EAT TO GROW
THE KEY TO
FAT LOSS?
SMELL!
FAT LOSS
RESEARCH
Science just uncovered research that says the
secret to losing weight is right under your nose!
By James De Medeiros
Let’s face it: It’s impossible to sit down to any
plate of food and not take in the smell before
you dig in. It’s not only part of the experience
of a good meal, but it is hardwired into our
brains as part of the enjoyment. You may be
surprised to hear that this same instinctual
sniff that starts every meal might just be
what’s stopping you from losing those last few
pesky pounds around your middle.
Researchers at the University of California,
Berkeley, just uncovered the link between
savoring the smell of your food and halted
weight loss in a study published in the journal
Cell Metabolism. According to senior author
Andrew Dillin, the Thomas and Stacey Siebel
Distinguished Chair in Stem Cell Research,
professor of molecular and cell biology and
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator,
“Sensory systems play a role in metabolism.
Weight gain isn’t purely a measure of the
calories taken in; it’s also related to how those
calories are perceived.”
The study compared subjects who had lost
their sense of smell against others who had
healthy sniffers. The results were very interest-
ing. While the prevailing expectation was that
those who couldn’t enjoy the smell of the food
would eat less, the study found they actually
ate the same amount. The really staggering re-
sult, however, was that those who didn’t enjoy
the smell ended up gaining less weight than
those that did even though they ate the same
amount. What’s the takeaway? Clearly you
wouldn’t want to cripple your sense of smell,
but maybe you should start enjoying the smell
a little less to ensure that the memory doesn’t
linger or add up on your waistline.
18 SEPTEMBER 2017 | ironmanmagazine.com
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The number of additional calories you’ll con-
sume if you eat a cup of raisins instead of a cup
of grapes. Raisins clock in at 299 calories per
cup and grapes at a paltry 67. Snack smart!