It might not fit into your busy schedule, but getting more sleep might be the easiest way to lose weight. A study from the University of Michigan found that an extra hour of sleep could help you lose 14 pounds over the course of a year. Sleeping more can replace idle activities, which often lead to snacking. Plus, getting less than 7 hours of sleep has been shown to increase your appetite.
Hormonal Balance: Lack of sleep disrupts hunger-regulating hormones like ghrelin (which increases appetite) and leptin (which signals fullness). This imbalance can lead to overeating.
2. Craving Control: Sleep deprivation can heighten cravings for high-calorie, sugary foods as your body seeks quick energy.
3. Better Decision-Making: When you’re well-rested, you’re more likely to make healthier choices, from meals to exercise.
4. Metabolism Boost: Quality sleep supports proper metabolic function, making it easier for your body to burn calories efficiently.
5. Stress Reduction: Sleep helps regulate cortisol (the stress hormone), which is linked to fat storage, particularly around the abdomen.
Pro Tip: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night, establish a bedtime routine, and limit screens before bed to maximize your rest and results!
For many people, living a long, healthy life can be attributed to adopting and maintaining healthy behaviors. As an OPTAVIA coach, I can help you successfully transform your habits. At OPTAVIA, we support people along their journeys toward lifelong transformation— making a healthy lifestyle second nature. This journey is guided by fundamental principles known as MacroHabits and microHabits of Health, which are outlined in Chapter 2 of the Habits of Health® book.There are six MacroHabits that serve as the pillars of optimal health and play a vital role in building a healthy lifestyle.Here is an explanation of each MacroHabit, followed by an example of a correlating microHabit you can implement to improve or reinforce these Habits of Health:Healthy weight management. An eating plan specifically designed to move you through a fat-burning stage to recalibration stage in which your metabolism is working at its most efficient. Achieving a healthy weight can give you more energy, lower your risk for certain diseases, and improve the overall quality of your life. Eat a small meal or Fueling every two to three hours.Healthy eating and hydration. A focus on portion control, meal frequency, nutrients, eating a balanced diet, and the importance of water and proper hydration. Healthy eating and hydration are essential to fighting food cravings and coincide with healthy weight management. Drink one additional glass of water each day.*Healthy motion. Formal exercise as well as smaller activities and strategies for moving your body throughout the day. Healthy motion keeps your body flexible and strong and can also impact emotional wellbeing. Take a five-minute walk every day.Healthy sleep and energy management. Proper sleep as well as focus and productivity. Sleep is a critical, and often overlooked, component of Optimal Health. Getting at least seven hours of sleep can rejuvenate your body, reduce food cravings, and improve memory. Drink one less cup of coffee, soda, or other caffeinated beverage after noon.Healthy mind. How you make choices, understand patterns and triggers, and maintain calm and resilient with self-awareness and mindfulness. A healthy mind is just as critical as physical fitness. Maintaining a clear mind and managing stress appropriately are important for your overall health. Write down something you are grateful for in your journal each day.Healthy surroundings. Your environment can impact the success of your other MacroHabits. It’s important to build a support system that motivates you and celebrates your victories along with your journey to optimal health. Share an accomplishment that you’ve achieved, like running a marathon or losing 20 pounds with a friend or loved one to fuel your success.
*Talk with your healthcare provider prior to changing the amount of water you drink as it can affect certain health conditions and medications.
A healthy body looks and feels different for everyone, but it’s important to remember that you own your transformation. Making simple changes to your nutrition, lifestyle, and stress management can help provide you with positive long-term results.
Consider the following tips as you work the Trilogy Wheel into your daily routine:
Eat healthy. The food you eat can influence your mood and energy levels. A healthy diet includes a variety of vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Next time you need to go to the grocery store, try a variety of fresh summer veggies to include in your Lean & Green meals. Send me a message of you would like a recipe book of Lean & Green recipes that you can make at home.
Practice healthy sleep. Sufficient sleep is crucial for anyone working towards optimal health. Staying up late, or sleeping minimal hours each night, will cloud your ability to think clearly and logically.
When you are ready, implementing light exercise into your routine is an excellent way to work towards a healthy body. Take a walk around your neighborhood, opt for the stairs instead of the elevator, or play outside with your kids.
Take time to relax. Even though it is important to get your body moving, it is equally essential to give your body time to relax. Grab a book, light some candles, or take a bath to relax and reflect on your journey.
With the school year coming to an end for the summer, kids will have more free time and parents may hear the dreaded words “I’m bored”.
However, it is important to follow the guidelines that are in Element 12 of Your LifeBook. In this element, Co-founder and independent OPTAVIA Coach, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen, addresses why limiting specific fruits and slowly introducing an exercise routine during this initial phase of your journey is important:
Fruit Most fruits have a relatively high glycemic index and deliver a high carbohydrate load, which can take you out of a fat-burning state, but this is just for the initial portion of your journey! Fruit will be reintroduced after the weight-loss phase to help you maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise During the first 2-3 weeks on Plan, your body enters a gentle fat-burning state.As it switches fuel sources, using fat as its primary energy source, you may incorporate mild to moderate exercise as your body adjusts. Over the following few weeks, you can add more activity to increase your healthy motion.
In addition to the points above, use this checklist as you work towards reaching a healthy weight:
Utilize Your LifeBook.Your LifeBook is filled with critical information intended to support your transformation and to help you to be successful! Utilize the tracking sheets and exercises to track your progress to optimal health.
Eat every two to three hours. Eating every two to three hours allows carbohydrates and protein to be spaced evenly throughout the day. Your body can better regulate blood sugar levels and support weight loss when you maintain a regular meal schedule. Plan your five Fuelings and Lean & Green Meal for the next day in advance, making it easier to adhere to a schedule. Check the OPTAVIA App for plan approved recipes to make in advance.
Get plenty of rest. During the first few days of fat burn, you may feel slightly tired as your body adjusts. Make sure you practice healthy sleeping habits such as getting at least eight hours of sleep in a comfortable environment, without electronics or other distractors like television.
Drink water. We recommend drinking at least 64 oz. of water each day to stay hydrated. Opting for water instead of other beverages reduces calorie and sugar intake.
Connect with me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, to discuss how we can partner to define eating strategies that will lead you to a life of optimal health and wellbeing.
*Consult with your healthcare provider prior to changing the amount of water you drink as it can affect certain health conditions and medications.
Have you ever been in a situation when you look in the mirror and see progress, but the number is always the same when you step on the scale? This is one of the reasons that we celebrate Non-Scale Victories (NSV) even more than we celebrate the numbers on the scale! There are times that the scale is “stuck,” but your body continues to progress. Your belt or favorite pair of jeans can tell you if you are moving in the right direction or not, but to accurately measure your progress, you should take body measurements once a month.
Why is it important to take body measurements for weight loss?
If you decided to start losing weight, the hardest part is already behind you. While time passes by, the results you will achieve will encourage you to continue and be consistent at losing weight. That’s why it’s crucial to track your progress, which will help you to stay focused on a healthy lifestyle. Tracking your progress is essential for knowing how your health plan is working for you. If results don’t show after a reasonable amount of time, you may need to reach out to your coach to see if you are perhaps doing something wrong. It would help if you took pictures before starting a health program and after some time. When you see what you achieved, that picture might motivate you, and then it will be harder for you to give up. Taking these photos will allow you to track your progress better, and if you think you can’t see the results, you can always show your friends and family, and ask them for an opinion.
What are body measurements?
Body measurements measure different body parts, such as arms, waist, neck, or hips. You can use a metric system or inches when measuring your body, whatever you find easier. A tailor can probably take your measurements easily with a soft tape, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t do that by yourself at home. If you need an easy way to take measurements by yourself, this measuring tape is genius!
How to take body measurements for weight loss?
Primarily, you need to know which body parts to measure. The most common places to take measurements on your body are:
Arms
Legs
Hips
Waist
To get precise results, you have to place the tape in the right places. Read the following instructions on how to measure different parts of the body. Also, make sure that the tape is right against your skin, and it would be great if you measured yourself in front of a mirror.
Arms
If you measure your arms, put your arm horizontal, then flex and place your tape on the widest point of your biceps.
Legs
You have to stand up, place the top of the tape on the inner thigh, then wrap the rest of the tape around your thigh at its widest point.
Hips
Stand up, place your feet together because when your feet are separated, you can get more extensive measurements. Put the tape on the widest point of your hips.
Waist
You have to stand up, find the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips, and place the tape somewhere in between.
Track and compare your results every month. You will be able to see a change even if the number on the scale is the same.
How would you characterize your bedroom? Is it comfy and cozy, relaxing, soothing and inviting? Is it a warm cocoon, a haven of rest, a sanctuary, a place where you look forward to entering after a long day?
Or is it a glorified storage closet with a bed. Is it so chaotic that you keep the door closed so you don’t have to think about it until you have to navigate the piles of laundry to find a place to lay down at night. Do you spring out of bed in the morning, not because you feel rested and ready to meet the day, but because you can’t wait to get the heck out of there?
Or maybe it is somewhere in between these two?
Here are some things to think about when trying to create a comfortable sleep-inducing cocoon. (These are taken from page 410 in Dr. A’s Habits of Health Book.)
1) Choose a color for your room that is soothing. Pastels or rich, warm dark colors work well.
2) Choose appropriate lighting. Avoid fluorescent lights. Buy light bulbs that do not have blue light in them. Candle light is lovely but make sure you blow it out before you go to sleep.
3) Make sure the room is completely dark. Use room darkening shades that keep all outside sources from coming in.
4) Make your bedroom an electronic device free zone. Relocate the TV, computer, and leave your phone in another room. Cover the glowing clocks and use blue light free night lights.
5) Make it smell nice. Try different soothing aromatic scents in a diffuser or on a handkerchief slipped into your pillow case.
6) Make it as quiet as possible. Use a white noise or natural sound machine to create a relaxing soundscape and to mask outside noises.
7) Choose the right Goldilocks inspired mattress, pillows and bedding, not too hard, not too soft, but just right for you.
8) Keep the temperature below 68 degrees. Avoid electric blankets or blankets that raise your core body temperature and make you sweat.
9) Wear comfortable light clothes to sleep in.
10) Declutter your space so you can relax.
Which of these ideas can you start using right away to help transform or improve your sleeping area so it becomes a sleep inducing cocoon?
