Sleep Is Important for Weight Loss

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep
/how-to-sleep-well-as-you-age.htm

Sleep is required for our bodies to repair and re-energize. It is recommended that the average person get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. But, the average American does not meet this recommendation. They either go to bed too late, wake up too early, or are unable to fall asleep or stay asleep at night. Research is showing that those who get less than 7 hours of sleep a night are more likely to be overweight, develop cardiovascular disease, and diabetes more often than those who sleep more than 7 hours a night. 

https://www.news-medical.net/health/Ghrelin-and-Leptin.aspx

What’s going on? Why does lack of sleep affect our weight? Part of it has to do with hormones. Our body produces a leptin, our fullness hormone. When we have plenty of leptin, our body gives us signals when we are full or satiated from meals. We also make grehlin. Grehlin is our hunger hormone which causes us to crave food. When we sleep, our bodies are able to regulate these contrasting hormones. Well regulated hormones allow us to feel full after an appropriate amount of food. If we don’t sleep enough, our hormones are no longer balanced and the body feels more hungry and is less satisfied from foods we eat. Other studies have found that those with poor sleep quality were more likely to regain weight they had previously lost.  

What can you do to improve your sleep quality? 

Plan Sleep into your schedule. Determine what time to you need be in bed to get more than 7 hours of sleep. I have an alarm set 15 minutes before I need to be in bed. Once that alarm goes off, I know I need to stop doing what I’m doing and make my way to slumber town. 

https://www.entrepreneur.com/topic/sleep

Sleep on a schedule. It is best to wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday, even on your days off. If you have to get up at 5:00 am on Monday, but Sunday you sleep till 10:00, you probably wont be tired at 8:00 pm when it’s time to go to bed. Then, you’ll be tired when waking up at 5:00 am, and the whole rest of the week is affected. 

Get into a routine. About one hour before bedtime you should start thinking about bedtime. This means getting off electronics. They have bright lights that mimic the daylight, which disrupts our body’s ability to produce sleep hormones. I used to have a clock with a bright blue display next to my bed. It did bother me and prevented me from falling asleep sometimes. Since I use my phone as an alarm clock, I got rid of the blue clock. Now, that my room is darker, falling asleep is easier. I also set my phone to the "Do not Disturb" setting. So during sleeping hours my phone doesn't ring if I get a call or text. Think about what else gets you to relax, maybe a hot bath, a hot tea, reading a book, or night time stretching or yoga. 

Bella, my bed monster <3

Evaluate your atmosphere. Your bedroom should be for sleep and sex only. No work, no food, and no electronics should be in the bedroom. These will prevent you from falling asleep or getting into that necessary deep sleep. Also, think about the temperature in your bedroom, if its too hot or too cold this may disrupt your sleep. Partners and pets can disrupt sleep if they are in bed with you. If you find yourself waking up sweating because your cat is on top of you (me all the time), maybe find some nice soft blankets or a pet bed to put next to you so they are enticed to sleep there instead. 

Acknowledge problems. If you snore loudly, have daytime sleepiness, falling asleep while driving, or cannot fall asleep without a sleep aide, you may need to be checked out by your doctor or a sleep specialist. Sleep apnea is common for many people, even if they are not overweight. A simple device worn at night can greatly improve sleep and your health. 

This blog was based off an article written by Jason Ong PHD, Diana Chirinos PhD, and Bonnie Yap titled The Relationship Between Sleep Health and Your Weight which appeared in the Winter 2018 magazine Your Weight Matters pg 39-41. 

Recipe Corner

Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mango jam
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 bone-in chicken leg/thigh quarters, skinned
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Prep grill for indirect grilling. Gas grills- heat one side to medium-high and leave on side with no heat. Charcoal grills- arrange hot coals on either side of charcoal grate, leave an empty space in middle. 
2. Combine mango jam, chives, vinegar, and Sriracha, stirring until smooth. Reserve 1/8 mango mixture. Set Aside. 
3. Brush oil evenly over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. 
4. Remove grill rack. Place a disposable aluminum foil pan on unheated part of grill. Return grill rack to grill. Place chicken on a grill rack over unheated part. Brush chicken with 2 tablespoons mango mixture. Close lid, turn chicken and brush with mango mixture every 20 minutes. Chicken should be done after 90 minutes or when a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 165. Transfer chicken to a platter and drizzle with reserved 1/4 cup mango mixture. 

You can serve this with grilled vegetables that can be added towards the end of cooking time. Brush all veggies with olive oil. Bell peppers take 8-10 min, squash, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms take 7 minutes, and asparagus and green onions take 4 minutes. Yum!

Recipe Credit: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-chicken-with-sriracha-glaze

Tacos Al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Ingredients: 
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound pork tenderloin, trim fat
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
cooking spray
Salsa:
4 1/2 inch slices fresh pineapple
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons thinly slices red oinoin
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 1/2 limes)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced (leave in seeds for heat or de-seeded if you're not into spicy)
Remaining ingredients:
corn tortillas
lime wedges

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to high heat.
2. Mince chipotle chile, Combine chipotle and oil in a small bowl. Rub evenly over pork.
3. Combine oregano and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper). Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over pork and let stand 30 minutes (I let mine sit overnight in the refrigerator, so important to still let it sit in room temp for 30 min).
4. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray and grill for 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 145. Remove pork from grill an let stand 5 minutes. Coarsely chop pork and keep warm.
5. To prepare salsa, place pineapple on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill for 5 minutes on each side. Coarsely chop pineapple, place in a medium bowl. Add cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through jalapeño, I made this the day before and let sit over night so it was spicier).
6. Warm tortillas for your family to make tacos. For bariatric patients, just eat the pork filling and salsa. Serve with lime wedges. 

I am all about making things ahead of time so I can eat sooner! I prepped the salsa and marinated the pork a day ahead so when I am done with my work out, my tacos will be ready shortly after.

Recipe Credit: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tacos-al-pastor-grilled-pineapple-salsa

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats- 15 grams of Protein
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (Use soy or cows milk for more protein)

3/4 Tbsp Chia Seeds
2 Tbsp peanut butter (almond and cashew butter will work too)
1 Tbsp stevia
1/2 cup rolled oats
Optional toppings: banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, coconut flakes

Directions:
1. In a mason jar or bowl add almond milk, chia seeds, peanut butter, and sweetener. Stir to combine.
2. Add oats and stir a few more times. Push down with a spoon to make sure all oats are saturated and immersed in milk.
3. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and set in refrigerator overnight, or at least 6 hours.
4. The next morning add your optional toppings. Eat within 2 days.

This recipes is great for those in a morning time crunch or to avoid heat as the days start to get warmer.

Recipe Credit: https://minimalistbaker.com/peanut-butter-overnight-oats/