The Real Reason You’re Gaining Weight

Can’t figure out why on earth you keep gaining weight? Before you start blaming it on genetics or lack of willpower, you may want to consider your personality.

Individuals who tend to be neurotic and impulsive are more likely to go through cycles of gaining and losing weight, reports research that analyzed 50 years of data on nearly 2,000 individuals. Those who were highly impulsive weighed roughly 22 pounds more than the least impulsive subjects, while people who were self-disciplined and organized also tended to weight less.

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The reason? Perhaps those who are more organized are more likely to stick to a healthier routine, says Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D., co-author of the study and Scientist at the Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience. Self-disciplined individuals may be more likely to eat breakfast everyday, stay on track with their exercise routine, and avoid impulsive eating.

If you can’t resist the urge to nip at your work’s free table or grab a Reese’s cup from the checkout aisle, what can you do? Tap into your body’s hunger signals. Take smaller bites and slow down while chewing. Individuals who take smaller bites and chew their food for an average of 9 seconds before swallowing eat less food than those who chew for an average of 3 seconds, reports a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Why? Your body believes you’ve eaten enough based on how long you’ve had food in your mouth, not the amount of food in your belly, according to the study.

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