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Here’s One Big Weight Loss Idea That Has Nothing To Do With Fitness Or Nutrition!

By Tim Chudy

Exercise more. Eat less. Count carbs. Lighter weight, more reps. Heavier weight, less reps. Pre-packaged meals. Count points. You’ve heard it all. You’ve been bombarded by so many different weight loss messages it’s no wonder that as a country, we’re still overweight. But there is one ‘secret’ that most if not all, overlook. And it doesn’t even have to do with fitness or nutrition!

What is that secret?

Sleep. It is essential to our lives and we would not be able to function without it. Recent studies show a strong relationship between sleep deprivation and weight gain. Here are three specific findings: According to a study over 16 years, women who slept five hours or less gained more weight than those sleeping seven hours a day. People who sleep less than six hours a night saw an increase in body mass index versus those who slept seven to eight hours a night. And lastly, but most importantly, people who slept less than eight hours a night had greater increases in body fat. These are all profound findings and give us an obvious reason to increase our sleep when trying to lose weight and get rid of that unwanted body fat.

Our bodies run on a 24 hour cycle. We all have internal clocks that help us operate our lives. In today’s hectic society we run at a frantic pace and often times throw off our internal clocks. This in turn messes with our hormonal regulation among other bodily systems and functions. Our feelings of being full and hungry are thrown off. Many times being tired or fatigued leads us to make poor food choices and causes us to gain weight.

When beginning a weight loss program it is essential that you get proper amounts of sleep. This helps the body recover and rebuild and keeps our clocks on schedule and functioning at optimum levels. What’s worse is when stress is thrown in the mix we eat to relieve it and we can’t sleep because of it. Getting eight hours of sleep every night is optimal. But that is hard to do in our lives today. Here are four steps to help regain control of your own internal clock and help prevent sleep being the reason for weight gain or preventing weight loss.

  1. Make a schedule and stick to it. We’re creatures of habit. Making a regular schedule for eating and sleeping will have a profound effect on your weight loss. Make it a goal to eat 5 -6 times per day and make sleeping seven to eight hours per night a priority.

  2. Don’t use food or drinks to give you needed energy. This only cures the symptom of being tired. Your goal should be to cure the problem. Schedule a power nap for 15 minutes on days you don’t get enough sleep. Relying on sugary foods and drinks will only add weight while giving you a temporary fix on your energy.

  3. Know the difference between mental fatigue and physical fatigue. Mental fatigue is usually related to stress. Acknowledge this and cope with it through exercise, meditation, or something else that makes you happy. This will help return your energy level while not relying on foods and drinks to ‘pick you up’.

Sleep is never addressed by the companies selling you weight loss solutions. (They can’t make money when you sleep!) Getting the proper amounts of sleep is essential when trying to lose weight or body fat. Make it a goal to get eight hours and you’ll be on your way to a successful weight loss and body fat reduction program... well, you’re exercising and eating healthy right?

About the Author:

Tim Chudy, St. Louis' Top Fitness Expert, speaks and writes on a variety of health and fitness topics. He is owner of Fitness Together, a private personal training studio in St. Louis, MO. You can contact him by