Making The Connection Between Sleep And Weight Loss

The connection between sleep and weight loss may seem far fetched until you realize that lack of sleep slows your metabolism and at the same time increases your appetite. Inadequate sleep lowers the levels of leptin, the hormone that tells you you're full, and increases the levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry (Yes, you know what I mean - those late night refrigerator visits).

Lack of sleep also lowers the level of human growth hormone (HGH). Lack of HGH makes it harder to build and maintain muscle mass. And as we all know, muscle is one of the best ways to burn fat. So the lack of HGH means less muscle and more weight gain. So get your rest!

Tips for getting a good nights rest:

Avoid before bed snacks, especially sugar.

No TV right before bed.

Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees.

Eat a high protein snack two hours before bed.

Avoid caffeine and other stimulants within a few hours of bed.

Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed.

Keep a regular bed time.

Get daily exercise

Healthy Foods Feed a Healthy Sex Life

A healthy sex life requires a little help, which means a balanced and nutrient rich diet combined with moderate exercise, a positive attitude and plenty of rest.

Like many aspect of health, our sex drive is affected by what we put into our bodies.

For example, fried and overly processed food along with too much saturated fat decreases your zest and vitality, leaving you feeling sluggish and inert.

Eliminate foods that don't agree with you. It is common for those with adrenal fatigue to have food allergies or intolerances to "white" flour or any foods that are rated high on the glycemic index. Adrenal fatigue can definitely affect your sex life.

Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and rich anti-oxidant foods all boost your sexual vitality "naturally." Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body and build up the immune system.

Go for a variety of kinds and colors of produce, to give your body the mix of nutrients it needs for sexual harmony, vitality and balance. Best picks are dark leafy greens, cooked tomatoes, and anything that's a rich yellow, orange or red color.

The presence of vitamins and other chemicals found in these vegetables supply the body with nutrients necessary to boost your energy production and sexual libido.

Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables with those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to feel more confident in their body and thus feel sexier!

A lifestyle that supports healthy nutrition will also support a healthy love life.

Be Yourself

No one likes to hear the words, "I don't like you." Some people will do almost anything to be liked, even at the expense of their own happiness, values, beliefs and standards.

Some people's overwhelming need to be liked is the very thing that makes them hard to like. In fact, for many people, the need to be liked is actually a significant barrier to personal and professional growth.

Not everyone is going to like you, and that's OK. While it's normal to want to be needed, liked, loved and important to others, it's also crucial to GET CLEAR about WHO YOU ARE and what you stand for, and to live a life CONSISTENT with those VALUES.

When it comes to this issue, you might want to ask yourself these questions:

Do I speak the truth (while exercising care, wisdom and understanding even if it's not popular to do so?)

Do I live a life which is consistent with my core values?

Do I operate with integrity?

Do I believe that my motives are good?

Is it my goal to be a positive influence in the lives of others?

Am I happy to disagree with people I like?

Do I like me?

Food Triggers

Changing your eating habits requires you to be totally aware of possible food triggers. Begin by understanding the situations and emotional triggers that can potentially lead to overeating. It's a good idea to be aware of behaviors that may have led to your current weight and health situation, such as emotional triggers, guilt based eating, and stress snacking as shown below..

Every time you eat just pay attention if any of these triggers are activated in you.

Are you compelled to eat as an emotional response to your thoughts and feelings?

If you eat when you're upset, frustrated, angry, lonely, or tired, the answer most likely is Yes. Food feels like the perfect temporary solution - that is, until it is finished, and then guilt sets in because the food choice may not have been healthy. Try to choose other behaviors as an emotional response, such as taking a walk or calling a friend.

Do you eat when you are not hungry because you think you should?

Sometimes the time of day is enough encouragement to eat a meal or a quick snack, despite a lack of actual physical hunger. Instead, learn to listen to your body. If you are not hungry, you shouldn't eat.

Do you feel guilty leaving food on your plate?

Perhaps when you were a child, you were told to finish all of the food on your plate. This sense of guilt should no longer gauge how much food you should eat. It is acceptable to stop eating when you feel full.

Do you make food choices because of peer pressure?

It is far easier to go with the flow when those around you are eating unhealthy foods. It takes a lot of self-control and determination to follow your weight loss plan at social gatherings, especially with friends and family. Stay strong, stay with your plan!

Do you eat out of boredom?

Food can become a time-filler when you are bored. Don't fall into this trap! Try to motivate yourself and choose a fun and interesting activity as an alternative to snacking. If you are otherwise occupied with an activity where food is not involved, it will be easier to wait for our regularly scheduled meal.

LAUGHTER IS HEALING

Laughing is a good emotional and physical release from stress. A good laugh exercises the stomach muscles and diaphragm - It relaxes the shoulders and it's good for your heart too!

We probably all need to laugh at ourselves more often - many of us take ourselves far too seriously!

Laughter distracts us from any problems or worries we may have. Of course it won't make problems go away - but it can give us a healthier attitude towards them and can divert our focus from them.

When we laugh, we can transform our negative emotions - such as from anger, frustration or worry into a happier frame of mind. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict.

Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hopes, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert.

Laughter makes you feel good. And the good feeling that you get when you laugh remains with you even after the laughter subsides. Humor helps you keep a positive, optimistic outlook through difficult situations, disappointments, and loss.

More than just a respite from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope. Even in the most difficult of times, a laugh-or even simply a smile-can go a long way toward making you feel better. And laughter really is contagious-just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in on the fun.

Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Infants begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.

Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter, as you might with working out, and build from there. Eventually, you'll want to incorporate humor and laughter into the fabric of your life, finding it naturally in everything you do.

The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable-it also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives find that it renews them and all of their relationships.