I was at the grocery store the other day and I usually spend 2 or 3 minutes browsing the latest fitness mags.
If you’re interested in seeing what I typically buy at the grocery store, check out my blog:
=> http://www.ericwongmma.com/groceries-for-getting-ripped/
Anyway, when I saw the cover of Men’s Health, I thought to myself, “There’s one important factor they NEVER talk about when it comes to losing fat.”
So what is that factor?
SLEEP!
If you’re having trouble dropping fat (or building muscle for that matter), consider your sleep.
If you’re underslept, then your body’s hormonal rhythms will be out of whack. You’ll have more cortisol running
through your system throughout the day.
What does cortisol do? Contributes to fat accumulation around the midsection and muscle atrophy! Important things
to avoid for anyone interested in getting ripped.
Here are 7 keys to great sleep:
1) Sleep 7-8 hours/night
2) Follow a regular sleep cycle (eg. sleep at 11pm, get up at 7 am)
3) In bed no later than midnight (on a regular basis), preferably by 10:30pm
4) Avoid sleeping when too hungry or over full
5) Do things to avoid waking up in the middle of the night, for example, don’t down a litre of water right before bed
6) Wind down before bed, preferably by reading or doing something else relaxing
7) Get TVs, cellphones, and computers out of your bedroom
It’s not that you have to do everything perfectly or you won’t achieve your goals, but if you’re having trouble and you’re already doing everything right with respect to food
and exercise, then consider your sleep.
And just like food, you’re going to slip up, but no big deal. As long as it’s just a slip up, and not a regular occurrence.
For myself, #3 is the toughest one, as I’m a big of a night-owl, because it’s the time I can spend to myself chilling out.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to leave a comment on this article.
Sleep tight,
Eric Wong, BSc, CSCS
Creator, MMA Ripped Fat Loss Program
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Leave A Reply (1 comment So Far)
MARK LEACH
Hi Eric
I totally agree with your point about sleep.
When I get little sleep 5-6 hours a night I not only feel tired during the following the day but feel incredibly hungry.
When I was a student I use to get lots of sleep (no class skips honest) I felt more control of what I eat and my fitness. Since i’ve been working I dont. Having an xbox doesn’t help either :P
Im trying to get ahold on this – your sleep tips are very helpful.
Best regards
Mark Leach
England