Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Are you battling sleep deprivation? Some of the symptoms you may feel are sluggishness, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness, poor memory and may be gaining weight or have trouble losing weight.  I've struggled with these issues for several years.  It got so bad that I finally and reluctantly had my medical doctor refer me a few years ago to a sleep specialist.  They wired me up and I tossed and turned the night while they diagnosed my condition.  Turns out I had sleep apnea.  My wife already knew how much of a problem it was when I'd stop breathing in my sleep, only to take a huge gulp of air and a lot of snoring.  It was as much of a health issue for me as it was to her sleep patterns.  The specialist said I would need a CPAP machine to help keep my restricted airway open while sleeping.  My medical doctor said the machine would help, or I could lose weight and that my condition would likely improve and correct itself. 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), over 25 percent of Americans experience sleep deprivation. For some, disrupted sleep results from the hectic nature of busy modern lifestyles. For others, serious sleep disorders affect both rest and health.  Sleep plays a vital role in health and wellness.  Most people know that eight hours of sleep per night is desirable. 
 
People who got very little sleep ate more, but did not necessarily burn any extra calories in a new study that adds to evidence supporting a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain.  The new findings from the University of Pennsylvania show that “sleep should be a priority,” said Michael Grandner, who studies sleep and sleep disorders at the University in Philadelphia.  “If you’re trying to be healthy, don’t forget that getting healthy sleep is probably an extremely important part of being healthy,” said Grandner.   

In a separate study, the department of Neurology at Northwestern University in Chicago linked obesity to sleep duration.  The study also found that people who sleep later into the day and eat later in the day had a higher body mass index.   What they found was that late sleepers consumed 248 more calories a day, mainly at dinner and later in the evening. They ate half as many fruits and vegetables, twice the fast food and drank more full-calorie sodas than those with earlier sleep times.  "The extra daily calories can mean a significant amount of weight gain - two pounds per month - if they are not balanced by more physical activity," said co-lead author Kelly Glazer Baron, a health psychologist and a neurology instructor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.  “The research findings could be relevant to people who are not very successful in losing weight,” said Phyllis Zee, M.D., the study’s lead author. "The study suggests regulating the timing of eating and sleep could improve the effectiveness of weight management programs."



As a youngster, and even into adulthood, I have pulled many an all-nighter.   There is always a price to be paid the next day: trouble focusing, a fuzzy memory and other cognitive impairments.  When I improved my diet and lifestyle to healthy eating and started exercising, the sleep apnea began to minimize and eventually virtually eliminated.  I now get a sound nights sleep, as does my wife.  I'm able to function at what I feel is a much higher level of cognition.  I think clearer, have more energy and vitality, feel stronger and don't get the sleepiness or feel sluggish.  I no longer feel fatigued and my weight is now ideal!   Sleep deprivation leads into a cycle that seems to spiral out of control, if we choose to let it.  I took back the control through proper nutrition and exercise and my sleep deprivation was reversed.

Is sleep deprivation holding you back in life?  Nearly everyone knows that good nutrition and regular exercise are key ingredients to a healthy, happy life. However, nutrition and exercise are not the only foundational elements of well-being. Without healthy sleep, my overall health was utterly compromised. Fast forward from three years ago, and thus, nutrition, exercise and sleep became a key factor in the success of my well being.   It is absolutely imperative to be educated and understand the importance of these three foundations.  I am a testament to its impact on my life.  I hope my blog post today will help empower you to live life to its fullest. 

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

The Persistence Fitness Puzzle

When is the last time you achieved something worthwhile, something great, something amazing without being persistent at it?  You  need persistence to achieve your goals whether they are fitness related such as losing weight, building muscle or developing strength through resistance exercises, or a completely new direction in life.  The path to success is a journey of many steps and this quality of persistence is required not just in weight loss but in anything in life were progress is not easily attained or consistent.

Do you possess persistence, and if not, can you develop it?  Persistence is only needed when you either doubt what you are doing will bring success or are too impatient to wait for the results.  Persistence is not needed when you can see the results of your work on a regular basis, because that is usually enough of a motivation to keep going.  It is when what you are doing slows down or shows no noticeable progress that the persistence to stick with the task is required.  I'm at the stage now in my fitness progression where it's slowing down and I know that I need to persevere. 

I believe we all have the potential to persevere when the going gets tough. Dig deep within you, it's there! Armed with correct knowledge, we can be assured that the steps we are taking will result in success down the road, sooner for some and later for others.  Sometimes you must descend into the valley before you can climb the mountain.   Those who have shown by their example that results are achievable even in the face of struggle, give us reason to persevere.  Many individuals have taken steps backwards or had setbacks for one reason or another, but with persistence they never give up and keep pushing play.   Knowing beforehand that there were challenges that came up for others, should give you the strength and the mindset to not give up when it happens to you.

When you commit to something, naturally you want to see the results of the hard work you put in.  For some people the results come in the first 90 days, for some in 180 days, and for others 1 or more years.  As you persist in the actions you're taking to achieve your goals, don't become impatient if it doesn't happen right away.  Keep pushing play.  Persistence is vital to fulfill many ambitions and goals in life.  Follow what is correct then it pays off to stick with it as long as possible, even if the results are not as quick as you had hoped.

In the following video, P90X creator Tony Horton shares his insight into how to stay in the game day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. 



To get amazing results, you need to have amazing persistence and determination.  Many fail to succeed because they lacked the persistence to continue when results were not as forthcoming as their expectations.

To highlight what Tony suggested, look past the three months.  How do you do that? What are the key aspects to how that happens?

• Simplify.  Push play and eat right.  It's not always done everyday and it can't be perfect everyday.
  
• Don't be attached to results.  Stay encouraged.  In the beginning I counted calories to help me stay focused.  I no longer do and like Tony, I just eat the right portion size of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.  Follow the 90/10 plan, eat 90% of the time healthy and leave 10% for occasions when you're not so strict on yourself.
  
• Be in the moment and enjoy it.  Don't worry about the past, it's history and the future's a mystery.  The most important thing is to show up 5-6 days a week.  Figure out why you're doing this.  If I exercise today I will feel good, be healthier, be more fit and the quality of my life will improve.  

So when you start to hear those niggly little excuses wiggling their way into your mindset, stop them in their tracks before they gain a foot hold.  When you hear an excuse like "I'm too busy" have a counter offensive:

1.  This is important enough to me that I can find the time.
2.  If I’m so busy then this can fit right in.
3. I can stop being merely busy and start being truly effective with my time.

Start by giving yourself reasons to do something instead of giving up.  If you feel you have limitations, and we all do, then all the more reason to persist in spite of them!  A kite never flew high up in the sky without the limitation of wind and the kite line.  These forces of opposition in our life are what help us to reach new heights and grow. 



If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!

No Nonsense Foods

Changing how we eat changes everything! The dietary changes I made in the last several months made a huge impact on my health and quality of life. But this change didn't just happen all on its own. No one handed it to me on a silver platter. No amount of praying or pleading brought any miracle. I had to make a conscious effort and become more informed about food choices. If you fail to plan, then plan on failing.

Almost immediately when I began to make smart healthy choices did my obese body start to respond. What were some of the side effects of no nonsense foods? For starters, I began to shed excess weight. In the first 4 weeks of my plan I reduced 17 pounds of excess fat! In the past 4 and half months 57 pounds of excess fat have been lost!  When you eat more fruit and vegetables in their natural whole state, another side effect manifests itself. I began to experience improved digestion and daily elimination. I won't bore you with the gory details, but suffice it to say that it feels great to live each day without stomach pain, without cramping guts and sitting on the throne waiting, pushing, grunting and cursing.

Within a matter of weeks my body started to have increased energy and stamina. No longer pained by the with drawl symptoms of caffeine and sugar, proper nutrition was now giving me a boost. The usual afternoon sleepiness and lack of energy was virtually gone from my daily routine and replaced with achy and sore muscles I didn't even know I had! It even hurt to sit on the toilet my butt cheeks were so sore! I just knew my body was changing for the better. One of my favorite sayings from Tony Horton, the creator of the P90X training program, is "I hate it, but I love it." Wow can I relate to that! I struggled, but I kept pushing play. The no nonsense foods are such a critical part of the plan that I cannot emphasize strongly enough how committed you need to be in order to maximize your investment in yourself.

There are other benefits that I continue to experience, like a sound sleep. I had been diagnosed two years earlier with sleep apnea. My wife didn't get a good nights rest either due to my horrendous snoring. The doctors monitored my sleep patterns by hooking me up to a couple dozen wires. We tested my lung capacities and did a whole bunch of tests. I was told that I could sleep better if I had a special breathing machine called a C-PAP continuous positive airway pressure). I put it off and tried to ignore the issue. I had such excessive daytime sleepiness that I could literally fall asleep within minutes if given the chance. You could say I was a very irritable person to live with. No nonsense foods combined with my daily P90X training quickly began to reverse this disorder. Proper rest and sleep is critical to your health. The old adage early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, rings true. I still like to sleep in from time to time.

Another amazing side effect of no nonsense food is how you will start to look and feel  much younger!  If you're looking for the fountain of youth, it really does exist, and it exists in proper eating and exercise.  What and how we eat has such an impact on our quality of life and improving our appearance.  I don't want to live with daily pain, discomfort and unhappiness.  It doesn't have to be that way for anyone.  If you're overweight, you may feel many symptoms.  Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about.

• snoring
• headaches
• unrefreshing sleep
• a dry mouth upon awakening
• high blood pressure
• irritability
• depression
• difficulty concentrating
• heartburn
• reduced libido
• insomnia
• frequent nighttime urination 
• restless sleep

When I learned about healthy choices and decided to act on the information by committing myself to doing what needed to be done, only then did I begin to see positive changes.   This isn't a short term plan.  What I'm driving at is a long lasting lifestyle that works with my individual needs and tastes.  When I fuel my body with nutritious no nonsense foods, I reduce or eliminate what holds me back from looking, feeling and functioning at how nature intended my body to work.

Over the course of the last several months I have learned a few lessons along the way.  In future posts I'll address things like how I planned and prepared meals.  When you go grocery shopping, there's a healthy way.  Understanding food labels goes a long ways in making good choices.  When you're educated on food facts, it's much easier to dispel the myths, so I'll try to share and pass along tips and advice that's helped me and will help you too.  When you discover the truth about something, you'll be amazed at how it can truly set you free!  I guarantee you'll lose weight, you'll reshape your body and gain greater health.  

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!