That Early Morning Workout

For decades weight loss strategies involved the use of stimulants to get people to burn calories. In a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who slept seven or more hours per night were less likely to put on weight than women who didn't. Those who slept six or fewer hours gained on average an extra 33 pounds over a 16 year period, more than their well-slept counterparts.

My weight loss patients rarely reach their metabolic goals until we get them sleeping better. Whether it's difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, people who struggle with sleep battle not only a spare tire, but they're much more likely to suffer from chronic immune disorders, pain and inflammatory conditions, and anxiety and depression, too.

Here's the scoop on a pick-me-up approach to cellulite reduction.

Sleep quality means everything. Do you toss and turn? Do you waken throughout the night? If so, you're not getting the vital REM sleep you need to support you in the day ahead.  

Stimulants make you fatter! They may kick up your generator in the short-run, but they cause long-term sleep problems that undermine weight management attempts.  

Stimulants increase production of stress hormones (adrenalin and cortisol) and neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine), putting us in fight-or-flight mode - a bad place to be for your health.

Adults and adolescents who don't get enough sleep are less likely to exercise because just too tired.

Caffeine, one of our responses to our epidemic sleep deficit, only masks the problem and actually makes matters much worse. If you're not sleeping well, you must remove all sources of this chemical from your diet.

ADHD drugs are speed - plain and simple. They set kids up for lifetime of weight struggles due to the body mechanisms I discussed here.   

Smoking?  I don't need to tell you about the problems that cigarettes cause. Add to the list smoking makes the stress response worse, and you have another reason to quit.

Wake up! Five a.m. workouts do make sense. Exercising on a 6 to 8 hour fast (that is, before breakfast) forces your body to burn stored fat and sugar (as glycogen) for energy. However, you need to be asleep by nine p.m. the night before, or you reap diminishing returns.

I'd like to see us stop using stimulants as a false solution to weight gain. With the more than doubling of obesity rates since 1980 and the shocking projections awaiting us over the next decade, a new strategy of preventative and informed self-care needs to emerge. I do suggest a morning workout, especially if that's your only opportunity to break a sweat. But be aware of the costs to your long-term health, if you aren't hitting the pillow, as well as the treadmill.  

Healthiest regards,

Dr. Carlos