Journal your weight away

Could dropping some extra weight be as simple as putting pen to paper?

Yes, a writing exercise that takes just 15 minutes may help you shed those extra lbs, says a new study published in Psychological Science. Jotting down your thoughts about values important to you may help you lose more weight than if you don’t take the time to do so.

The study involved a group of 45 women with a BMI of 23 or higher who were asked to  rank the importance of a set of values (including everything from relationships to creativity), and half the group was asked to write about a value close to their heart, while the other half were asked to write about a value less key to them. Four months later, those who wrote about an important value had lost some weight whereas the others had put on some weight.

The thinking is that by writing about values important to you helps you feel better, and so you may not be as apt to eat that unnecessary snack, for example.

Something to consider if “losing weight” made it onto your list of resolutions for 2012.

(Journal, Christian Lacroix Papier)

Leave a Comment January 5, 2012

You’re a stronger person for it

If you had a particularly rough 2011, here’s a silver lining of sorts: tough, traumatic experiences do indeed make you more resilient as shown in a new study published in Current Directions in Psychological Science. So there is scientific proof for that whole “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” saying. It seems that distressing experiences may help you develop better coping abilities than people who’ve never had such blows to deal with in their lives.

In any case, here’s to a fresh new start in 2012.

(And how’s this Kate Spade 2012 Wall Calendar for a cheery outlook? US $26. Available at See Jane Work)

Leave a Comment December 19, 2011

Lower-class advantage

Sure the upper class may have trust funds and designer wardrobes, better education and job opps–but the lower classes have an edge over the upper class in one respect: reading other people’s emotions says new research published in Psychological Science.

Wonder if that explains the appalling behaviour on the reality show High Society…perhaps they just couldn’t recognize each other’s feelings?

Leave a Comment November 23, 2010