Sleep & Fitness: Like Peanut Butter & Jelly

Let’s talk about sleep!

We all know sleep is important but have you considered that it may be the factor that’s keeping you from achieving your fitness goals?

Even with the very best diet and fitness routine if your sleep is off you are setting yourself up for failure and here’s five reasons why:

1.) When you’re sleep deprived you feel hungrier because your hormones are off, cortisol levels rise and you’re producing less leptin which leaves you never feeling full, which becomes a nightmare to stay on track with your nutrition goals because you’re always hungry! 

2.) Lack of sleep equals lack of energy to exercise which results in a bad workout which can lead to injury or missing your workout altogether!

3.) Poor sleep changes your fat cells. Basically sleep deprivation leads to your body not being able to properly use insulin and then the excess insulin ends up storing fat in all the wrong places. We are working so hard to burn that fat NOT store it!

4.) Much like #1 above, not getting enough sleep leads to food cravings and making bad food choices because you don’t have mental clarity... it’s almost like that after a few too many cocktails feeling… and we all know the bad food choices that are made in those times… hint, hint 2am pizza delivery!

5.) Loss of sleep = loss of muscle gains. Your body literally recovers and produces growth hormones as you sleep. If you’re missing sleep you’re prohibiting your body from it’s proper ability to make muscle. Do I need to say more?

There you have it, the connection between sleep and fitness is not one to ignore because they go together like peanut butter and jelly. A general rule is make sure you’re getting between 7-9 hours EVERY night NOT just a couple times a week (there is actually new studies out that show there is no such things as “make up sleep” sorry guys this is a consistent thing just like your workouts and nutrition!) 

I hope this motivates you to hit the sheets early this evening and get some extra rest! I know I’ve been putting extra effort into prioritizing sleep and I’ve noticed such an amazing difference.