There are four main ways that your clutter is causing you to gain weight. Learn what they are and how decluttering your home will help you lose weight.
The more I learn about decluttering and organizing, the more I am astounded at how many areas of our lives are affected by clutter.
Study after study has shown that clutter contributes to stress, anxiety, and depression. What you might not know is that clutter actually contributes to weight gain.
Here’s how:
In the book The Stress Solution by Arthur P. Ciarmacicoli, he explains how this works from a scientific perspective. The main issue is stress, which has myriad negative effects.
- A recent study from the University of Zurich discovered that even moderate stress changes the brain chemistry that influences self-control. For the study, they had participants take an ice bath, which produced a moderate amount of stress. Those participants chose to eat unhealthy foods, demonstrating that when we are stressed, we seek comfort from foods that are sweet or high in fat.
- Cortisol (the “stress” hormone) causes our bodies to hold onto fat. This initiates a vicious cycle where our feelings of satiety (being full) are altered, our metabolism is slowed, and we crave more sugary and fatty foods.
- Stress hormones have also been linked to inflammation. A study in the UK in 2008 showed a linear correlation with inflammation and weight gain. As inflammation increased, so did weight.
- A cluttered kitchen environment has been shown to contribute to higher calorie consumption and unhealthy food choices.
If you’ve been trying to lose weight and have had no luck, your environment may be sabotaging your efforts. One of my favorite quotes is “Environment is stronger than will-power.”–Paramahansa Yogananda.
That means if you want to lose weight, you MUST change your environment, and that starts with decluttering your home.
Until you do, all that clutter is going to keep causing stress (whether you realize it or not). Your self-control will be inhibited. Your desires to eat unhealthy foods will increase. Your metabolism will slow down.
The good news is, when people declutter and organize their homes, they often lose weight as a natural by-product, without even trying! I’m not going to guarantee that the same thing will happen for you. You may need to actually try. But your efforts will be SO MUCH more successful when you don’t have all that stress sabotaging you!
Want to know the KEY to home organization success? It’s your HOME Girl organizing type! Take this quick quiz to learn your unique strengths and challenges when it comes to home organization, and how you can use this knowledge to create the home of your dreams!
Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment with any questions! I really hope you take advantage of the free training so you can start your journey to improved weight loss, less stress, and more happiness!
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