It was bad enough knowing a sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain. Now persistent exposure to light at night can too? I give up, I’m doomed. Pass the cheesy puffs.
I feel bad for all the computer addicts who put their computer in front of a treadmill in an attempt to stave off the inevitable. Resistance is futile! Accept your plumper future!
What? At least you won’t be as overweight? …Shut up, you.
(Via Boing Boing)
Jonathan says
Clearly the trick is to live by the light of your monitor alone….
Nikki Bluue says
Here’s a few tricks I use. Most of the time when I blog, I like to write out the blog by pen/hand first. Then I type it out on my blog window. I make a committment to turn off my computer at a certain time at night. That tends to help me stave off obesity and plus, get my mind ready for sleep in a while afterwards. Also, another trick I use is I don’t eat anything after a certain time at night. I also drink a lot of water, with a teeny amount of Minute Maid lemonade mixed, to make the water taste better. Drinking water can keep you feeling full, plus, it’s something for your hand/mouth to do. :-)I know your blog was prolly tongue-in-cheek. I am just passing the info on. Regardless…you are still a babe. :-)
Patrick F says
Hi Jen,Enjoyed reading your blog tonight (except the anti-theist articles which i skipped through as i’m, surprise surprise, a theist ..).All the best, Patrick
Josh J says
lol! I feel like they might as well get this article over with:”Being human may lead to obesity” in which a study finds a rather strong correlation with being human and being overweight.
Andrew Hall says
I eat more than I should when I’m tired. How much I drink (lovely alchol) isn’t really correlated to the time of day (early morning-11:30 AM is my non-drinking time). I think a mid afternoon drink fest is a guilty pleasure.I’m sorry, what was the topic again? Beer?http://www.laughinginpurgatory…
Carla says
Noooooo!
Joel Klinepeter says
I work third shift and this makes me want to cry.
jen says
*sighs* i have too many abdominal scars to look good in that bikini anyway…
Vanessa says
Okay, it’s not because of the light that you gain weight, it’s because you are more tempted to eat because of said light. So just lock your refrigerator at 9pm and you’re good :)
Ryan Schneider says
So I wake up at 10pm after a nice 4-hour nap, ready to stay up until the wee hours of the morning on at least one computer at a time, and read this.I really hope the study turns out to be wrong, or at least not apply to humans. I really do.
Anna Jobsis says
I’d really like to know how you turn OFF that brain voice that keeps telling you that you REALLY need that whole bag of chips and the world will END if you don’t eat that chocolate bar. Cos you know, brain voice is an asshole.
Azkyroth says
Interesting. I’ve suspected that eating late at night probably isn’t helpful to me.So, has someone come out with a magic bullet that allows people to fall asleep hungry?
David's Not Here says
I’m a computer-addicted nerd, and I’ve lost 40 pounds in the last two months. Eat Less. Exercise more. It’s that simple.
Kim L. Hackett says
Meh. I work two jobs, am on my feet and active at those jobs for anywhere from 50 to 65 hours per week, plus I exercise on top of that, eat healthfully (lots of vegetables, some lean animal proteins, tons of fiber, probiotics, blah blah blah,) and only when I’m hungry, don’t snack, don’t eat junk food (makes me feel yucky), don’t drink soda, don’t drink alcohol or do illegal drugs, don’t smoke, eat -very- few processed foods (make most everything from scratch – tastes better and is better for you), I avoid as best I can things with HFCS, artifical sweeteners, hormone-laced meats, etc etc. And yet I’m fat.I’m healthy, even according to my doctor I’m healthy, but I’m a size 20 and I’m fat. There’s muscle underneath my chub, lots of it, but I wear an XL and I’m fat. And I’m happy the way I am.The thing that’s hilarious to me is that before I went on my medication after living for nearly three years with pospartum depression that never went away and eventually morphed into depression plus suicidal ideation and panic attacks so crippling that I never left the house without another adult human alongside me, I was athletically built with curves. Hourglass-y, 1940’s buxom pinup style. Then came the meds, and the weight gain. But I’m here, and I’m happy and I don’t want to die anymore…I’d rather be fat and happy than slender and suicidal. Anyway, what I’m sayin’ is, more and more things are being revealed as “this is why you’re fat”. Life makes us fat. Living makes us fat. Whatever. Eat right because it tastes great and is good for you. Move your body and exercise and dance and spin and laugh because it feels good and it’s good for you. If you’re still fat afterwards, so what? Live. Be happy.
Hund'o Boiled Leaves says
Ugh, it’s worse for me – not only is most of my spare time spent blogging and social interaction online, but I also work in front of a computer for 8 hours a day. Only the good die young. <3
Screamer77 says
Kim, you’re awesome.
JM says
The meds make it really difficult to keep the weight off; my sister has a similar situation with work and meds, although I know she doesn’t eat as well as you do. I don’t know if even Weight Watchers has anything to contribute in such cases, but it might be worth a try. They do a lot of research.
Carl Viñas says
WOOHOO LOOK AT THAT BLUBBER FLY!
Mischieveiouslymysterious says
I’m thinking this has more to do with sitting at night for long hours working on your laptop or watching tv or simply reading then exposure to light …
Isaac says
Lol, yeah, I doubt the light is the only factor here. I mean, if that was true, just being in the streetlights, or turning on the lights at night would make you gain weight. If light really did make you gain weight, wouldn’t just standing in the sun work best, since that gives the most light?My blog: http://tineothoughts.blogspot….
Mischieveiouslymysterious says
well… from the study i think it might have to do with stress … i dunno about others but i prefer to sleep at night with the lights of (or nay time of the day with the room completely dark), however if it isn’t pitch black or close to it, i feel irritated and angry and it aggravates my insomnia, leading to stress and stress has been seen as a contributor to weight gain … it might be that exposure to light at night might increase their stress level … possibly …i dunno. just throwing out a random theory here …
Mischieveiouslymysterious says
nevermind … just finished reading to the end -_-
SuperHappyJen says
My Mom has a treadmill at her desk. lmao
Kim L. Hackett says
JM, I’m smiling so much right now….It’s sweet of you to suggest, but, thanks but no thanks, y’know? I may be fat, but I’m healthy and happy and I love this body of mine, chub and all. <3
Kim L. Hackett says
Screamer, you’re sweet to say so. :)
Evan B says
They’re correlated, but it doesn’t say one is caused by the other. I thought you knew the difference :/
Gurmo says
Sad to hear – “The dim light-at-night mice also showed higher levels of epididymal fat, and impaired glucose tolerance – a marker of pre-diabetes.”
Valhar2000 says
I found that 10 miles a day on the bike helps enormously: I commute to work on my bicycle. It also allows me to run after a bus I’m about to miss without ending up completely out of breath, which is nice.