Plan Your Diet

When I first heard about sleep’s effects on weight control, I thought, “Ah! Now it makes sense!” The “it” I was thinking of was the fact that so many of us gain weight after high school. Though we feel busier than ever with school, work, and family commitments, our metabolism and the positive effects from exercise seem to slow down.

Of course, there’s plenty of other reasons why we gain weight. One sad fact is that most of us do not keep up the level of physical activity we had while in school. We have different responsibilities once we’re adults and it seems like something has to give; oftentimes, that’s exercise and/or healthy eating.

As we get older and perhaps add a spouse and/or children to our lives, we have even less time. That’s where most people start to cut back on sleep. Staying up too late, getting up too early, always feeling tired and in need of caffeine or some sort of boost… it’s just a bad cycle to get into.

So when I heard that sleep, or rather lack of sleep, could be contributing to our nation’s obesity epidemic, it just made sense. I wasn’t sure how exactly, but there definitely seemed to be a natural connection in my mind.

As it turns out, those people who get less than four hours of sleep per night are 70% more likely to be obese than people who get seven to nine hours. This is a really good thing to keep in mind for anyone trying to get in shape or stay in shape! Get your sleep! Since we all want more sleep anyway, isn’t it nice to have a really good reason to get it?

A few years back, a documentary was made called “Supersize Me”, in which the documentary-maker dined on nothing but McDonald’s for something like 30 days. It got a lot of press attention because, well, it was pretty horrifying.

Everyone I know who watched it swore off fast food altogether… for at least a couple days. Seriously, the stuff is dangerously addicting.

At any rate, it really called attention to the fact that America’s super portions of food are getting out of control. Not just food, but drink, too! Just how big is a Super Big Gulp, anyway?

It’s time to get re-familiarized with proper portions of food. It may take awhile to feel comfortable with these portions as your stomach and body readjust, but you will both (you and your body) be thankful for it in the end.

Let’s start with meat. A good portion of meat is about 3 or 4 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards. You can also buy a small kitchen scale and start weighing everything and measuring according to serving size. Over time, you’ll be able to eyeball how much of something you can eat, fairly accurately.

It’s also a great idea to look at your plates. As our food portion sizes have grown larger, so have our plates and bowls! Start serving foods on smaller plates or even pitch (as in donate or sell) the old dishware and buy smaller versions.

The popularity of bottled water is nothing new. That craze has been growing for years. But in the last couple of years, with more attention being paid to environmental conservation and the development of programs like the “Tap Project”, bottled water companies are finding their staying power to be in jeopardy.

There’s also been the growing popularity of so-called “Energy Drinks” that has taken some attention away from bottled waters. So, in order to stay relevant in the marketplace, some companies have been trying to diversify their product line.

By now you’ve probably seen some of the new versions of water—Vitamin Water, Smart Water, Fruit2o, and one called Aqua Mantra (“Infused with positive energies and powerful mantras”, per the Aqua Mantra website. I’m sorry but what?!)

The truth of the matter is that plain ole water is usually enough. From the tap or filtered. In fact, tap or filtered water (not bottled) is even preferred for toddlers and kids who need the fluoride that is included in city water supplies.

As for adults who think they need the extra vitamins or something stronger to help them recover or sustain a workout? Probably not. Olympic-level athletes, marathoners, Iron Man competitors, etc. - they might need the extra boost. But for the rest of us, the extra sugar added to things like Vitamin Water is completely unnecessary and just adds to your daily calorie count.

If you need a drink that’s refreshing and will quench your thirst, just stick to basic water. It’s better for you and it’s better for the environment.