I was up before dawn today. Not by choice. At not quite 7:30 a.m., I'm bleary-eyed. I've already had breakfast -- a 60-calorie yogurt, a bagel and 2 tablespoons of fat-free cream cheese. But I know that I'll be ready to eat again in a couple of hours.
On the one hand, Take Shape for Life (the program I followed to lose 65 pounds last year) touts the benefits of eating small meals every few hours.
On the other hand, it also warns that not getting enough sleep can make you fat. How? Apparently, sleep-deprivation causes your body to secrete more of one hormone that boosts appetite and less of another that tells you to stop eating when you're full, TSFL's website says.
What's more, TSFL reports, sleep loss can starve the body of feed-good hormones dopamine and serotonin -- triggering cravings for sugary, high-calorie treats.
I'm looking forward to the three-day weekend and some extra zzzzz's. In the meantime, I'll enjoy an early morning walk. Have a great day!
