Why spend hours dieting or at the gym when you could be shedding those pounds while catching some Zzz’s? Although losing weight quickly isn’t realistic, there are various strategies and tactics you can use to increase your body’s fat burning while you sleep. Your body may be resisting the urge to lose weight because of routines such as bedtime, sleep patterns, and phone screens. These are all the methods you can use to increase your body’s ability to lose weight.
1. Sleep more
It seems impossible that sleeping is the fastest route to weight
loss, but a lack of sleep actually causes the body to produce less
fullness hormones, while it produces more ghrelin, a hormone that
promotes hunger. Being tired equals being hungry, so get that rest.
2. Sleep in cooler temperatures
Sleeping in a hot room lowers your ability to metabolize fat. When
you turn down that thermostat (66 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal) you
increase the ability to metabolize fat, and also increase the amount of
calorie-burning fat in your body by a huge 42%. It will also make
insulin sensitivity better, lowering risks of diabetes. Sleep naked to
enhance these benefits!
3. Get curtains
If the street light comes in through your window, you may want to
invest in shades or curtains. After the sun sets, our bodies naturally
produce melatonin, but both indoor lights and dim streetlights can slow
the onset of melatonin being produces in our bodies. Tossing and turning
from light might be what’s stopping you from shedding pounds.
4. Do intermittent fasting at night
This restricted eating schedule keeps your body healthy. It allows
for cell repair, but can feel extreme for those who are used to eating
throughout the day. When fasting, the human growth hormone increase,
allowing muscles to synthesize. Start by creating a no-food window at
night that lasts approximately 12 hours.
5. No phones
Phones and laptop screens emit blue light, which keeps our systems
wide awake, signalling that it’s daytime. Switch your phones to “night
shift” or set a cutoff time for electronic devices. If you don’t, it’ll
increase hunger and resistance to insulin.
6. Drink less alcohol
Those cocktails and beers make your body metabolize alcohol instead
of putting you into valuable REM sleep. Instead, their alcohol sugars
get your liver going, which has to detoxify the liquor and prevents the
body from turning fat into ketones, which destroys the fat-burning
process. Stick with a glass of wine, and definitely hours before
bedtime.
7. Smaller meals
While it’s tempting to wolf down a massive burrito or steaming heap
of mac and cheese right before bed, eating large meals will make your
body work to digest it rather than properly recharging. So avoid big
meals — especially carbs. A big lunch is fine, but try to stick with
plant-based ingredients that are naturally high in fiber.
8. Snack on cottage cheese before bed
We know…we just said to not eat before bed, but this snack is
actually an anti-snack hack! Consuming cottage cheese can actually help
you lose weight because it will allow you to wake up less hungry. The
casein in cottage cheese makes it high in protein, and the amino acid
tryptophan (also found in turkey) can help you fall asleep faster, and
improve sleep quality.
9. Incorporate resistance training
Workouts will help you sleep at night, and can also help you lose
weight more-so than a cardio-only routine. Resistance training boosts
your metabolism and allows for fat-burning to occur hours after. An easy
weight lifting routine will suffice — no need to over-exert yourself.
Follow up with a high protein snack. If weightlifting gives you too much
energy, make sure to do this a few hours before bedtime.
10. Swap milkshakes for casein shakes
While milkshakes are high in sugar and spike blood sugar, a casein
shake made of a vegan protein powder, for example, can boost metabolism
overnight. Protein makes your body burn more calories when digesting it.
You can swap your dessert with this for a belly fat buster many swear
by.
11. Take hot showers at night
If you’re more of a shower-in-the-morning type of person, hear this
argument out. Hot showers relieve achy muscles and tension. They also
increase the production of oxytocin (our ‘love’ hormone) which is
incredibly soothing. The heat from a shower increases your body
temperature but then dips after you towel off, relaxing the whole
system. Baths will do as well!