No eating 2 hours before bedtime
I got an email from my coach emphasising an important rule for weight loss. Stop eating two hours before you go to bed. NO CALORIES. For me, this means no eating after 8PM. This is going to be my primary dietary focus for the month of February.
This is not going to be easy - but maybe changing habits never is easy. I get up between 5:30am and 6:00am. I also know that not getting enough sleep produces stress, which adds weight. So I want to try to get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep on a consistent basis. Which means get in bed by 10pm. Hence the no eating after 8pm.
The problem is that I often don’t get home from work until after 7pm. And to make it more interesting, many of those days I still have to find time to get in a workout. I would prefer to exercise first, then eat. But if I do that, then I will be eating after 8pm. If I eat first, then I need to wait a bit before I workout, which means I have to exercise right before I go to bed. See my dilemma.
By the way, I don’t write these things to complain - I write this because I know other people struggle with these choices as well. We are all in this together. Many people who have successfully lost a lot of weight struggled with these very issues. If they can find the balance to achieve their goals, then so can the rest of us - and so can I.
So, how am I going to take on my dilemma? After thinking about this a couple of days, here is what I’ve come up with so far.
- Stop working so many hours!!! I know this won’t be easy because I work in a startup, but working as many hours as I do is definitely not helping my health. I know I can plan better, delegate better, make better time choices, and make better decisions as to what is important and what isn’t. Life’s maxim is that 20% of the effort produces 80% of the results. I need to free up some of that 80%
- Workout more during the day. I found I like running at lunch. I also like spin classes, but it’s harder to be consistent because they take up a longer period of time. Morning is an option, but I take my kids to school, and I like getting to work early. I don’t have to work out every day (during the day), but doing it a few times a week sure will help.
- If I am going to be leaving work at rush hour, stay near work and get my exercise in before I go home. In Seattle, rush hour is now pretty much from 4:30pm until 6:30pm (and sometimes longer). It easily takes me twice as long to get home during those peak hours. But I have gyms available to me near where I work (24 hour fitness is well represented in the Seattle area). In the summer, I can bring my bike and cycle before I go home as easily as I can go home and then cycle.
- Eat more at lunch and less at dinner. This is also a piece of coaching I received. I doubt I’ll ever change the habit of making dinner my primary meal, but I know I can at least more the ratio more towards balance.
Those are my initial thoughts. As I said, I am going to make this a top priority in February. Is it going to be harder than what I’ve been doing - maybe, but the rewards are well worth it.
Here’s to hoping you take on whatever barriers life throws up between you and your goals as well!
Filed under: 2007 Resolutions, Goals, Uncategorized, Weight Loss, fitness, fitness over forty, health, male over forty, over forty |
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7 Comments: :
No eating 2 hours before bedtime
February 1st, 2007 1:54 pm
waistloss says:
It’s really hard ot find balance in a hectic life. If you find something that works, let me know.
February 2nd, 2007 1:42 pm
markliversedge says:
enjoyed yor blog - good luck. As well as no cals after 8pm you should also try doing you morning commute to work on an empty stomach — train the body to use fat stores. You can have some foo when you get to work tho!
February 2nd, 2007 2:04 pm
Phil Sabin says:
As chance would have it - I never eat breakfast until I get to work, around a couple of hours after I get up. I would love to say I do this as part of some strategy, but mainly I do it to maximize the amount of sleep I can get before I have to bolt for the shower and out the door.
And per my coaching, I always eat healthy oatmeal for breakfast. It’s good for your heart afterall…
March 8th, 2007 6:06 am
Two Witches says:
Perhaps try Extend bars - they are very yummy and only 150 calores, 10 grams of protein. They keep your blood sugar level for 9 hours so if you have one between 7 and 7:30 pm it might help keep night time munchies and hunger under control. Lady Rose
April 16th, 2007 4:48 am
beakerrides says:
Phil,
Just a comment on your “no cals afte 8 pm” problem. I would strongly encourage you to eat breakfast not long after you get up. Especially if you are going to restrict your later snacking/eating. Every time you eat, your metabolism receives a boost. Delaying eating in the morning just delays the boost. Also, you probably know that by not eating 2-3 hours before you sleep, you get your body into a “building” mode and not a “digesting” mode. This really helps to repair the damage done by your workouts. As a last resort, try bringing something with you to work and eating on the way home (I know, no distracted driving allowed! *L*).
Just my $.02
E!
July 18th, 2007 6:19 am
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July 18th, 2007 8:51 am
gardenmentor says:
I know it stinks to bring work home, but…could you leave work a few hours early & get your workout in late afternoon, then dinner, then a couple hours of work, then sleep? I know its not ideal, but something to consider. (My guess is, working at a start up, you’re already working at home after hours anyway.)