You already know that the amount of exercise you do on a regular basis is important for weight loss, but did you know the amount of sleep is, too? Studies have found a strong link between the amount of “shut eye” and the risk of becoming obese. Those who sleep four hours or less are 70% more likely to be obese. Those who sleep 5 hours have a 50% greater risk, and those who sleep 6 hours have a 20% greater risk. The recommendation?  Seven or more hours of sleep for everyone! Seems confusing that more sleep might help prevent obesity, especially since your body burns fewer calories resting than it does when moving. True, but these studies have found that chronic sleep deprivation affects how the brain is wired for appetite. Lack of sleep lowers leptin, a protein that suppresses appetite and affects how the brain determines when it has had enough food. Sleep deprivation also appears to raise the levels of grehlin, a hormone that makes you want to eat more.  And of course, lack of sleep affects your ability to make clear decisions, too.  It’s just easier to grab a quick, junk food fix than take the time to plan and prepare a healthy meal or snack when you are tired and your brain feels foggy from the day’s stress. Put all this together, and lack of sleep can pack a powerful punch to your weight loss efforts.  So when you plan your exercise for the week, plan your sleep schedule, too!
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Weight loss doesn’t sound or feel like a laughing matter, does it? But a new study from Vanderbilt University reports that genuine laughter, the kind that lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, burns the same number of calories found in a medium square of chocolate. That translates to about 50 calories, which, if done everyday, can result in about 4 pounds of weight loss at the end of the year (assuming everything else stays the same!). Considering that laughter also produces natural endorphins, those “feel good” brain chemicals that lower your blood pressure, decrease your stress and improve your mood, you have nothing to lose, except maybe a little weight and stress, right? And if that doesn’t sound like a bargain, at least you can laugh your way through a daily square of chocolate and even the score!
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I have really gotten off track, and blown it way too many times.  I feel like giving up.  What should I do?  

Making healthy changes in your eating and lifestyle takes patience and time. It’s easy to feel like giving up when you eat too much over the weekend, or enjoy too much of that coffee cake your co-worker brought to work. But don’t let occasional splurges get you off track! Remember, “one lapse does NOT a relapse make”! Keep in mind the following tips as you continue taking small steps forward: 1) Do not focus on calories-focus only on fuel groups! Had a few doughnuts for breakfast, and wishing you hadn’t? Don’t skip lunch to make up the calories. Instead, try to round out what was missing at breakfast. Look for lean proteins, veggies, and low-fat dairy for lunch. That would be a great time to have a grilled chicken salad with lots of greens, vegetables and some grated cheese, with low-fat dressing on the side so you control the amount. Having a hard time getting those colors into your meals? Double up at one meal, like extra lettuce and bell pepper slices in your pita sandwich (You can ask for extra even at a fast food sandwich place!) Think balance, and think fuel groups, and just catch up on the missing pieces at the next meal. 2) Do a quick review of what you ate at the last meal and/or snack. Remembering what you have eaten most recently may help encourage you to eat less the next time around. Remember, “I CAN EAT AGAIN…just not right now!”, and 3) Never be fooled into skipping the next meal to punish yourself for a splurge.  Missing an entire meal to make up for too many calories at the previous will always backfire on you.   

The key is balancing your fuel groups, trusting your hunger, and learning from your lapses. Failure is not possible. How can something be a failure when you can learn so much about yourself? The biggest splurge can result in more self awareness of the “why” behind your choice, which can result in greater confidence and motivation for the next time you find yourself in the same situation.  Eating better starts with just one meal--one day--one week at a time.  Unhealthy patterns do not happen over night but over a long period of days that lead to weeks that lead to months that lead to years. Likewise, healthy patterns take time, so be patient. It’s worth it!
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Are you as confused as I am sometimes when standing in a bookstore and looking at the myriad of new and old diet books lining the shelves? It can certainly be overwhelming at first glance. To help consumers sort out their choices and make healthy decisions, registered dietitians who are media spokespeople of the American Dietetic Association have reviewed more than two dozen of the latest diet and lifestyle books. Check out www.eatright.org/dietreviews and see what they have to say about these new publications.

“Some of the titles offer sound nutrition information and can be a resource for eating right,” said ADA spokesperson and registered dietitian Marisa Moore, who is one of the contributing reviewers. “Others contain many of the usual fad diet red flags: promising rapid weight loss, glorifying and vilifying certain nutrients or food groups, featuring nutritionally deficient meal plans or touting complex step or phase programs. And some books are basically new incarnations of popular diets from the past.”
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