Swedish researchers have found that losing weight through proper diet and exercise will also sharpen your mind and memory too!
There has been previous research showing that overweight people struggle more with episodic memory than people that were in a healthy weight range. Episodic memories are like recalling your first date or a childhood vacation to Yellowstone National Park, as examples. These types of memories can be more easily processed with weight loss. The better brain function is thanks to the better insulin resistance, which can be damaged with obesity. With healthy eating and exercise, you can improve your bodies ability to modulate insulin, so when your body improves, you brain will too!
Have your noticed your memory or brain function improving with your weight loss? What other changes, besides physical, have you noticed with the new and improved healthier you? I noticed a higher energy level.. and I still NEED more energy!!!
Teresa says
Interesting book out by a neurologist called Grain Brain. Very interesting what carbs do to our brain…and our waistline!
Susan says
I just finished “Grain Brain”. I found it disturbing, scary and motivating! I will definitely be much more careful with the foods I eat.
Evelyn says
I am obese and I do notice my memory being affected by it. I am on a diet but have not noticed much changes. I will keep and eye on it when I start to lose more weight. Thanks for this article!
Evelyn
Amanda Rodriguez says
I’m on the ketogenic diet, an ultra low carb diet that teaches your body to burn fat for energy instead of carbs and ketones for brain fuel instead of glucose. There is some evidence that the brain thrives more on ketones, especially with the reverse or halting of several neurological conditions (depression, epileptic seizures, Asperger’s Syndrome, and dementia among them). I noticed when I become “keto-adapted”, I had wild, vivid dreams for weeks. It was as if my brain was reactivating. I’d be curious if they ever do additional studies on that!
Vanessa says
Oh, I had no idea insulin resistance was being damaged with obesity. So, I guess weight really does have a lot to do with polycystic ovary syndrome. I’ve had lots of problems with my weight, and I’ve found that the higher energy levels came from my confidence and optimism, also what I thought were “memory problems” resulted solely from being too focused on my weight – it was distracting my mind from important things, chores etc. Though this might have little to do with insulin because I have never really been obese.
Thanks for writing this!