Practically everyone in America has struggled with their weight at some point in their lives before. This is why there is such a wide range of different diets, dietary supplements, and such a large, competitive market for workout equipment. Because there is so much information about diets that can be accessed online, it can be difficult to figure out which information is suitable for you or not. So here are 8 facts about diets that will keep you up at night.
1. Eating right before bed promotes weight gain and worsens your sleep.
Practically everyone knows that eating right before bed is unhealthy for you, but somehow our cravings force us to do it. But calories consumed right before bed can increase your risk of gaining weight and even your risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, since eating late at night increases your blood sugar levels.
Not only this, but consuming food right before you go to sleep increases your body’s chances of storing the calories in that food, rather than using them for energy. Additionally, your food may be processed differently at varying times throughout the day, depending on your body’s temperature, reaction to chemicals, physical activity, and food digestion.
2. Your diet won’t work if you don’t get enough sleep.
Sleep deprivation can have negative effects on your diet because it promotes weight gain and causes changes to the hormones that are likely associated with weight regulation. When you deprive your body of sleep, your body changes its reactions to the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which are responsible for regulating your hunger and appetite. Leptin suppresses your appetite and encourages your body to burn calories, and ghrelin encourages your body to feel hungry. When you’re deprived of sleep, your body reduces leptin and increase ghrelin, which essentially promotes more eating and weight gain.
Not only this, but sleep deprivation also increases your craving for fatty and sugary foods. And it also promotes eating more the next day, since you’re tired and will most likely try to gain energy through foods instead of sleep.
3. Not all diets work for every body type.
Practically every diet that is advertised on television, on the internet, and through social media claims that their diet works for everyone. This can be difficult to judge because depending on the diet, different types of diets can pose varying effects on other body types. Given this, it is generally assumed that regardless of your body type, eating healthy and engaging in exercise has the ability to at least promote the health of your body.
4. Not consuming enough calories can actually harm your body.
Your body requires that you consume a certain amount of calories in order to function properly and at a healthy rate. Because of this, if you don’t consume enough calories in your diet, then you are essentially depriving your body of essential energy that it needs in order to function. Not only does your body require energy to remain active throughout the day, but it also requires energy in order for its organs to remain in working order.
5. Every healthy diet requires foods from all food groups.
A large amount of the diets advertised today argue that their diet is the best because they don’t require you to consume fatty acids or they cut our carbs, etc. Healthy diets do not restrict certain food groups because all of the food groups are essential for your body to remain in a healthy standpoint. Each of the food groups provides your body with its essential vitamins and minerals that it needs to function properly. So any diets that restrict or remove a certain food group from their meal plan is highly unhealthy, and can even pose harmful effects to your body.
6. The foods you consume can negatively affect how you sleep.
Not only can the amount of sleep you get negatively affected your diet, but your diet can also negatively affect the amount and type of sleep that you get. More specifically, you should refrain from eating any high fat foods or anything that contains a large amount of protein in it before bed, since they’re hard to digest and promote brain activity. In addition to this, you’re advised to refrain from consuming spicy foods before bed because it can lead to heartburn and also promotes digestion, which is capable of keeping your body awake.
Furthermore, you’re also advised to not consume caffeine or alcohol before bed. Caffeine can be found in foods and drinks that you aren’t aware of, like chocolate, tea, and even cola. In addition to this, some medications also contain caffeine, so you’re advised to be aware of what medicine you take before bed. Alcohol has the ability to make you fall asleep sooner than other beverages, but the type of sleep that you’ll likely receive is not the sleep that you want, since consuming alcohol leads to headaches, night sweats, and even nightmares.
7. There are also some foods that can promote good sleeping patterns.
You can increase your chances of receiving a good night’s rest if you consume foods high in tryptophan before sleep. For instance, you’re advised to consume any foods high in dairy before bed because it has the ability to calm your body down for a rest. Foods like nuts, seeds, honey, eggs, bananas, and even warm milk before bed can boost the amount of rest you’ll receive. In addition to this, you can eat small amounts of carbs to boost your sleeping patterns, like a small bowl of cereal, cheese, or crackers.
8. Diets work best when you’ve done a cleanse before.
Since all diets involve the consumption of foods that are good for your body, you should rid your body of any harmful toxins prior to starting the diet. More specifically, for those struggling to lose weight after the holidays or a vacation, Gary Preacher from HCG Diet (https://hcgdiet.com/) recommends doing a fruit fast to cleanse your body of heavy fats. He also suggests getting the workout clothes you feel good in to motivate you to exercise. By engaging in a fruit fast, you’re able to cleanse your body of harmful toxins, unwanted substances, and of heavy fats, since fruit contains large amounts of water. Not only this, but fruits are high in vitamins and minerals that can introduce vital nutrients to your diet, boost your immune system, and allow you to feel more energized throughout the day.
Overall, it can be difficult to find the motivation, the energy, and the time to engage in actively losing weight to make your body healthy again. But by following the right steps and receiving the right amount of care for your body, it is possible. Be mindful of each of these facts and then consider engaging in a diet of your own using these pieces of advice.
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