Fidgeting Can Help You Lose Weight

A recent study conducted at the University of Minnesota began by breeding two colonies of rats: one prone to obesity, and one resistant to obesity. In the course of the study, the scientists determined that the obese rats were generally more stationary than their obesity-resistant counterparts. 

This, researchers say, shows a biological predisposition for overweight individuals to conserve energy by not moving around much. The couch potato factor. 

The provided both types of rat with the same amount of food, and the ones who moved around a lot stayed lean, while the ones who were more stationary, became overweight quickly. 

This, you might think, is nothing new. Most people know that you need to exercise in order to lose weight. However, these thin rats were not exercising exactly. They were just moving their body parts more. Fidgeting helped keep them lean.
The same kind of results has been shown with people. 

So, what does this mean for the average overweight person who wishes to lose weight? They should fidget more!
It is true that it takes more effort and more calories for an overweight person to make even a small movement, than it does for a thin person. Since normal weight individuals are more prone to fidgeting, this means that overweight people must make a conscious effort to fidget more. 

Ways to Increase Fidgeting: 

1) Bounce your legs up and down while sitting.
2) Drum on a tabletop or your legs with your hands.
3) Play with a pen or pencil.
4) Hold your coffee cup instead of putting it down.
5) Bob your head to music.

These are all natural activities and will not make people stare at you like you are a nut. Millions of people do them every day, and they burn more calories than sitting still. 

Of course, fidgeting alone will not make you lean and trim. Increasing the overall activity level in your life is necessary for optimal health. But that doesn’t mean you must join a gym or spend an hour on a treadmill. Simple, natural methods of increasing activity will improve your health drastically.