4. Snack Before Exercise
While it makes perfect sense that eating a healthy, balanced snack pre-workout will lead to lower instances of binge-eating after exercise—many folks don’t abide by this common sense piece of wisdom. However, a research study from UK-based Loughborough University, recommends fueling up prior to a workout.
Researchers found that noshing on a light, healthy snack before workouts (i.e., apple slices with raw nut butter) significantly decreased post-workout hunger. Comparatively, those who worked out on an empty stomach, were less likely to be able to control post-workout hunger cravings or perform high-intensity exercise.
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5. Treat Exercise As Reward
It’s truly difficult to gain any pleasure from an activity that you deem punishment. For instance, a 2014 study from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab found that folks who run, but hate running are more likely to seek out unhealthy food rewards after their workouts.
Alternatively, study participants who approached workouts as the reward—for instance, by choosing an activity that they like (i.e., dance classes, yoga, swimming, etc.)—were far less likely to seek out indulgent, fatty, sugary, calorie-rich foods as rewards after a workout.
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6. Intervals Suppress Hunger
If your chosen form of exercise isn’t interval training, perhaps it should be! According to a research study from the University of Western Australia, those who performed interval-style workouts (or 30-minutes of intense exercise) ate far fewer calories after their workouts.
The study monitored a group of males—half of the group performed interval workouts while the other half performed moderate exercise for a similar duration. Researchers discovered that performing intervals triggered a lower ghrelin response (the hormone that stimulates appetite), but increased blood glucose and blood lactate levels, which both suppress hunger.
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Emily Lockhart
Emily Lockhart is a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer. She believes that being healthy is a lifestyle choice, not a punishment or temporary fix to attain a desired fitness or body image goal. Anna helps her clients take responsibility for their own health and wellness through her classes and articles on ActiveBeat.