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| Stress and weight gain go together. |
Sleeping enough and keeping your stress low are good ideas, right? But have nothing to do with reacing your weight loss goals. Wrong! A new study may make you think again! A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity found that being stressed out and sleep deprived may, in fact, prevent you from losing weight.
During the study, 472 obese adults participated in a weight loss program that involved regular exercise, keeping a food journal, counseling sessions, and a healthy diet. At the end of the study, 60% of the participants lost at least 10 lbs. As you might guess, the people who lost weight, followed the diet and exercise programs, kept a food journal, and attended counseling sessions. What you might not guess is that the people who lost weight also got 6-8 hours of sleep each night and kept their stress levels low.
Recent research has found that some people cope with stress by eating, especially eating high fat, sugary foods. Overeating can make people feel good and counter the negative effects of stress. But, overeating also leads to weight gain.
Other studies indicate that when people aren’t getting enough sleep, they eat more calories. These extra calories are a sure way to derail your weight loss efforts! Need more encouragement to get some shut-eye? One study suggests that good, quality sleep may help your body regulate blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and body temperature. One surprising way to get better sleep is to simply turn down the lights before bed.
