Monday, January 26, 2009

Lose Weight, Not Sleep

I wanted to share an eye-opening story with you that could help jump-start your weight loss.

A recent client of mine responded extremely well to hypnosis. Immediately following her first session, her eating habits improved. She began eating smaller amounts of healthier foods... even planning her meals in advance due to her intense travel schedule and the amount of time she spent on the road in hotels.



Week after week we worked together on various aspects of healthy eating and exercise, and each time she reported feeling better and overall, excellent results.

There was just one problem... she wasn't losing any weight.

To her credit, she maintained a positive attitude. After all, she did realize that she was feeling better, and that her choices were completely different than before.

Once in a while, I'll run into a client like this. What I've learned is that there are often other aspects of one's lifestyle that can have an affect.

I asked her about her workload, and she replied that during the past couple months, she was working 14-16 hour days. Furthermore, she was only sleeping 2-5 hours per night.

Having read many articles and scientific studies that demonstrate a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain or obesity, I suggested that she begin sleeping at least 7-8 hours per night. Now, this wasn't easy, but she did it.

One month later, I saw her again. At first, she spoke about how her last week had been a bit more stressful, and that she could have done a bit better with her food choices. Then she calmly mentioned that, during the previous month, she had lost 11 pounds!

Here are just a few recent articles about sleep and weight loss:

Snooze and You'll Lose: Rest Can Be a Secret Weapon
Sleep May Be the Critical Factor for Weight Loss and Health
Sleep Loss Contributes to Weight Gain

Being healthier is about more than just taking in fewer calories. Your body needs nutritious foods, plenty of water, sunshine, fresh air, rest and sleep. Make these key changes in your life and your body will heal itself... in addition to shedding any excess weight.

You've got nothing to lose but... well, you know.

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