Study reveals slimming secret

It’s common to lose weight on weekdays and gain a little over the weekends. However, according to research, what helps you maintain a slim figure isn't how much more you gain over the weekend, but how much you lose during the week!

Seven days effect on weight

Eighty adults participated in the study, in which Dr. Brian Wansink from Cornell University and researchers from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Tampere University of Technology, looked into the impact that the seven-days-a-week human cycle has on weight.

Participants were asked to weigh themselves daily before breakfast and were categorised according to their relative weight changes: weight losers (-3% weight loss), weight gainers (+1% weight gain), and weight maintainers (-3% to 1% weight change).

Fat Sunday vs. slim Friday

The weekly weight patterns were analysed and the results revealed a clear pattern - weight was higher after weekends (on Sunday and Monday) and decreased during the weekdays to reach the lowest point on Friday.

How slim people tip the scale back

Researchers found that, after the weekend, ‘weight losers’ had a stronger compensation pattern and started losing weight immediately right up until Friday.

On the other hand, ‘weight gainers’ had no clear weight loss during weekdays and minimum and maximum weights were evenly distributed all through the week.

How to make it work for you

Based on the research, a little indulging during weekends is not going to ruin your figure... as long as you start to watch what you eat again once the weekend is over!

In fact, the research indicates that starting a healthy eating plan on a Monday is not only a good idea, but enjoying a few indulgences over the weekend may actually be the key to controlling your weight in the long run!

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