Overweight and obesity can lead to numerous health problems. Studies have shown that diet and exercise are essential to losing weight and keeping it off.

Keep fattening foods out of sight and have healthy snacks prepared in advance. Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly. Avoid distractions while eating, such as TV or computers.

Practice Mindful Eating

Eating mindfully involves focusing attention on the food you are eating and noticing how it makes your body feel. Mindful eating can help you eat in ways that support your weight loss efforts. It can also help you become more aware of the foods and drinks that contain high levels of sugar and make it easier to choose healthier options.

Some simple ways to practice mindful eating include minimizing distractions while you eat and chewing your food more thoroughly. You can also try savoring each bite and evaluating how well you are feeling before, during and after your meal or snack.

Mindful eating has been shown to reduce emotional and external eating, which can lead to overeating. It can also help you learn to recognize physical hunger and fullness cues, which can prevent overeating and promote healthy weight management.

Get Enough Sleep

Get enough sleep and you’ll boost levels of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full, and lowers ghrelin, which increases appetite. Studies show that the average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. But many people don’t get that much, which increases their risk of obesity and other chronic diseases. Research also shows that a lack of sleep causes the body to produce a stress hormone called cortisol, which promotes fat storage and makes it more difficult to resist cravings for junk food. In addition, some new weight-loss drugs work by increasing the amount of leptin that is produced.