How exercise curbs your appetite
It's not just about how much you move—it's when you move
We’re all surrounded by tempting, unhealthy food, and resisting it can be overwhelming. Sometimes it just feels easier to finish off that bag of barbecue chips than to muster up the will to stop yourself. But what if you could increase your food willpower naturally?
One study has revealed that exercising in the morning can improve your ability to say “no” to another handful of chips. Women who exercised for 45 minutes before starting their day were less tempted by pictures of food compared with those who worked out later in the day or didn't work out at all, report researchers from Brigham Young University. They also found when women started the day with exercise, they remained more active throughout the day.
The type of exercise may also have something to do with helping you reduce cravings. A study published in the Journal of Physiology found that moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise, such as running or cycling for 60 minutes, reduces activity spikes in the brain’s food reward region. During exercise, hormones that signal appetite are redirected to suppress hunger, said study author Todd Hagobian, Ph.D., an assistant professor of kinesiology at California Polytechnic State University. The result: When you exercise, or are recovering from a workout, your body just isn't focused on chowing down on a tasty treat.
The takeaway? Exercising for 45 to 60 minutes in the morning has lasting effects on response to food and can help you make healthier choices for the rest of the day. So, lace up your sneaks and start your day moving!
Talk to your doctor before beginning a new exercise program.
