Evening Tips for Weight Loss
#1 Schedule Your Bedtime
Just like all the other important tasks of the day (meetings, workouts, etc.), sleep should also be scheduled.
Far too many individuals slack on their sleep, which negatively impacts their weight loss results in a variety of ways which we’ve discussed ad nauseum before on the blog.
Setting a bedtime helps signal to your body it’s time to wind down for the night and can help ensure that you get the 7-9 hours of quality sleep you need to perform to your best each day.
#2 Limit Blue Light Exposure
Another important tip to help improve your sleep quality each night is to limit your exposure to blue light 2 hours or so before bed.
Blue light is a type of light that has a high intensity and short wavelength. It’s great for keeping you awake, which is why it’s recommended to get exposure to sunlight when you wake up as the sun naturally emits blue light. However, at night, blue light exposure suppresses melatonin production, which can hinder your ability to get to sleep.
Tips for limiting blue light exposure at night, include:
Avoiding electronics (tvs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc.) 2 hours before bed
Using blue light filters on electronics
Wearing blue light blocking glasses
#3 Avoid Eating Too Late
Consuming too large of a meal can impair sleep quality for some individuals as it may lead to GI upset, reflux and/or elevate body temperature leading to night sweating and general discomfort, thus impairing your ability to fall/stay asleep.
If you want to consume some food close to bed, so as to avoid nighttime hunger pangs (which itself could disrupt sleep), keep it light in volume and total calories, yet high in protein.
Some ideal options for pre-bed snacks:
Protein shake
Protein yogurt
Fruit & cheese
Cottage cheese and fruit
#4 Have a Cup of Herbal Tea
Few things are quite as relaxing as having a cup of warm tea. There’s just something so comforting about sipping on a “cuppa” that’s hard to explain. It needs to be experienced.
Just make sure that you’re consuming herbal, non-caffeinated tea, as consuming caffeine too close to bedtime can disrupt sleep.
As an added bonus, tea is also packed with catechins (such as EGCG) and antioxidants, which are known to support weight loss.
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