SNOOZE YOU LOSE WEIGHT

PUT DOWN THAT POPCORN AND SWITCH OFF THE SCREEN – YOUR NIGHT-TIME ROUTINE COULD BE DERAILING YOUR DIET

You’ve stuck to your diet plan all day, you’ve worked hard and now you’re getting ready for bed. Our first impulse when finally starting to relax is to eat something unhealthy and turn the television on. It’s natural to want to reward ourselves, but it’s this moment that has caused untold diets to fail.

That’s not to say you can’t have fun – there just might be better ways to go about it. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that junk food is a reward for depriving yourself.

Instead, cultivate more constructive evening habits that will make weight loss seem effortless.

1. OPTIMISE YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE

It’s pretty trendy these days to always be on the go and to sleep as little as possible. And this go, go, go culture that pushes unhealthy working hours and the acquisition of more and more stuff could be the cause of your weight gain.

When we are sleep-deprived, the hunger hormone ghrelin rises above normal levels, making it harder for us to control what we eat. Plus, sleep deprivation has also been strongly linked with diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

It goes without saying that getting enough shut eye is crucial. The first step to doing this is to minimise the time we spend looking at screens before bed. Nightly screen time has been linked with lower levels of melatonin, the hormone that alerts the body it is time to sleep. Instead of scrolling through social media or catching up on Netflix, consider reading a book or meditating.

2. EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN

Not to be too rough on Netflix (there are some great shows on there!) but most of the stuff on television doesn’t do too much to stimulate your mind. It’s also common, when getting a little bored of the program you are watching, to reach for the snacks. Studies have shown a link between boredom and a higher calorie intake, which suggests the only way to keep your mind off the cookie jar is to give it a challenge.

Tonight, instead of reaching for the television remote, pick out a book that you like, listen to a podcast, write, or have a bath. Before you know it will be bedtime and you will be feeling good for having done something constructive.

3. SNACK ON HIGH PROTEIN FOODS

If you simply have to eat before going to bed, make sure it is something full of protein. Studies have shown that eating small, protein-rich snacks will help with muscle protein synthesis, which is the process your muscles undergo to grow and recover.

There is also research to suggest that pre-bed protein-rich foods can actually help us get to sleep. For the most benefits, eat foods that are rich in casein protein, which is slow-absorption and will fuel your body throughout the night.

Cottage cheese and casein protein powders are nutritious, relatively inexpensive ways to get your nightly fix.

“WHEN WE ARE SLEEPDEPRIVED, THE HUNGER HORMONE GHRELIN RISES ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS... ”