50 Shades of Weight Loss
If you ask people to come up with adjectives to describe the weight loss process, sexy is generally not one of them. Usually the descriptors are more negative in nature, with words like restrictive, boring, and even despicable being some of the more common ones. However, the reality is that weight loss can be sexy, and research confirms it.
Research Confirms that Weight Loss Results in Better Sexual Function
One study published in the Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy looked at 225 people (91 men and 134 women) who were obese and found that these individuals showed lower sexual arousal and behavior. In fact, researchers reported that the scores for the men “fell between those of a group of cancer survivors and a general population group,” and the women fared worse than the men. However, losing weight can increase sexual health according to a news release by the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Media Relations. This information was based on a study that was printed in JAMA Surgery and presented during Obesity Week involving 106 women who lost weight after undergoing weight loss surgery. In this case, 13 percent “saw dramatic improvements” in regard to sexual function, with an additional 53 percent citing “modest improvement.” The same positive results were found for men in yet another study published by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons and reported by Live Science. In this case, ninety-seven men defined as “morbidly obese” shed an excessive amount of weight following gastric bypass surgery and reported better sexual function as a result. When you lose weight, the advantages aren’t just physical either; they are mental as well and this is largely because you feel better about yourself. You are proud of your hard work and dedication and find yourself more attractive which, for most, is generally a huge barrier to overcome when it comes to experiencing higher levels of satisfaction in the bedroom.
Weight Loss Equals More Sex Which Equals Greater Weight Loss
Additionally, losing weight is the gift that keeps on giving in the sex department. When you drop excess pounds and feel better physically and mentally, you tend to have more sex. And having more sex means that you burn more calories, which means that you feel even better about yourself, which means more sex. Sex gets your heart rate up, making it a great cardiovascular activity for strengthening your heart. Add that to the muscles you build by getting into and sustaining various positions in the bedroom (or any other room in your house that you choose to become intimate in) and you have a complete exercise program. An exercise program that will leave you grinning from ear to ear and excitedly waiting for your next “workout”!
How to Eat Your Way to Better Sex
Even though two of the studies mentioned involved people undergoing weight loss surgery, the reality is that, a majority of the time, weight loss can and should be achieved by following some basic food guidelines. Following these guidelines not only results in better sexual function, but it can make you feel more sexual as well, which means that it affects you mentally as well as physically.
Here is what you need to know to eat your way to better sex:
Eat a balanced diet. By eating a balanced diet, you will help your body function best as it will likely get all of the vitamins and minerals it needs. For instance, vitamin B is good for sustaining energy for intimate encounters and can be found in foods like fish, poultry, lean meat, leafy greens, asparagus, legumes, and yogurt.
Eat more often. Not only does eating every 4 hours keep your metabolism up, but it will also provide you more than enough energy to make it through your sometimes strenuous (and deeply satisfying) sexual meets. You could even include your meals in your pre-intercourse activity by feeding each other grapes or berries to help you “get in the mood.”
Monitor your portions. One of the best ways to lose weight is by monitoring your portion sizes, such as you do with the SlimPlateHYPERLINK “http://www.slimplatesystem.com/slimplate-system” System. While you may be eating less when watching your diet and losing weight, you’ll probably be having more sex, which is more than worth the trade-off.
Drink enough water. You certainly want to stay hydrated for all of your bedroom activities, so make sure you drink eight glasses of water a day. Again, this will help give you the energy you need, in addition to making sure your body functions as good as it can when it matters most.
Losing weight can be very sexy, with the right partner, of course. Do these things and you’ll take the notion of “feeling better” to a whole new level.