Sleep and weight loss

vm007
vm007 Posts: 241 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

Is sleep really important? or is that one of those myths as well that unless I get 8 hours of sleep I won't lose weight?

So what I've noticed - Jan 1-2018- I 've been in a deficit from 84 kg to 79.4 kg came off fine and I adjust calories accordingly.

Now , everything else is the same- however, I've added workout routine not a strict one but some workout. However, since November 2017- my average sleep is 6 hours a night. Not that I can't sleep but I just work all the other time.

I'm on my feet at least 8 hours a day. I feel insanely hungry all the time as well even though my weight hasn't reduced my inches have gone down. How's that possible? Also, I've done this weight loss before so measure and weigh everything.

For perspective I'm at 1660 cals a day- I'm 5 feet 11 and now 79.7 kg . This time cutting down feels harder than it did last time where I went down from 80 to 74kg with ease.

Only thing I can think of is- that is different from last time is sleep. Could that really be it? lol I ask because even though inches have dropped from waist- abs aren't visible (my goal) and I feel hungry all the time which makes me feel like I've lost will power.

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Lack of appropriate sleep can mess up hunger signals and make someone want to eat more. :star:
    Get some sleep. :)
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Lack of appropriate sleep can mess up hunger signals and make someone want to eat more. :star:
    Get some sleep. :)

    dammit- if this is true i'm screwed. I'll have to keep fighting my hunger signals then.

    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    As people age their sleep needs decline. Teenagers need the most, old people need the least. Most people in advanced societies are afflicted with sleep-disrupting bright lights from screens far after sundown. You can exist with a prolonged sleep deficit, but you cannot thrive.

    I'm 28 and I thought an average of 6 hours was enough for us? I fall asleep right when I hit the bed.
  • training4half87
    training4half87 Posts: 16 Member
    vm007 wrote: »
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Lack of appropriate sleep can mess up hunger signals and make someone want to eat more. :star:
    Get some sleep. :)

    dammit- if this is true i'm screwed. I'll have to keep fighting my hunger signals then.

    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    As people age their sleep needs decline. Teenagers need the most, old people need the least. Most people in advanced societies are afflicted with sleep-disrupting bright lights from screens far after sundown. You can exist with a prolonged sleep deficit, but you cannot thrive.

    I'm 28 and I thought an average of 6 hours was enough for us? I fall asleep right when I hit the bed.

    I also fall asleep when I hit the bed and I heard somewhere (I don't remember where) that if you do then you are sleep deprived. That you should take 20 min. to relax and fall asleep. I know for me personally sleep and weight management have gone hand in hand. Good luck!

  • mabearof6
    mabearof6 Posts: 684 Member
    I average 4-5 hours on a daily basis. I lost 45 lbs. and have started maintenance.
  • RunStart34
    RunStart34 Posts: 164 Member
    I guess it does depend. I was still losing weight when I would not get enough sleep or with it. However, the difference shows up in the next day. I feel tire, more times hungry (probably the signals for being sleep deprived), or grouchy when i don't get enough sleep. If i add one or 2 hours of sleep to my routine I feel better, more energy, and all around happy. So I lose weight both ways but the better feeling is with more sleep.
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    It feels pathetic TBH that I'm averaging 5.3 hours every night and that still isn't enough.

    I thought I had strong will power -I can't do anything about the hours I'm getting daily for sleeping as of now.
    I'll dig deep and see if I can unleash some hidden will power lol.

    Wish me luck -I'm like last 2-3 kg away from my goal weight then maintenance.
  • app_119
    app_119 Posts: 24 Member
    I know that is the common wisdom, but I know it’s not true for everyone. I never sleep eight hours. I sleep about 5 hours most nights, occasionally with a better night, sometimes a worse night. I have lost 63 pounds.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I really need 7 hours to get by. Any less and I’m just ravenous the next day, mostly craving sweets to boost my energy. I would say it s SUPER important and would make it a priority in your routine.
  • PeteTheGamer2910
    PeteTheGamer2910 Posts: 11 Member
    Due to my job days and nights i get about 6 hours sleep. Would like more but hey ho
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    I sleep poorly often. It doesn't seem to have any effect on my appetite and I have been doing fine on my diet while not sleeping well.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Not getting enough sleep doesn't directly stop you from losing weight. If you can achieve a calorie deficit, it's a calorie deficit. But being tired can mess with your hormones and make it harder for you to avoid temptation, eat extra food for energy, and be as generally active throughout the day as you need to be to keep the Calories Out part of the equation up where it should be.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    If I don't get enough sleep, I absolutely feel hungrier, plus less sleep means I am awake longer = more opportunities to eat.
    I don't think the sleep itself affects my weight, but it affects my appetite and ability to stick with my goals. Plus I feel a lot better when I get plenty of sleep (tiredness can be a migraine trigger for me - usually not on it's own, but it's a factor).
  • DomesticKat
    DomesticKat Posts: 565 Member
    I'm chronically sleep deprived and it doesn't influence my weight loss, but it does make workout recovery more difficult and it does make me feel like garbage in general. A great night for me is 8 hours with about one hour awake throughout the night. I can get one of those usually once a week. A bad night is less than 5. I'm usually in the 6-7 hour range with an hour awake during the night.
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    OK IT'S clear- it is due to sleep then.

    I thought it was because I increased the intake of sugar free drinks and some how they messed something because they have something in them but I knew it was 10 cals so they won't affect weight.

    I CAN'T believe it , I wasted 10 weeks of my life on this yo-yo and only lost 5 kgs where I could've been done by now.

    Now I'm on my last 2-3 kg and I should be laser focused but here I am giving into temptations.

    I know this- I won't give in anymore. Back on track from RIGHT NOW.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I'm glad you got your answer, but FYI... 5 kgs in 10 weeks is 1 lb per week or so, isn't it? That's kind of perfect. If you have 2 or3 kg to lose, you should not be expecting faster progress than that. Your within the range of normal body weight fluctuations now, so be patient :smile:
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I'm glad you got your answer, but FYI... 5 kgs in 10 weeks is 1 lb per week or so, isn't it? That's kind of perfect. If you have 2 or3 kg to lose, you should not be expecting faster progress than that. Your within the range of normal body weight fluctuations now, so be patient :smile:

    what are the chances that I actually have a higher TDEE now ? lol I wish -I'm mostly on my feet 16 hours a day. I do lifting as well (like workout) but it's 5 sets of squats with negligible weight and arms but weight isn't much.

    It's just enough to get me a "pump" lol.

    It must be the sleep messing with me and the added fact that weight scale didn't budge but my pants got loose and much better definition every where else- which kept me going lol
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    Also, I don't know if this matters or not but I also feel thirsty all the time. I have to keep drinking something all day and then heading to washroom later lol.

    I feel dryness in my mouth so I drink water (vitamin water 0 cal) - lol since I've learned that it's ok to drink 0 cal drinks without any harm (tooth decay or harm to bones as I was led to believe) I rarely drink water now lol
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,238 Member
    edited March 2018
    You are a 5ft 11" guy who is on his feet all day, near his goal weight, and ALREADY WELL WITHIN A NORMAL BMI (I am calculating you at 22.7).

    Your paper deficit is incredibly and criminally high!

    Your TDEE as an Active to Very Active person (which is what you describe yourself to be) is over 3K calories.

    You're claiming to eat 1600 and hopefully are severely under-estimating what you eat.

    Chill man. Seriously. You are already at a normal/healthy weight level and want to lose an extra 2-3kg (like 7lbs) of basically vanity weight. How come you are trying for more than 0.5kg/1lb a week?

    And, on top of that, what magical transition are you planning when you hit maintenance where you're going to change from eating sub 1600 to eating double that?

    I guess it might be different for you. But for me what I want/wanted for a transition between weight loss mode and maintenance is/was... NOTHING. i.e. the least amount of change, thus minimizing the potential for change to mess things up.

    Consider that you're not just losing fat. Think about maintenance. and seriously look at the re-feed thread even though you're just/almost at your goal weight.

    (and by the way, how did you decide on your goal weight? Is that a fat % metric? A number you pulled out of thin air? Is this the only way you can achieve your underlying goal?)
  • vm007
    vm007 Posts: 241 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    You are a 5ft 11" guy who is on his feet all day, near his goal weight, and ALREADY WELL WITHIN A NORMAL BMI (I am calculating you at 22.7).

    Your paper deficit is incredibly and criminally high!

    Your TDEE as an Active to Very Active person (which is what you describe yourself to be) is over 3K calories.

    You're claiming to eat 1600 and hopefully are severely under-estimating what you eat.

    Chill man. Seriously. You are already at a normal/healthy weight level and want to lose an extra 2-3kg (like 7lbs) of basically vanity weight. How come you are trying for more than 0.5kg/1lb a week?

    And, on top of that, what magical transition are you planning when you hit maintenance where you're going to change from eating sub 1600 to eating double that?

    I guess it might be different for you. But for me what I want/wanted for a transition between weight loss mode and maintenance is/was... NOTHING. i.e. the least amount of change, thus minimizing the potential for change to mess things up.

    Consider that you're not just losing fat. Think about maintenance. and seriously look at the re-feed thread even though you're just/almost at your goal weight.

    (and by the way, how did you decide on your goal weight? Is that a fat % metric? A number you pulled out of thin air? Is this the only way you can achieve your underlying goal?)

    I kept dropping calories because I didn't see the scale move lol but every day I did end up at 1800 cals. I just wasn't able to go by 1600.

    Btw last 2 nights I had full 8 hours of sleep and this morning my weight was at 78.6 lol -so I dropped 1 kg in like 2 days of full sleep. Magic haha!


    The goal is 74-75 because at that weight my muscles are visible under all the lights and hair ha! lol. However, this time around abs are already showing at 78.6 kg so I am unsure what changed.

    I won't eat double but around 2300-2400. At that point I feel satiated saying from past experience.

    However, this time around- I've learned I do much better if my protein and fats are high versus incredibly high carbs and moderate fats/protein. So I'll focus more on Macros for maintenance this time around.

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