You wake up in the morning, excited about your big plans for the day – maybe you’re meeting with a friend for lunch, you’re going for a summery walk, or you’ve got a big day ahead at work. But before you know it, that little face has crept up next to you on the bedside nightstand and your day has turned into a night, filled with sleep episodes. Before you know it, the day is over and it’s time to start all over again the next morning. Something has to give, and unfortunately for you, it’s likely to be the pounds. It’s tough enough trying to lose weight while still eating healthy (and sometimes it feels like you’re doing everything wrong), but things get even more difficult when you can’t seem to shed those last few stubborn pounds.
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night, worried that you’ve somehow managed to gain a few pounds, even though you felt you’d been eating healthy all day long? Do you ever get that little voice in the back of your head telling you that you deserve a little pixie-dusted cake because you worked hard all day long, even though you feel like pasta and brown rice are the only foods you should be eating right now? Do you ever feel frustrated about not being able to slim down as quickly as you’d like to, despite trying various (and sometimes costly) fad diets and workout routines?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’re in luck because here are 10 great ways to lose weight while you sleep, so you can have that radiant, beach body when summer rolls around (and beyond!). Whether you’ve got a few pounds to lose or you’re looking to shed several extra pieces of luggage, these tips will help get you there sooner than you know it. Let’s get started.
1. Wake Early In The Morning
Waking early in the morning and having a workout routine helps burn calories and excite your body about getting its workout, so it motivates you to work out even when you don’t feel like it. An easy way to get started is by using an alarm clock to wake up at the same time every day (this helps regulate sleep cycles and patterns, reducing snooze times and promoting productivity). Working out first thing in the morning can also help improve your morning mood and get your day off to a great start.
Even if you feel like you’ve got plenty of time to sleep and work things out in the evening, giving your body a decent chunk of time in the morning will assist it in burning calories and getting your metabolism going. You could also try getting up a little earlier than usual so that you have more time to workout before work starts pouring in. Get the most out of your morning and make the most of those early hours – it’s never too early to start feeling great!
2. Take A Nap Before Going To Bed
It’s amazing how many calories we involuntarily consume while sleeping. Even the healthy foods we eat slowly travel down towards our stomachs while we’re fast asleep, causing our bodies to grow and fuel our dreams. Taking a short break before you go to bed can help you sleep better and feel more energized in the morning, giving you more willpower to battle those extra pounds. You could try taking a stroll around the bed before you head off to sleep, singing songs and talking to yourself (this will engage your brain and assist in maintaining healthy sleeping patterns – even the most restless among us should be able to fall asleep easily with some mindfulness training). A short nap can also give you a quick pick-me-up and encourage you to get more active during the day, burning calories and helping you to slim down. Taking a power nap can even enhance productivity at work – so it pretty much does everything you could want from a midday break!
Napping can also be good for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as it provides a short break from their hyperactivity, allowing them to regulate better. Parents of children with ADHD should be particularly aware of the benefits of napping for their children’s behavior, as it can often be difficult to get them to sleep at night when they are tired, and the energy they expend when awake makes it harder for them to relax and fall asleep. Even better, short midday naps and evening walks can boost their children’s self-esteem and assist them in developing social skills – so it’s not just about getting them to sleep now, it’s about getting them to live their best lives!
3. Eat A Balanced Diet
While it’s always tempting to fall back on those all-time favorite foods that you know your body needs, avoiding food that is overly processed and packed with additives is the best way to shed those unwanted pounds. This is especially important if you’re trying to lose weight, as it’s easy for junk food to stall your metabolism and cause you to gain weight quickly. Avoid eating foods with added sugar, eating too many fatty foods and drinking too much alcohol – these are just a few of the things you should avoid doing if you’re looking to shed a few pounds. Instead of avoiding food groups, focus on eating more vegetables and fruits than you normally would – it’s a great way to help your body in its quest for weight loss! The healthier choice will always be the one that gives you the most pleasure, too, so it’s important to eat what you want, when you want it, but not to stuff yourself with junk food that will sit in your stomach and cause you future health problems. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits will help increase your body’s vitamin intake and supply your cells with antioxidants, preventing the damage that can lead to cells becoming mutated and diseased. Eating lots of vitamin-rich foods can also help increase collagen synthesis in your body, making you look and feel more youthful – a bonus if you’re already there!
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can also assist in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure – both of which can cause or contribute to heart disease. These kinds of diets are often referred to as “heart-healthy,” making it easier for people to understand why they’re recommended by health professionals. If you want to feel your best, it’s important to eat the right foods and avoid those that are bad for your health – even if it means having to cut out some of those all-time favorite foods that your body needs! If you want to follow a heart-healthy diet, it’s essential to get your daily vitamin and mineral intake from food sources rather than supplements, as supplements can contain toxins that are injurious to your health. If you have cholesterol problems, then it’s important to make sure that you’re getting adequate Vitamin C along with your cholesterol-lowering medication. This will assist your body in producing more collagen and staying youthful – rather than waiting for that last piece of strawberry cake that will make you sick, it’s better to eat the strawberries than it is the cake, don’t you think?
4. Increase Your Water Consumption
If you’re already drinking the recommended eight glasses of water each day, pat yourself on the back because you’re doing something right! If you’re not, it’s time to start drinking more fluids – this can assist in shedding those unwanted pounds quickly. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of hydration in weight loss, but getting sufficient hydration is essential to helping your body in its quest for weight loss. Your body needs plenty of hydration to enable it to process foods efficiently, allowing you to burn more calories and to excite your metabolism – so drink at least eight glasses of water each day and you’ll be on your way to weight loss in no time! A healthy fluid intake can also assist in getting your digestive system working well again and keep you regular (too much food consumption disrupts your hydration levels, causing you to become dehydrated).
Too much food consumption can also lead to bloating and water retention – if you feel like there’s a lot of room in your belly, it’s time to stop eating and start drinking! Some people even supplement their drinking with a juice or smoothie fast once or twice a week to help them lose weight – it’s always a good idea to drink plenty of fluids during the day, whether it’s water, juice, or some type of tea or coffee to stay hydrated and minimize any health issues that might arise from excess weight loss. Make sure you drink lots of fluids during the day and you’ll be all set to lose those last few pounds in no time!