You Won’t Know What To Wear
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If you’ve shopped at plus-sized or “big and tall” stores for most of your life, it’s understandable if you may feel like a fish out of water in the “skinny stores.” It’s also normal to be unsure of what will best complement your new flat belly and feel overwhelmed by the cost of outfitting your new bod.
If you’ve lost 20 pounds or more, new clothing is a must. But if you’ve lost less than that, a skilled tailor may be able to salvage some of your favorite pieces. In some cases, this can save you tons of cash! If you’re set on buying new duds, head to a smaller store where a sales associate can lead you through the process of updating your wardrobe. If you’re comfortable, tell the associate you’ve just lost weight, and you’re not quite sure where to start. Many associates will be happy to help you. On the flip side, department stores offer less individualized attention.
RELATED: Learn how to fire up your metabolism and lose weight the smart way.
Add Hand Or Ankle Weights To Your Walk
You don’t have to give up your daily walk in favor of strength training workouts simply pick up a pair of 1- to 3-pound dumbbells or strap on a pair of ankle weights to turn your walk into a strength training and cardio session in one. Since strength training is so important to building muscle and burning fat, squeezing a weight into your workouts when you can is a smart way to up your calorie-burning potential all day .
Your Kids Eat Healthier
If you want your kids to eat bananas, you have to eat bananas. The same goes for salad and whole grains. And get this: If your child is overweight, your weight loss may benefit them as well. A University of California study found that for every unit decrease in a parent’s BMI, their children lose one-quarter of theirs. Simply put, a parent’s weight loss has a trickle-down effect on their children.
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Try Your Sleep Switch
Don’t count sheep, eat lamb! Or better yet, a bit of turkey. Tryptophan, an amino acid found in most meats, has demonstrated powerful sleep-inducing effects. A study published in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease among “mild” insomniacs found that just 1/4 gramabout what you’ll find in a skinless chicken drumstick or three ounces of lean turkey meatwas enough to increase hours of deep sleep significantly. And that can translate into easy weight loss.
“Any tryptophan-containing food, which includes nuts, chicken, fish, lentils, and eggs, can help usher in sleepyhead syndrome,” says , coach at Crossfit Spot Barbell in New York. “If you’re the type who can’t sleep on an empty stomach, a healthy source of fat like avocado or nut butter can help stave off hunger, while providing restorative properties,” she adds.
May Help You Make Better Food Choices
Getting a full nights sleep may help you make healthier food choices.
Lack of sleep alters the way your brain works and can affect decision making. This may make it harder to make healthy food choices and resist tempting foods .
In addition, it appears that the reward centers of the brain are more stimulated by food when you are sleep deprived .
For example, one study found that sleep deprived participants had greater reward-related brain responses after viewing images of high calorie foods. Interestingly, they were also more likely to pay more for food than those who had adequate sleep .
Therefore, after a night of poor sleep, not only is that bowl of ice cream more rewarding, but youll likely have a harder time practicing self-control.
Another study showed that sleep deprivation led to increased smell sensitivity to high calorie foods and greater consumption .
Furthermore, lack of sleep may lead to poorer food choices, such as a higher intake of foods high in calories, sugar, and fat, to compensate for feeling a lack of energy .
Summary
Poor sleep can decrease your self-control and decision making abilities, as well as increase your brains reaction to food. Poor sleep has also been linked to an increased intake of foods high in calories, fats, and sugar.
Also Check: Dr Barry Levy Center Sleep Medicine
Take A Protein Intake
If there is one thing you should be doing, it is increasing your protein intake before sleeping. Does it work? Yes, it definitely does. So, dont overlook this. Many people try to go for a protein shake before sleeping to enhance the entire process of weight loss. Experts advise to use a sleeping position to reduce belly fat with this to see a great result.
Sex Will Be More Satisfying
If you thought sex was awesome before, wait until you get it on in your new, leaner bod! In a Duke University Medical Center survey of 1,210 people of varying weights, obese people were 25 times more likely to report dissatisfaction with their time between the sheets than their leaner counterparts. In the study, a mere 10 percent loss of body weight was shown to skyrocket sexual satisfaction. So, even if you’re not quite where you want to be with your physique yet, you can still reap the rewards in the bedroom.
Before hopping into bed, be sure to check out these 20 Foods That Increase Your Sexual Stamina and Sex Drive.
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Sleep Leads To Better Calorie Burn
While you sleep, youre likely to burn somewhere between 50 and 100 calories an hour. According to Walker, When you dream, your brain can be asif not moreactive than when youre awake.
Experts are now learning that getting the right amount of sleep encourages a healthy metabolism, and skimping on sleep throws it out of whack. For example, a 2012 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that when a small group of men and women got only four hours of sleep a night, their bodies became more insulin-resistant, a red flag for obesity and diabetes.
Other research has shown that sleeping in cooler temperatures can stimulate a type of fat called brown fat, which burns more calories and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. In a 2014 study, a group of healthy men spent a month sleeping in a 66° room. After just one chilly month, the men had a 42% increase in brown fat and a 10% increase in metabolic fat activity. Sleeping in a cool room may sound like an easy fix, but its no cakewalk. Simply turning up the AC and wrapping up in a blanket doesnt count. The researchers suspect the act of shivering is one of the primary drivers of the effect, so you have to really feel the chill.
Is It Safe To Sleep On A Full Stomach
While we dont recommend sleeping on an empty stomach, we suggest you avoid sleeping on an overly full stomach as well. Sleeping with a bloated belly can harm your insulin levels, which spikes your blood sugar and can lead to weight gain. While this shouldn’t cause life-threatening consequences, its important to remember that obesity puts you at risk for other dangerous conditions in the long term.
Learn More:Risks of Eating Just Before Bed
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You’ll Be In The Mood
Nope, it’s not just your imagination. As your BMI dips, you’re more easily arousedand it’s all thanks to rising testosterone levels. In one Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism study, heavier men had T-levels comparable to men nearly a full decade older. You may also feel less self-conscious in the nude, which can increase your desire, too.
To maintain your new body, check out these 20 Ways to Lose Weight And Keep It Off Permanently.
The Best Sleeping Position: Back
If back-sleeping is your position of preference, you’re scoring more benefits during shut-eye than you’d think. “Your head is facing straight up and weight is evenly distributed on your spine,” making it the most orthopedically sound position, says Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep. And unlike when your face is buried in a pillow, sleeping on your back allows gravity to pull down on your face and chest, which is beneficial for those suffering from acid reflux. With your head slightly elevated, your stomach sits below your esophagus so acid and food are far less likely to come back up.
But snorers, beware: Lying on your back is NOT the best sleeping position for sleep apnea in fact, it’s the worst sleeping position if you suffer from the condition. “Your throat and belly are being pulled down by gravity, making it harder for you to breathe,” explains Andrew Westwood, assistant professor of clinical neurology at Columbia University Medical Center. “If you get pushed by your bed partner, that snoring goes away.”
Score Better Sleep: Unless you’re a habitual snorer, back-sleeping the best sleeping position someone could choose for optimal health and day-to-day physical comfort.
Also Check: Does Medicare Cover Sleep Apnea Studies
Considerations For Choosing The Right Sleeping Position For You
Choosing the right sleep position depends on a number of factors. These include personal preference, as well as physical and medical factors such as:
- Age
- Snoring
- Pregnancy
It is often challenging to change personal sleeping positions. Once we’re asleep, we may find we revert to what is familiar. The use of pillows and back supports may help keep you in your new position during the night.
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How To Lose Weight: Why Sleep Can Make You Fat
When I was in graduate school I used to receive daily emails from my mom telling me to sleep more. I wont lie: the act became old really fast.
Each email included my moms one-of-a-kind sentiment, and then linked to some study about how a lack of sleep will kill you. Despite my frustration, its easy to look back and see why my mom was so concerned. Back then, my typical day looked as follows:
- 5 a.m.: wake up
- 5-6 a.m.: breakfast and homework
- 6-7 a.m.: gym
- 8 a.m. 4 p.m.: on campus taking classes, teaching classes, holding office hours, doing homework
- 4-6 p.m.: dinner and grading
- 7-11 p.m.: working the sports desk at a newspaper
- 11 p.m. 1a.m.: homework and sleep
It was a breakneck pace and one that didnt leave much time for anything, let alone sleep.
And yet, I found a way to function and performat least mentallyon a high level. Dont ask me how I chalk it up to the fact that the human body has a tremendous ability to adjust and knows when to rise to the occasion.
Only the joke was on me. Surviving on little sleep is not a badge of honor.
All that lost sleep was crushing my body in more ways than I thought. And while I found a way to stay fit while in grad school, it was an exception to the rule.
As I transitioned into my job at Mens Health I maintained my 3 t0 4 hour sleep cycle and started waking up at 4:30 am to eat a huge breakfast , and then start my day.
Weight And Sleep Research
When it comes to weight loss, most people think that diet and exercise are the most important areas to focus on, but a growing body of research is showing there is a sleep/weight connection. Catching the late show or staying up to answer emails might be just as detrimental to your waistline as that extra glass of wine or serving of macaroni and cheese. Heres what the science says:
People who stay up late also have additional time to eat and tend to snack more during those extra waking hours. Plus, sleep deprivation decreases the number of calories you burn each day. When youre tired, you lack the motivation to go to the gym and are more apt to sit on the couch than take a walk.
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The Best Sleeping Position For Your Back Pain
When you sleep, you lose conscious control over your body, and you can end up twisting your spine or tucking your pelvis in. An existing back pain can get further aggravated, resulting in a restless night of sleep.1 Using supported sleeping postures can prevent the concentration of stresses on your spine, keep your back relaxed, and create a healing environment.
As a general rule, avoid sleeping on your stomachit disturbs the normal alignment of your spine.1 Also avoid sleeping on the side that hurts more, especially if you have sciatica and follow these guidelines:
On The Back In A Reclined Chair Or Bed
This might help people with lower back pain, particularly those with isthmic spondylolisthesis, a condition in which one spinal vertebra slips over the vertebra right below.
If a person gets significant relief from resting in a reclined chair, it may be worth investing in an adjustable bed that can be positioned in the same way.
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Can You Lose Weight By Sleeping For Longer
Youre exhausted. So tired you dont know how youre going to get through the rest of the day. You need that energy hit and reach for the foods you know will give it to you carbs, chocolate and a sugary caffeinated drink.
Sound familiar?
Whether its external factors or lifes stresses that keep you tossing and turning all night, when youve not caught many zzzs, its easy to reach for foods you ordinarily avoid.
What happens if this is a frequent occurrence? Will you inevitably always opt for the wrong food and be more likely to gain weight? If you try to lose extra pounds, will you find it harder because your tiredness saps your motivation? And does a good nights sleep mean youll more often than not opt for food packed with nutrients that could aid weight loss? Most importantly, if youre struggling with sleep and sticking to a diet, what can you do to improve both?
We looked into the science and received some advice for sufferers too
How Sleeping Can Help Lose Weight
You will need to make sure youre following a few rules before you think about losing weight. While using the best sleeping position to reduce belly fat may seem like the only thing you will need to do. But that is not all. For the sleeping position to lose weight, you will need to work on other factors as well. These include the following.
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Women Who Sleep Less And Eat Less Still Gain
The researchers looked at exercise habits to determine if they could account, in part, for the findings. But they didn’t discover any differences in exercise levels or physical activity that would explain why the women who slept less weighed more.
Were the women who were getting less sleep also eating more? The answer was no. In fact, the opposite was true.
“Prior studies have shown that after just a few days of sleep restriction, the hormones that control appetite cause people to become hungrier, so we thought that women who slept less might eat more,” Patel says. “But, in fact, they ate less. That suggests that appetite and diet are not accounting for the weight gain in women who sleep less.”
Sleeping On Your Side
If you sleep on your side, youll want to keep your head in neutral posture, with your chin straight ahead.
Tucking your chin down when sleeping in a fetal position on your side produces a painful forward head position, cautions Dr. Bang.
When youre standing with ideal posture looking at the horizon, your ear hole should line up with your shoulders, he says. Try to keep that posture when you sleep.
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Sleeping On Your Stomach
It is also said known as prone position. Prone position means lying horizontally on your stomach while having a pillow under your head.
While sleeping this way the abdominal area tends to get additional pressure from the weight of your body.
This position blocks your abdomen and prevents any excessive fat accumulation. This sleeping position is considered to be quite helpful as it helps in reducing your back pain.
Certain things must be kept in mind with this sleeping position since it can have negative effects:
- Instead of sleeping on your stomach the whole night, try to sleep only 2- 4 hours in a prone position. Since this position pulls your stomach all the way down it can hurt your spine and force your head into an uncomfortable position.
- Try to alternate your regular sleeping position with a prone position.
- Use a properly supportive pillow for your head and neck to prevent any type of back strain. The best pillow for sleeping in a prone position is a firm and thin one as it will keep your head nice and low.
