Worried about tucking into a bit too many calories? Do you often find yourself standing on a weighing scale and keeping a track of each added pound? What if we tell you, that our body has an in-built weighing scale that can monitor fat and signal the brain when there is an overdose? Yes you heard us. A group of researchers have found a previously unidentified body fat regulatory system. After sensing excessive body weight, this mechanism just like bathroom scales, signals the brain to reduce food intake too.
According to a latest study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences there is an inbuilt weighing scale in the body, and more knowledge about the sensing mechanism could lead to a better understanding of the causes of obesity
The researchers explained, that they have found the support for the existence of internal bathroom scales. The weight of the body is registered in the lower extremities. If the body weight tends to increase, a signal is sent to the brain to decrease food intake and keep the body weight constant.
For the study, the researchers analysed obese rodents that were made artificially heavier by loading with extra weights. The animals lost almost as much weight as the artificial load. The extra weights caused body fat to decrease and blood glucose levels to improve.
In the course of the study, the scientists also discovered a previously undiscovered mechanism that operates to regulate fat mass entirely independently of leptin. The mechanism that the scientists have now identified regulates body fat mass independently of leptin, and it's possible that leptin combined with activation of the internal body scales can become an effective treatment for obesity
The mechanism could explain well the frequently observed correlation between the time a person spends sitting and increases in metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.
The researchers noted that much sitting time led to decreased loading of osteocytes in the weight-bearing long bones and, thereby, the homeostatic regulation of body weight does not activate its afferent signal to the brain, which leads to obesity.
Here are some healthy tips which can help you manage your weight better with diet.
1. Have protein in every meal
Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, however having protein at all meal times, accelerates weight loss. It leaves you feeling full for longer and helps lower your total body fat. Here are some suggestions:
Add quinoa or amaranth instead of rice for lunch and dinner. Add sprouts or bean salad for breakfast. Toss a handful of fresh peas in your salad or soup, with 8 gms of protein per cup. It is a great idea to snack on carrot and bell pepper sticks dipped in a yogurt dip.
2. Cut out refined carbohydrates and sugars
All refined carbohydrates break down in your body to produce sugar. This in turn will cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Refined carbohydrates and sugar also make you retain water and cause bloating, which is something you especially want to avoid.
3. Say goodbye to processed food
Read the labels and avoid all additives, MSG, preservatives, artificial colors and anything you can't pronounce. These are foods you want to completely avoid as they are full of sodium and such few nutrients that you might as well be eating the cardboard box.
4. Hydrate your body
Pure water is the most beneficial form of liquid to consume. In winters, we generally miss out. The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism published a study on the thermogenic effect of water, leading to a 30 percent increase in metabolism. Water also acts as a natural appetite suppressant aiding weight loss.