Admittedly, it’s pretty easy to scroll past this headline. Every day, we read about new fad diets or crazy, trendy fitness routines that celebrities and their nutritionists “swear by.” And often, the tips are either totally impossible to recreate or just straight-up false.
But not this time.
Columbia University alum and famed celebrity nutritionist Dana James (who works with stars like Margot Robbie) recently talked to MindBodyGreen and spilled a surprising tip that actually helps people lose weight: talking. That’s right—the reason you can’t shed those last five pounds might be due to your suppressed emotions and not your diet or workout routine, James says.
Source: InstagramMORE: How to Productively Channel Your Emotions at Work
According to James, weight loss is “not just food and exercise,” and when her clients experience unexpected weight gain, she asks, “‘Is there anything you’re not expressing?'” She says letting out your emotions on paper or to a trusted friend is an often-ignored weight-loss technique because emotions can’t be measured on a scale or with a tool.
Source: InstagramJames further explained that this theory is actually backed by science. She specifically referenced a study showing that 75 percent of overweight people awaiting gastric band treatment experienced childhood trauma in one way or another.
Luckily for us, talking is a pretty easy way to shake off some weight. So text your long-distance BFF and schedule a vent sesh. Turns it’ll be good for you both—in more ways than one!