How to scientifically keep your healthy New Year resolutions!

Every year today and tomorrow we spend some time reflecting and some time planning for the year ahead. What do we want it to bring? What do we want to achieve? And most commonly, what will my New Year resolution be? But if you’re like the Starts at 60 team, about eight days into the year those resolutions go out the door.

We start eating junk food again, we have a glass of wine in our hand or we ate that cake we made again… All of it! Our resolutions – especially the ones revolving around our weight, health and diet, often fail. But some scientists have found why and how we can make sure our healthy New Years resolutions are here to stay!

Scientists from Oxbridge have found that a successful New Year diet or change in eating habits lies in knowing what kind of eater you are. The scientists identified three broad groups: ‘feasters’ who keep on eating because they never feel full; ‘constant cravers’ who can’t stop thinking about food; and ‘emotional eaters’ who raid the biscuit tin in times of trouble.

According to the research carried out on 75 volunteers (25 in each group), each group responds differently to different diets. This is all based on their hormones genes and psychology. 

To help each group find the right diet for them, they were put on the following diet plans.

Feasters’ were given a diet designed to stimulate gut hormone levels with high-protein foods such as meat, fish and pulses, and cut out ‘high-GI’ carbohydrates such as white bread and potatoes.

‘Constant cravers’ were put on a version of the 5:2 diet, eating no more than 800 calories for two days every week. They could eat what they liked for the other five.

‘Emotional eaters’ were enrolled in Weight Watchers-style classes, on the theory that what they really needed was social support to prevent them turning to food.

So this year, take a think about the type of eater you are and what solution best fits your eating style – it could be the best thing you do!

Tell us, what kind of eater are you? Will your New Years resolution be diet related?