Scare Yourself Skinny - Sort Of
As the holidays creep up on us like a vampire in the night, we may be getting a sense of dread. No, not from the monsters that lurk in the night but the pounds we begin to pack on as Halloween candy fills our bowls, Thanksgiving pies are baked and holiday candies are made – all the while being trapped indoors, attempting to stay clear of the cold fall and winter air. This year, however, you don’t have to worry because we have another diet that you can use and this time it’s easier than only eating potatoes or avoiding carbs; you just have to watch horror movies... well, that what they wanted us to believe.
Snopes.com has scoured through the medical literature and has published an article about the true and the false claims about how watching horror movies can make you skinny.
What’s true?
Horror movies can increase the heart rate and therefore burn more calories.
What’s false?
Well apparently this study was never supposed to be taken seriously. It was a small study of ten
people and it has never been peer-reviewed, a critical step in determining what is true and what is hasn’t been accepted as scientific fact. Also the heart rate was measured in real time and weight-loss was never measured. Also According to Snopes, “the number of calories allegedly burned while viewing horror films simply isn't that large or impressive.” So what do they suggest? “[T]here have been no follow-up studies replicating its findings, and people who wish to lose weight are probably better advised to get some exercise.”
Well at least, we can still do a zombie run.
