Main image courtesy of Thrive Global.
Eating right, maintaining an exercise routine, and getting good sleep at night all contribute to living your best life. By making a point to follow a healthy lifestyle, you’re investing in your health and well-being for years to come. In order to improve your health, you may realize that you need to lose a little (or a lot) of weight in order to start feeling your best. It’s estimated that around 45 million Americans go on diets each year in order to lose weight and start living a more healthy life. However, many ultimately fail because they don’t have the resources or the support needed to make this type of life-altering change in the right way.
There are an enormous amount of myths surrounding the weight loss journey, especially regarding what you can and cannot do, including losing sleep at night. While everyone’s weight loss story is different, we thought it’s time to debunk 17 of the most persistent myths surrounding how to lose weight while you sleep.
9 Myths Around How You CANNOT Lose Weight at Night
Here are the top myths about losing weight while you sleep
If you don’t already know, you can lose weight while you sleep! Your body is hard at work while you sleep, metabolizing and burning calories—not to mention building and restoring muscles from your exercise routine. It’s time to let go of these 9 myths surrounding weight loss at night.
- You cannot lose weight at night
The number one myth is that you cannot lose weight at night. This isn’t true, since your body is undergoing essential work while you sleep. This is why having a good, quality sleep schedule is important for losing weight.
- You can’t keep up your nighttime metabolism without harsh stimulants
There are many supplements on the market that claim to help boost your weight loss at night. Too many of them use harsh stimulants that end up keeping you awake and losing out on much needed sleep. You can take a supplement like Dr. Emil’s Bedtime Burn that helps increase your metabolism and burns fat, while helping you get restful sleep with calming ingredients.
- You cannot lose weight at night if you eat carbs with dinner
Carbs are a part of a balanced diet, so yes eating whole grains with your dinner and before bed is a great idea. It’ll keep you fuller for longer, and prevent stray snacking.
- You can’t lose weight while you sleep if you eat several smaller meals per day
Everyone has an eating schedule that works for them—whether it’s smaller meals throughout the day, or three larger ones. You can still lose weight with either of these methods as long as you continue to exercise and get restful sleep.
- You can’t lose weight if you exercise before bed
Just like eating schedules, exercise schedules can vary too. Sometimes you only have time to work out after dinner and before bed. And that’s okay! After you cool down and give yourself time to relax, you should have no problem getting restful sleep. If you prefer to get your activity in during the morning or afternoon hours, that works too.
- You cannot drop weight if you eat before bed
Most people try to avoid eating and then directly going to bed. You can lose weight even if you eat a couple of hours before bed, but try to make time for your body to begin its digestion processes.
- You can’t lose weight at night unless you’re on a specific diet
There’s no need to be on a specific diet to lose weight! Balancing your caloric intake with your output through exercise is a great, long-lasting way to lose weight.
- You can’t lose weight without eating bland food
Healthy food can taste good, and you can lose weight while eating better, exercising, and getting good sleep!
- Supplements can’t help you lose weight at night
Supplements like Bedtime Burn are designed to work with your body, helping you burn more calories and get much-needed sleep.
8 Myths Around How You CAN Lose Weight at Night
These myths about the best ways to lose weight while you sleep simply aren’t true
Everyone’s body responds to diet and exercise differently. One person might see results quicker than another, which is why it’s so important to stay consistent. If you’re on the path to weight loss, it’s time to forget these 8 myths surrounding how you can lose weight at night.
- You can lose weight at night if you severely restrict your calories
While it’s true you’ll want to cut out excess calories throughout your day to lose weight, if you restrict it too much, your body will be under-fueled and lacking important nutrients. This can shock your body, and you won’t have the energy to get through the day or get a good night’s sleep.
- You can only lose weight at night if you do cardio before bed
Cardio is a great addition to your weight loss routine, but you can do it when it fits into your schedule. Your body’s metabolism will still be working to burn calories while you sleep regardless if you do cardio right before bed.
- You can only eat a small dinner if you want to lose weight at night
Everyone has a different idea of what a small dinner is. Instead of focusing on that, try to make a complete meal that includes vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains so you’ll stay satisfied (and avoid too much snacking) before bed.
- You can eat poorly and exercise while still losing weight at night
One of the biggest weight loss myths is that you can out-exercise poor food choices. Running for two miles to balance out a large burger and fries isn’t going to cut it. Your body needs nutritious calories for each meal of your day that includes proteins, carbs, and healthy fats.
- You can go gluten-free and lose weight while you sleep
Unless you have a gluten allergy, you don’t need to cut it out to lose weight. Instead of cutting out important—and filling—wheat, barley, and rye foods, work to include these in your meals. They’re nutritious and will help you feel fuller before bed.
- You can drink alcohol before bed and lose weight at night
If you’re on a weight loss journey, it’s a good idea to tone down on alcohol. The amount of sugar and calories in it are reason enough, but also if you want to continue to lose weight while you sleep. Alcohol can disrupt your sleep, causing you to miss out on some precious hours of calorie burning and rest!
- You can have cheat days and still lose weight
While everyone deserves a reward for their hard work on a weight loss journey, limit it to a treat or even just one meal. Having a whole day of eating not so healthy meals can derail your progress.
- You can get immediate weight loss results just by sleeping
While you can burn calories while you sleep, you still need to have a healthy diet and get some exercise!
Forget these 17 myths about losing weight at night and concentrate on a balanced diet, daily exercise, and a good sleep schedule!
