Sleep Habits Affect Sustainable Weight Loss

Once you accept that nobody really cares about your weight or measurements, the numbers on a scale become meaningless. A healthy attitude will allow you to appreciate how you feel as well as your overall fitness for living the life you want to live. The truth is there is no “one size fits all” solution to permanent healthy weight loss. Nonetheless, it is not healthy to lose weight only to gain it back. While there is not an easy fix to shedding pounds, there are steps you can take to develop a healthier relationship with food. Ultimately, any menu plan is only good for you if it is something you can stick with over time. Your short-term weight loss goals should be simple lifestyle changes that you know you'll be able to maintain. Nonetheless, in the end, it will be worth all the effort.

Losing Weight Is Not a Linear Event

When you cut calories, you may drop weight for the first few weeks or lose no weight at all. Most experts believe that successful weight loss comes down to following simple equations, such as:

• Right Way to Eat - Counting calories is not necessary to lose weight. However, if you eat a lot and do not burn your excess calories, you are going to gain weight. For starters, make healthy food choices and you won't have to worry about counting calories. All you need to do is regulate the size of your portions, and enjoy lots of whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits in your diet.
• Light Exercise - Studies suggest people who opt to lose weight by making changes to their lifestyle should go add a walk, hike, or bike ride to their daily routine. That way, you can lose weight without an expensive gym membership, bulky workout equipment, or a lot of physical strain. Moderate exercise can get the job done. Just be consistent.
• Rely on Your Support Network - If you are influenced positively by the people in your circle, you will have a better chance of meeting your weight loss goals. Like-minded people should hang out together, so spend more time with those who make good food choices to avoid struggling to stay on track.
• Develop Good Sleep Habits - If you don't get enough sleep, then your body doesn't produce the right hormones to help regulate your appetite. That's why people tend to make poor food choices. When you are tired, a lack of chemical messengers is also key in regulating your metabolism. Sleeping well will provide you with more energy every day.
• Track Your Progress - Keeping an honest journal has the advantage of identifying problem areas, such as binge eating on weekends, or socializing with certain negatively-minded people. If you think you can skip this step, you should realize that those who do keep a journal generally lose those extra pounds at twice the rate of those who do not.

If you are dreading the thought of starting another diet, people are discovering long-term weight loss options as opposed to following short term fixes.

Stay Motivated with the Right Attitude

Your attitude is critical for how you see yourself. For example, being overweight does not automatically mean you're unhealthy, just like being thin doesn't mean you're healthy. So, quit dieting, stop binge eating and focus on nourishing your body. Although your ultimate goal maybe to lose weight and look skinny, it will be a lot easier to achieve if you break down goals into smaller, more sustainable pieces that you can control. A positive attitude can change the way you see the whole process. A different attitude on weight loss would be to look at how your body stores fat after you eat certain foods rather than looking at weight gain as merely a matter of how many calories you consume, which does not account for your body's hormonal balance. Establishing the right attitude and staying motivated are two areas where Metabolic Research Center's weight loss program can help.