INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FITNESS
SPONSORED CONTENT
Improve Your
Sleep & Lose
Weight
By Lisa Troyer
• POWER OFF: Electronics keep the brain busy.
Shut everything down!
esearch that was conducted at the
• LIMIT CAFFEINE/AVOID ALCOHOL: Caffeine
University of Michigan concluded that
after a certain time of day can keep you awake
sleeping an extra hour a night could help
for hours. And alcohol disrupts everything to
you drop 14 pounds in one year. That’s right, no
do with a good night’s sleep.
crazy dieting or caloric limitations – just sleep.
• CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE: This is
And don’t we all love to sleep?
actually #1 for me. Going to bed and waking
The problem is that most of us (1/3 of
up at the same time is optimal for physical and
Americans) are not getting enough of it on a
psychological recovery. If I miss my bedtime
regular basis. Yet experts agree that sleep is as
window, I cannot fall asleep; otherwise I am
important to your health , well-being, and weight
sleeping within 10 minutes.
as diet and exercise.
• EXERCISE: For so many more reasons than
While you aren’t sleeping, your body is
sleep! But a good workout will absolutely help
cooking up a perfect storm for weight gain. After
you fall asleep faster.
a restless night, it’s easy to lean on a large latte to
get moving. Exercise becomes a problem
because you are just too tired to hit the gym in
the early morning hours and way too tired to go
after work. You are also too exhausted to cook a
healthy meal so you rely on takeout. It’s a
snowball effect. Let’s face it, skimping on sleep
sets your brain up to make bad decisions.
Research has told the same story over and
over again. When people were starved of sleep,
late-night snacking increased and high-carb,
high-fat snacks were the food of choice. It’s like
the brain’s reward centers kick in, looking for
something to make you feel good. It makes sense
that if you are sleep-deprived, your body will
crave energy-dense, high-carbohydrate foods,
sugary snacks and comfort foods.
Insufficient sleep impacts your hunger and
fullness hormones. Trust me, there are proven
physiological, psychological and biological facts
that back this up. But the real question here is,
“How can we achieve more quality sleep hours?”
R
This Industry Insight was written
by Lisa Troyer.
Lisa Troyer has been in the
fitness industry for more than 24
years and is the owner of Fitness
Fanatics in the Great Southern
Shopping Center. She currently
holds four nationally recognized
fitness and personal training
certifications and can be reached
at 412.220.4190, ext. 3 or at [email protected]. Check
out www.fitnessfanaticsinc.com for more great fitness tips.
26 724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE | Chartiers Valley
• COOL DOWN: Lower your thermostat before
bed. There is nothing like breathing in cool
air to help you sleep longer and more
soundly.
• AVOID HEAVY MEALS OR EATING AFTER
8:00 P.M.: Is there anything worse than
crawling into bed with a full stomach and
heartburn?
If all else fails, consult with your doctor. Sleep
deprivation is no joke. Sleep debt is cumulative.
There is no such thing as catching up on your
sleep. Improved sleep habits will equate to
feeling better, and when you feel better you will
be better positioned to lose weight.