You thought that getting a good night’s rest was just to avoid getting those matching bags under your eyes, didn’t you? Well, think again. Research has shown that if you get enough sleep at night, up to eight hours or more (if you need more) it will keep you from gaining weight.
People who do not get enough rest are more prone to gaining weight. So get some rest. You will be less stressed, and also, since you will be awake fewer hours, those are fewer chances to eat anything you shouldn’t. We’ve ALL done it, had something to eat as a pick me up, or reward, when we weren’t even hungry, or we were chewing just to stay awake.
While you’re resting, you’re avoiding stress. Stress is known to increase your chances of gaining weight. Stress releases a steroid called cortisol which depresses your metabolism, thereby encouraging your little soldiers to conserve calories as fat. Avoid stress at all costs, and you will be able to keep your cortisol levels in check, and avoid that stubborn belly fat that seems so hard to get rid of.
As for being awake so many hours, if you must eat, then as we suggested in a previous article on your metabolism, it is best to eat 6 small, sensible meals throughout the day. So for example, if you are allowing yourself 1500 calories a day, each of your main meals could be 400 calories, with 3 100 calorie snacks. Or, 3 meals at 300 calories each, and 3 meals at 200.
Remember that it takes 3,500 calories burned to take off one pound, but if you are watching what you eat and also working with your metabolism to make it run at peak efficiency, you will see your body turn into a lean, mean, fat burning machine.
In the battle of the bulge and the fight against fat, boosting your metabolism is one of the best weapons you can have in your arsenal.
Increasing your metabolism means not starving yourself. It means getting out there and putting on some lean muscle mass, eating small meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar level and it even means avoiding stress and getting a decent night’s sleep.
Getting your internal fire burning will help you lose weight and feel better about yourself, and help you not only lose the weight you want, but keep it off too.
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