help! does not getting enough sleep effect weight loss?

hahaitspriscilla

Hey guys, so I just finished insanity month 1 .... I haven't lost a pound. Ive been on countless diets and exercise programs and haven't lost anything im really sad about it. Ive tried everything except for getting enough sleep. I get about 5 hours of sleep sometimes. Would that effect me losing weight?

petefromguelph

most definitely.

dmenchac

Its mostly likely related to how much you're eating.

nancybuss

How is your eating. How are your measurements? If you didn't lose weight are you checking other factors such as inches? You can be changing your body without it showing on the scale

LadyWeaselofVT

Getting enough sleep is major for me as far as weight loss goes. I have joint pain and without sleep, I ache a lot more and am able exercise a lot less. I also crave sugar much more when tired or stressed and it's hard to avoid when I need to get through my generally chaotic work day.

hahaitspriscilla

Ive been watching my eating and have stayed with a 1200 cal diet. I mite go over every now and then a 100 cals or so but that shouldn't effect weight loss that drastically? I measured myself over the times...I would be a 27 1/2 inch waste one morning (I measure early in the morning) and then the next im 28 inch waste. I measure in the same spot everytime. My body weight and measurements bounce back and forth. I have been dieting and exercising for atleast 3 months hoping for a breakthrough trying different techniques, and things but still nothing. Thats why im guessing its sleep. Thru out those 3 months I never got consistant amount of sleep.

kmm0034

Not getting enough sleep affects everything. If you can't sleep through the night, and can work in even a short nap during the day, try that.

MBrothers22

Not for me it hasn't. I've always had no sleeping pattern and often 5-6 hours and I've lost 20 pounds in 40 days.

geebusuk

Doesn't seem to make a massive difference to me.
However, when I'm really tired my body craves food - presumably it feels it needs more 'energy' and food is the obvious answer, even though it won't help.

HotSouthernMess

How much are you trying to lose? I looked through your profile (and pictures) and it seems as though you aren't far from your goal weight. It is going to take a lot longer for you to lose 10 pounds than it will for someone like me (by the way, I am also 4'11! :drinker: ) Measurements and weight will fluctuate daily also so make sure you are drinking plenty of water to keep from getting bloated and sleep doesn't seem to make a difference in my weight loss, it just makes me cranky if I haven't had enough. Be patient, you look great already!

hahaitspriscilla

I may not look like it but I need to lose atleast 20 lbs. My body over 3 months has looked slightly less bloated but no inches or lbs off the scale. I do understand less the lbs to lose the longer it takes. Id like to atleast see SOMETHING lol.

hahaitspriscilla

Cuz what ive seen is a little compared to all the exercise ive done

Branstin

Sleep affects my weight loss as well. Are you eating enough to compensate for your exercise? MFP sets the calories limit to 1200 for people who do not exercise. Unless a person doesn't exercise then they should not select the "Sedentary" option. Another factor for some people is water. I eat within my calories limit but lose weight faster when I add exercise and water.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

dsb188

Sleep does effect your weight. If I don't get enough sleep for a few days or even two days I gain weight.

Psychgrrl

Abso-fraggin-lutely!

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain

mcafeekevin

Sleep can affect your workouts and weight loss. You say you are doing Insanity? In my first monty of Insanity I stayed the same weight but improved my measurements. Did you take measurements when you started, how are they different now? The 1st month you probably won't see much loss if you are new to high cardio as your body adjusts to the new glycogen and water weight. VERY important for Insanity is to follow the diet plan or similar. If you are not eating enough for the workouts your body will go into shock and and try to store as much as it can thinking it is starving, so make sure to eat enough. If you are not eating enough you may have troubles giving 100% to the workout and achieving your goals. Better to be a little high and over calories in the first month to know to drop down than to be too low and mess up the ideal diet plan in the final month.

mrphil86

Abso-fraggin-lutely!

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain

There is zero references in this article. Just because it's webMD, it's not automatically credible. This was written by a freelance author.

Based on current studies I can read, there really is no conclusive evidence of weight loss and lack of sleep.

I would have to agree it would be more about your eating and exercise habits.

Now, lack of sleep and exercise, there is more of a connection there!

Unknown

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bhdon

Here's the results of one study - http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/how-sleep-loss-adds-to-weight-gain/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

heybales

Ive been watching my eating and have stayed with a 1200 cal diet. I mite go over every now and then a 100 cals or so but that shouldn't effect weight loss that drastically? I measured myself over the times...I would be a 27 1/2 inch waste one morning (I measure early in the morning) and then the next im 28 inch waste. I measure in the same spot everytime. My body weight and measurements bounce back and forth. I have been dieting and exercising for atleast 3 months hoping for a breakthrough trying different techniques, and things but still nothing. Thats why im guessing its sleep. Thru out those 3 months I never got consistant amount of sleep.

Just to confirm - 1200 calories on average in TOTAL - while doing Insanity daily or almost daily?

Curious, what does MFP estimate your non-exercise maintenance could be - My Home - Goals - Calories Burned from normal daily activities?

To point in post above from MrM27, do you find yourself sitting around more now than prior, less active outside exercise?

It would be a bummer to add a 500 cal workout, but your body is so stressed it removes 300 calories of normal activity burn to compensate.
Many comment on that effect. Do big workout, sit around all evening on rear compared to before being active all evening.
Enough so that studies show that happens.

SherryTeach

I'm trying to imagine a 19-year old who should be eating 1200 calories. I'm short and 59 and I eat more than that. Besides adjusting your calories, why are you getting so little sleep? Work on that too.

mrphil86

Here's the results of one study - http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/how-sleep-loss-adds-to-weight-gain/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Thanks for that, it's actually a pretty good collaboration of studies. They all pretty much point to the same thing though, lack of sleep does not directly effect your BMR. Instead just changes your eating and workout habits.

I'm in the military, we get very little sleep most of the time. We don't gain weight because of it. It's the fact we eat more but more importantly our work outs suffer. However, I've been doing pretty good and so have 10,000+ people. It's just something you will get used to if you continue to loose sleep.

If you want it, then go out and get it.

EDIT: Of course, fixing your sleeping problem would be best solution!