Judith Wills
Taken them a while to come to a fairly obvious conclusion. At least Professor Wansink isn't the culprit this time, which makes a pleasant change.
Oxford University researchers have just announced their new big weight control discovery - "OVEREATING MAKES YOU FAT!"
Shock, horror, quickly followed by amazement and gratitude that the best heads in the business have come up with such a revelatory thought.
The explanation for this stunning 'how we get fat' theory is that soon after we eat, food is broken down in the gut, then enters the blood stream as droplets of fat, which tear around our bodies looking for somewhere to sit.
When they find somewhere - and a favourite place is inside our midriffs - they may not be there for long. If we don't eat again too quickly, the fat cells move off from their comfy chairs to supply energy for our muscles and life processes.
The Oxford researchers then give us their wow factor verdict - if, however, you do eat again, more than you need, the previous fat cells just carry on sitting where they were, as they're not needed for energy because of the new fat now coursing round your system.
This is more or less what professionals have known for a long time. Even the fact that fat unwanted for energy is most likely to be stored around the middle is something that has been suggested many times.
The only interesting fact in the document as far as I'm concerned, as I haven't heard it confirmed before, is that the food eaten in the morning is less likely to be 'caught' by our bodies and stored as fat, than food eaten later in the day - apparently due to hormonal changes in our bodies as the day progresses.
So for that alone, I thank them. Slightly grudgingly, as I've spent the past 20 years going along with the theory that 'what time of day' you eat has little bearing on weight control.
Pity the discovery is a bit annoying for most of us, as how many people want to eat their main meal in the morning these days? A decent supper after a busy day with a glass of wine is one of life's pleasures, so I shall be carrying on as normal.
Ate last night: A piece of Donald Russell pave steak, bought on special offer as I normally refuse to pay their very high prices when I can get a good local steak for less. I did it the Italian way, slicing the meat (dry-fried on highest heat for 1.5 minutes a side) and serving it on a bed of rocket with Parmesan shavings over the top and a tangy dressing of lemon juice and olive oil. Very nice. Husband had a few Jersey Royals on the side.
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