We lose sleep in the hustle and bustle of daily life and sometimes don’t place the value on it that we should. Research shows that shorter sleep has been correlated with higher incidence of obesity and other metabolic disorders. One reason is that the stress that keeps us up at night releases cortisol that triggers us to store more fat. If you find yourself gaining weight and you have trouble sleeping at night, whether the cause is too much stress on your mind or an uncomfortable bed that causes you pain, it’s important that you take initiatives to make a change and get back to a healthy weight.  Remember that the duration and quality of your sleep is just as important as what kind of food you eat in terms of weight gain.

It is true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, where eating early helps you not overeat later when you feel super hungry. In fact, research shows that people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight. Don’t rush eating meals either, as rushing causes you to eat more than you really need, before your body can tell you that it is full. Chew your food deliberately more and take breaths and water between bites to help establish slower eating habits.

Sugar is in almost everything, even low fat foods. Especially in pre-packaged foods that are low fat, the fat is simply replaced with a high volume of sugar. When we consume excess sugar that our bodies don’t need and can’t process, then that sugar is then stored as fat. Sugar makes you eat more, where fructose in particular can alter your body chemistry. Seek natural foods high in fiber and protein instead, helping you feel full longer and improve overall digestive health.