13 Things You Should Do Before Bed For Speedy Weight Loss
Aside from regular exercise, watching what you eat, what you drink and more, there are some simple and important things you should note while trying to loose weight. The 13 tips listed below will help you achieve your weight loss goals faster.
Drink a Cup of Tea
Rooibos tea, green tea and other healthy tea should be taken before couple of minutes before bed. Naturally decaffeinated, rooibos tea is made from the leaves of the “red bush” plant, grown exclusively in South Africa. What makes rooibos tea particularly good for your belly is a unique and powerful flavonoid called Aspalathin. Research shows this compound can reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage.
Eat Turkey
Tryptophan, an amino acid found in most meats, has demonstrated powerful sleep-inducing effects. A recent study among insomniacs found that just 1/4 gram—about what you’ll find in a skinless chicken drumstick or three ounces of lean turkey meat—was enough to significantly increase hours of deep sleep. And that can translate into an easy slim-down. Researchers from the University of Colorado found that dieters consumed 6 percent fewer calories when they got enough sleep. For someone on a 2,000-calorie diet, that’s 120 calories per day, which could amount to nearly a one-pound weight loss in a month! The National Sleep Foundation suggests seven to eight hours of sleep for most adults.
Have a Routine
By doing the same thing every night, for at least an hour before bedtime, you’re actually programming sleep triggers. These triggers could include writing in your sleep diary, having a cottage cheese snack or indeed any other items from this list. Over time, your brain will begin to associate those things with bedtime and fast track you into fat-burning slumber.
Try Resistance Training
Pre-sleep resistance training can really help to optimize the weight you loss during sleep. According to a journal published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition, subjects who performed resistance exercises enjoyed a higher resting metabolic rate for an average of 16 hours following their workout. If you usually work out first thing in the morning, your sleepytime weight loss won’t be impacted by that spike in metabolism.
Try Protein Shake
Having a protein shake before bed time may help boost your metabolism, according to one Florida State University study. Researchers found that men who consumed good snacks in the evening that included 30 grams of either whey or casein protein had a higher resting metabolic rate the next morning than when eating nothing. Protein is more thermogenic than carbs or fat, meaning your body burns more calories digesting it
Workout
Working out before bed goes a long way in helping your weight loss goals, even if it is just for a few minutes. According to Combat the Fat author Jeff Anderson, bodyweight exercises target muscle in a unique way due to the effect of fighting gravity. Examples of these exercises include push-ups, pull-ups, dips and bodyweight squats.
Turn on the AC
According to a new study published in the journal Diabetes, turning on the air conditioner or turning down the heat in winter may help us attack belly fat while we sleep. Colder temperatures subtly enhance the effectiveness of our stores of brown fat—fat keeps you warm by helping you burn through the fat stored in your belly. Participants spent a few weeks sleeping in bedrooms with varying temperatures: a neutral 75 degrees, a cool 66 degrees, and a balmy 81 degrees. After four weeks of sleeping at 66 degrees, the subjects had almost doubled their volumes of brown fat.
Shower
A UCLA study of some of the world’s last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes noted that temperature drops were an important sleep cue for our Paleolithic forebears. We no longer sleep under the stars that much, but you but you can recreate a sunset-like temperature drop by taking a hot bath or shower. The dip might make your pound-shedding shuteye deeper and make you fall asleep faster.
Turn off the Light
Most people are not comfortable with the lights ON while they’re about to sleep, light have a way of distracting people for having a good night sleep and this might lead to weight gain. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Study subjects who slept in the darkest rooms were 21 percent less likely to be obese than those sleeping in the lightest rooms.
Eat some Carbs
Totally different from what you’ve seen or heard before, eating some healthy carbs before bed might help your weight loss goals. Seventy-eight obese members of the Israeli Police Force took part in a 6-month randomized clinical trial. The experimental group was prescribed a low-calorie diet (20% protein, 30–35% fat, 45–50% carbohydrates, 1,300–1,500 kcal) that provided carbohydrates mostly at dinner. The control group consumed a similar diet, except that carbohydrate intake was spread throughout the day. After six months, the group eating most of their carbs at night lost slightly more weight and body fat and experienced greater reductions in waist circumference.
Figure out a Convenient Sleeping Posture
Figure out which sleeping posture you find most restorative, then build your bed around it. You can do that by buying the right mattress and pillow to mitigate against any areas of discomfort. If you sleep on your side, putting a pillow between your legs will minimize twisting strain on your lower back, while hip pain can be lessened by using a mattress topper to help soften and contour your body
Keep your gadgets off bed
Research in the Zero Belly Diet suggests that the more electronics we bring into the bedroom, the fatter we get—especially among children. A study in the Pediatric Obesity journal found that kids who bask in the nighttime glow of a TV or computer don’t get enough rest and suffer from poor lifestyle habits. Researchers found that students with access to one electronic device were 1.47 times as likely to be overweight as kids with no devices in the bedroom. That increased to 2.57 times for kids with three devices. Even if you’re a full-grown adult, it’s best to leave your iPad in the living room.
Finally, Eat Small and Frequent Meal
Eating small, nutrient-dense meals frequently throughout the day serves to keep your metabolism
ticking, and will ensure your body continues burning fat throughout the night. Furthermore, eating frequently will ensure your appetite is kept in check, which will reduce any cravings you have when you wake.