority of people, and they’re a great source of protein and nutrients.
Additionally, a review involving 263,938 people found that egg intake had no association with heart disease risk.
27. Meditate
Stress has a negative effect on your health. It can affect your blood sugar levels, food choices, susceptibility to sickness, weight, fat distribution, and more. For this reason, it’s important to find healthy ways to manage your stress.
Meditation is one such way, and it has some scientific evidence to support its use for stress management and improving health.