Weight Loss Recipes

Yoga’s health benefits seem endless, making it a great low-impact exercise to keep you healthy and lean. Not only does practicing yoga help you drop pounds and build muscle, it can also reduce pain, boost mood, lower blood pressure and encourage sleep.

What makes yoga so effective and simple is the fact that it’s a low-impact exercise, manageable for people of all ages and body types—those with different ailments, aches and pains, as well as varying levels of stress or motivation.

Anyone can perform basic yoga poses, even if it requires making minor adjustments. If you are just starting out, don’t push yourself too hard to go deep into your stretches to start. You can work your way there. Yoga should be soothing and nurturing to your body. It definitely shouldn’t hurt.

On the Nutrisystem program, we recommend 30 minutes of physical activity each day. Consider adapting a yoga practice to shed some pounds, take care of your body and create some peace in your life. We know once you give it a try, you will become a believer just like us! There are so many options when it comes to yoga for beginners. It’s as simple as breaking out the yoga mat and running through these yoga videos on The Leaf. Every move has step-by-step instructions on how to execute the low-impact exercise.

Here are seven yoga moves you should try for your low-impact exercise routine:

1. Butterfly Pose >

For the ultimate hip stretch in a soothing and peaceful move, look no further than the Butterfly Pose. This is a great pose for deep stretching in the hips, thighs, groin and knees. Sink into this simple stretch with feet pressed together and knees pointing out to the sides, creating butterfly wings with your legs. Make it a go-to pose for hitting those areas of your hips that are often overlooked, nurturing fatigued muscles, relieving stress and even potentially reducing pain associated with PMS and menopause! Try it here >

2. Cobra Pose >

Snake into this low-impact exercise to strengthen the shoulders, abdominals and glutes. It can even open and stretch the chest and back. Cobra Pose may help sufferers of asthma and sciatica, provide comfort for overworked and stressed muscles and improve flexibility. Breathe through the elongating and soothing stretch, with care not to overextend your back, which can lead to injury. Try it here >

3. Downward Facing Dog >

This is a classic pose that even non-yogis know and love. It’s a great standby to slip into for a quick midday stretch at the office, an unwinding routine after a long day or post-workout relief. Targeting the back, shoulders, arms, hamstrings and calves, this simple and blissful pose is a finger to toe stretch that has the power to help relax your entire body, calm anxiety, increase energy, soothe digestions, improve your mood and more! Try it here >

4. Cat and Cow Poses >

The cat and cow pose combination is a fabulous stretch to soothe and strengthen the chest, back and neck, while helping to reduce stress and aid in the flow of the digestive system. Performing these poses together is also associated with improved posture over time and lengthening of the spine. Once you get your groove of smoothly transitioning from one pose to the next, you’ll slip into back, neck and chest soothing heaven. Try it here >

5. Chair Pose >

Spending all day in the car… or at a desk? You need a low-impact exercise that will undo this burden on your body. Add Chair Pose to the routine. This yoga for beginners move will reactivate those leg muscles without any rapid movements or heavy weights. Just squat and rise to your toes. You’ll better your balance over time, so don’t feel silly if it takes awhile to ace the pose. Try it here >

6. Warrior II >

Welcome a low-impact exercise that actually has an impact, because this pose might have you feeling a bit like a warrior. Warrior II is a fantastic way to ignite and stretch all of the muscles in your body. Legs to arms, you’ll definitely feel it. Extend one leg back and bend the other forward, as if performing a lunge. Just remember to keep your knee at a right angle to the floor to avoid straining your joints. Stretch out your arms, and keep your gaze forward. Try it here >

7. Modified Side Plank >

Want to tone your tummy? Modified Side Plank it is! Yoga for beginners is turned on its side with a low-impact exercise that targets your belly regions. As the name implies, Modified Side Plank is a pose that requires raising off of the floor and balancing on one side. Our quick video demonstrates it all in less than a minute, but you’ll feel yourself hitting muscles you’ve forgotten you even have. Even if you do crunches all day (a massive strain on your neck by the way), you’re not getting that laser focus on your sides. If you’re targeting a whole muffin top region, you’ll want to get it all! Try it here >

*Always consult a doctor before beginning any exercise routine.

The post 7 Low-Impact Exercises You Can Do at Home appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/low-impact-exercise-yoga-for-beginners/

Is your fridge filled with Thanksgiving leftovers? Give them new life with these seven simple, smart and satisfying recipes! From a savory soup to the perfect panini, these delicious ideas are the perfect way to use up the rest of your holiday feast. Plus, these Thanksgiving leftover recipes fit perfectly into your Nutrisystem weight loss plan!

Here are seven healthy and creative Thanksgiving leftover recipes:

1. Thanksgiving Leftover Soup >

Thanksgiving leftover soup is the perfect way to use up the rest of that holiday feast! This delicious soup recipe can be prepared on the stove top or in your Instant Pot. It features the Thanksgiving basics: Leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, carrots and chicken broth. We also add in some onions, fresh herbs and spices for extra festive flavor.

2. Cranberry Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato >

If you have any extra baked sweet potatoes in your fridge, you have to try this Thanksgiving leftover recipe! They are the perfect vessel to stuff with your favorite holiday ingredients. This Cranberry Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potato contains two of our favorites: Leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. We also add in some steamed spinach to help you get in your greens, as well as goat cheese for extra creaminess. Yum!

3. Thanksgiving Breakfast Cups >

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner for breakfast! These little breakfast cups feature leftover turkey and any type of potatoes that you have on hand. Whether your family enjoys mashed white potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes (or both!), you can use up any extras in this easy dish that features eggs, nonfat milk and pepper. They are the perfect grab-and-go meal!

4. Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole >

Thanksgiving leftover casserole recipes are also a popular way to finish up your holiday feast. We know everyone has their own family favorites, so we made our healthy version extremely versatile. Of course, it features turkey but you can also choose between leftover roasted potatoes or cubed winter squash. Feel free to also throw in any leftover green veggies that you have, such as spinach, green beans or zucchini. Fresh cranberries add a tart sweetness, while dried thyme and rosemary provide the classic Thanksgiving flavors we all know and love.

5. 3-Ingredient Thanksgiving Stuffing Breakfast Cakes >

You only need three ingredients to make these tasty breakfast cakes! If your family hasn’t finished up your Thanksgiving stuffing, you can use it to make breakfast the next morning. Simply combine it with an egg and some shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese. Form the mixture into patties and cook them in a pan on your stovetop until golden brown. Top each little stuffing cake with a cooked egg before serving.

6. Thanksgiving Leftover Panini >

What’s better (and easier) then turning your leftovers into a sandwich! Our hot and hearty Thanksgiving Leftover Panini is so good, we wish we could enjoy it all year round. Grab a whole wheat sandwich thin and top it with leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, Swiss cheese and some lettuce. Throw it onto a grill or panini press until the cheese is melted and you’ve got Thanksgiving dinner reimagined. It’s that easy! 

7. Turkey Cranberry Salad >

Finish up those leftovers with a light and healthy salad! Turkey and cranberries come together with nonfat plain Greek yogurt to make this creamy, dreamy salad. You can use your choice of dried cranberries or cranberry sauce. Season with pepper, grab a fork and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner number two!

The post Got Leftovers? 7 Recipes to Use Up Your Thanksgiving Feast appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/thanksgiving-leftover-recipes/

Ready or not, here they come…

In case you’ve missed the glaring lights and blaring commercials, it’s official… the holidays are upon us. And Thanksgiving, with all of its food-based traditions, promises to put your weight loss willpower to the test.

According to research from the Calorie Control Council, a typical traditional Thanksgiving dinner can clock in at 3,000 calories. Add to that apps and drinks, and you’ve got yourself a 4,500 calorie meal—that’s more than two times the average daily intake. This same source reports that the average Thanksgiving enthusiast may fill up on close to 230 grams of fat—the fat equivalent of three sticks of butter.

But with a little planning, you can make it through Thanksgiving without putting on more stuffing. Check out these 23 simple strategies sure to help keep the “trim” in your turkey day:

1. Don’t skip breakfast
Don’t “save space” for dinner. We all know what happens when we don’t eat all day—we become ravenous and are more likely to gobble up everything in sight. Plus, when it comes to weight loss, the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day may very well hold true. In a study in the journal Obesity, overweight people who were dieting and ate more calories for breakfast than dinner lost more weight compared with subjects who ate larger evening meals. Make sure to opt for a morning meal that’s high in protein like an egg white veggie omelet or non-fat Greek yogurt with fresh fruit—this will help keep you feeling fuller as you head into the potential diet dark hole that is Thanksgiving dinner.

2. Work in a workout
Be sure to get a good sweat session in before you dive in to dinner. A study published in 2009 in the American Journal of Physiology revealed that vigorous exercise may suppress a key hunger hormone for up to 30 minutes after workouts and can increase the levels of an appetite-suppressing hormone for as long as three hours after exercise. Not convinced? Get this: A 2013 study published in the journal Neuroreport revealed that participants who exercised craved healthier foods, like fiber-rich beans and veggies rather than those packed with refined sugar (think cookies and cakes). The researchers discovered that physical exercise may be linked to reduced activity in the food-responsive reward regions in the brain which, in turn, are linked to a reduced preference for unhealthy high-calorie foods.

3. Don’t pick as you prep
A tiny taste here, a tiny taste there. Before you know it, you’ve consumed a meal’s worth of calories. You don’t normally pick all day long, right? So don’t start now. Eat your regular meals at your regularly scheduled times and limit your splurges to small selections at dinner time. Your waistline will thank you.

4. Bring a helping of healthy
Volunteer to bring a side of roasted veggies, fresh salad or fruit tray, so that if all else fails, you’ve got one healthy option to pile on your plate! Try these delicious Brussels Sprouts with Apple—they’re simple to make and totally guilt-free.

5. Drink water before and during your meal
In a study published in 2015 in the journal Obesity (Silver Springs), participants who drank 500 milliliters of water 30 minutes before a meal lost more weight than those who did not drink up prior to chowing down. But don’t limit your liquids to the time before your meal. Sip water throughout your Thanksgiving meals to keep you feeling fuller and slow down your gobbling.

6. Nix the rolls
Pass on the bread bowl and you could save yourself anywhere from 100 to 200 calories, plus the 100 calories in the butter you would have slathered all over it. With so much food at your disposal, we doubt you’ll even miss it.

7. Use a smaller plate
A study published in 2015 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews revealed that when people—even the health conscious—were given larger plates, they consistently consumed more food than those using smaller plates. The same held true for non-alcoholic beverages consumption—the larger the glass, the bigger the gulps. Opt for a smaller plate at dinner and chances are good you’ll stick to smaller portions.

8. Veg out
Time and again research confirms that high-fiber foods, which provide volume in the body and take longer to digest, help you feel full longer—on fewer calories. Help yourself to high-fiber foods like fruits and veggies, whole grains and bean dishes. Just don’t fall for dishes drenched in butter or creamy sauces, which can be loaded with calories and fat.

9. Fine-tune your turkey selection
For many, it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the taste of turkey. Just make sure to opt for white meat, and don’t eat the skin. With this simple swap, you could save 7 grams of fat and over 50 calories (for a serving size that’s roughly equivalent to a deck of cards). Might not sound like a lot, but tiny trimmings like these can pile up quickly.

10. Put your fork down between bites
Based on a study published in 2014 in the Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, increasing the number of chews during meals can extend the duration of those meals, reduce the speed at which people eat, and lead to less food consumed. Make an effort to put down your fork and chew your food several times before diving in to your next bite. Bonus: You’ll actually taste all of those fabulous flavors when you slow down!

11. Be a ‘Chatty Cathy’
The more you talk, the slower you’ll eat. The slower you eat, the better the chances of your body signaling it is full before you overeat. See #10.

12. Be mindful of extras
Between the gravy, butter and creamy dressings, Thanksgiving add-ons can be total fat traps. Try seasoning your food with spices and herbs, and opt for vinegar-based dressings.

13. Don’t drink your calories
A 12-ounce bottle of pumpkin beer is somewhere in the 200 calorie range. A five ounce glass of spiced apple wine can clock in at 271 calories. Think you’ll save tons of calories avoiding alcohol? Not exactly. A 16-ounce glass of apple cider can cost you almost 230 calories. Wash down your meal with water (see #5), sparkling water, tea or coffee instead and your waistline will thank you.

14. Step away from the table
Once you’ve eaten a normal-sized dinner, kindly remove yourself from the table so you don’t start mindlessly munching. Head to another room in the house or better yet, engage in some good old fashioned family fun (see #15 and #16!).

15. Start an active tradition
Holidays are all about traditions, right? Start a new ritual, like a family football game or a group stroll around the neighborhood. Studies have shown that going for a walk instead of hitting the couch, about 15 minutes after a meal may improve digestion and blood sugar control, and will burn some extra calories. Plus, stepping away from the table for a bit may save you from diving into another pile of potatoes.

16. Focus on the fun
Take the focus off of food and put it back where it belongs—on spending quality time with your loved ones. Bring board games or DVDs. Share in a few rounds of post-dinner charades. Or gather up the troops and hit the local soup kitchen to help serve dinner to the less fortunate. Forget the food—there’s fun to be had!

17. Wait 20 minutes before even considering seconds
Stick to this rule of thumb: If you’re still hungry after 20 minutes (the commonly accepted amount of time it takes for your stomach to send your brain the “I’m stuffed” signal), you can go back for seconds.

18. Ask the hard questions before heading back for more
Before hitting the buffet for a second round, ask yourself if you’re really hungry. Sometimes just seeing a large spread can make us eat more. In fact, in a study published in 2005 in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, when moviegoers were provided stale popcorn in big buckets, they ate 34 percent more than those given the same stale popcorn in smaller tubs. In the case of fresh popcorn, those given large tubs ate almost 50 percent more than those given medium-sized buckets. If you aren’t just being thrown off by a sizable spread, ask yourself: If I could have seconds of just one dish, which would it be? Then opt for that option only.

19. Skip seconds if you plan on doing dessert
Survey the food scene before you dive in for seconds, and map out a strategy. If grandma’s rhubarb pie is on your radar, don’t stuff your face with more stuffing. If you yearn for candy yams year-round, don’t get chummy with the crumb cake. Decide on one or two indulgences you’d like to try ahead of time, and don’t eat everything in sight before you get to them.

20. Don’t be guilted into gobbling
While it’s nice that aunt so-and-so brought her world-famous pie, that doesn’t mean you have to eat it. If you’re going to enjoy foods you might normally avoid, make sure you do the picking. Feel uncomfortable refusing? Tell your aunt you’re too stuffed but you’ll take it to-go. If you’re lucky, she’ll forget, if you’re not so lucky and she piles on the pie, give a loved one your leftovers.

21. Fill up on fruit for dessert
Remember how we told you to bring healthier dishes (see #4)? A fruit tray is a great option. That way, when everyone else is pigging out on apple pie, you can enjoy some fresh apple slices with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

22. Leave the leftovers
If you can get away with it, leave the doggy bag for the other diners. While one day of indulging won’t destroy your diet, several in a row certainly can. Pass on the extra potatoes and remove all temptation tomorrow.

23. Don’t miss the point–family!
We bet that this time next year you won’t even be able to recall what exactly you ate at Thanksgiving this year. The taste of dessert is fleeting; memories with your family are forever. Take this time, when there is no work or school or real life to worry about, and enjoy the time you have with your loved ones. Cherish the company, not the food.

The post 23 Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/23-ways-to-lose-weight-this-thanksgiving/

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. If you’re a woman looking to lose weight and become the healthiest version of yourself, we’ve got a few simple tips to help! While eating a healthy diet and finding time for exercise are key to shedding extra pounds, you can also make some tiny tweaks to your routine to help you reach your goals. These 10 metabolism-boosting tips for women include small changes that you can make to your meal plan, exercise and lifestyle for weight loss success!

1. Pick Protein

We all love foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as pasta, potatoes and pastries. However, your metabolism burns more calories when you’re digesting protein. In fact, eating protein increases your metabolic rate by 15 to 30 percent, compared to 5 to 10 percent for carbs and 0 to 3 percent for fats, according to the journal Nutrition and Metabolism. Be sure to include healthy, lean forms of protein with your snacks and meals. The best sources of protein are PowerFuels, such as eggs, chicken, canned tuna and peanut butter.

2. Maintain Muscle

Men’s bodies tend to have a higher percentage of muscle than fat, while women are the opposite. “Because muscle burns more calories than fat, men may be able to burn more calories at rest than women,” says the Office on Women’s Health. Overweight women who regularly do resistance training have been shown to maintain more muscle mass and have higher metabolism rates than women who do just aerobic exercise (such as walking), according to a study, published in the journal Obesity.

Lifting weights is just one form of resistance training. Simple squats, lunges and push-ups also build muscle and you can do them anywhere. Not ready to do standard push-ups? Try them while standing up with your hands pushing against the wall or a counter instead of the floor.

3. Walk Up

There’s no question that exercise can increase your metabolism. Daily walks for 30 minutes—all at once or in 10-minute segments throughout the day—can burn about 178 calories in a 185-pound person, says Harvard Health Publishing. Add a hill or a stairway to your route and you can turn up your metabolism by almost 15 percent, according to study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

4. Stand Up

Many of us spend too much time sitting at desks or at workstations all day long. Standing up keeps your metabolism more active. In fact, compared to sitting, an afternoon of standing at work can burn an extra 174 calories, according to the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

5. Stay Hydrated

Your body needs a constant supply of water to burn calories and fuel your metabolism. Drinking two eight-ounce glasses of water has been shown to increase resting metabolism by up to 30 percent for about an hour. This calorie-burning effect may be even greater if you drink cold water, as your body uses energy to heat it up to body temperature, say researchers who shared their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Be aware that you can be mildly dehydrated and not feel thirsty. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism slows down.

6. Eat Often

Research suggests that eating smaller, balanced meals throughout the day promotes greater weight loss and maintenance. That’s because it keeps you satisfied and prevents you from getting too hungry. However, it may also play a role in metabolism.

According to Duke University Health System, “Duke research finds that overeating can also change your metabolism – meaning how the cells in your body process the food you consume – and that can lead to chronic health problems including diabetes. Smaller, more frequent meals are optimal, the researchers say.” They recommend consuming smaller, more frequent meals to keep your metabolism running smoothly.

“Mini-meals can aid in satisfying the appetite, stabilizing blood sugar levels, and providing nutrients to the body throughout the day. Smaller, more frequent meals in your daily eating patterns also can aid in a more efficient metabolism compared to a slower metabolism when meals are skipped,” says Cleveland Clinic. On the Nutrisystem program, you’ll eat every two to three hours for a total of six times a day.

7. Brew a Cup

The caffeine in your daily cup of coffee can boost your metabolism by up to 11 percent, according to research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Just be sure you don’t undermine the benefits of coffee by loading your cup with high-fat creamers or sugary flavorings. Black coffee is a Free Food with your Nutrisystem weight loss plan.

8. Go Green

Green tea is high in many helpful nutrients, including a group of unique substances known as catechins. They are antioxidants, which protect your body from “free radicals,” rogue cells that are linked to a variety of ailments. Catechins have also been shown to increase the metabolism and specifically trigger your body to burn fat, says the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Consumption of green tea extracts has been shown to increase fat oxidation and energy expenditure, particularly if combined with a metabolic stimulant such as caffeine,” says researchers. Just like with coffee, unsweetened green tea is a Free Food on Nutrisystem.

9. Get Spicy

The ingredient in hot peppers that gives them their zing, capsaicin, not only warms your body but may also turn up your metabolic rate. According to Healthline, “Researchers believe that capsaicin is a thermogenic chemical. A thermogenic chemical may help speed up your metabolism and decrease your appetite.” You don’t have to eat raw peppers to get the benefits of this spicy kick. Spice up your menu by sprinkling your food with hot sauce, cayenne powder or dried red pepper flakes—they’re all calorie-free so you can use as much of them as your taste buds like.

10. Sleep Longer

For many busy women, the days start early and end late. To keep your metabolism working steadily, you need to consistently get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. When you regularly sleep less, it disrupts your body’s levels of leptin and ghrelin, the two hormones that regulate your appetite and metabolism, says the International Journal of Endocrinology. Even better, a good night’s sleep prepares you to take on another full day of responsibilities.

Become unstoppable with a personalized weight loss plan!

With the all-new Nutrisystem, you have the option to personalize your program to YOU. Not only are they tailored to your gender but also your age, height, weight, body type and activity level. The best part? You get perfectly portioned meals delivered directly to your home, making weight loss more convenient than ever! Click here to get started! >

The post 10 Metabolism-Boosting Tips for Women appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/10-metabolism-boosting-tips-for-women/

It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Which, for many of us, means total diet destruction is officially on the horizon. But here’s the thing: You can still enjoy all the deliciousness of this food-heavy holiday without committing to an entire season of stretchy pants. Find all the guidance you need to get your fill of the festivities (and the food!) with our ultimate guide: 23 Ways to Lose Weight This Thanksgiving.

And show up to your gatherings with any of the guilt-free Thanksgiving recipes below. They’re delicious and on-plan. So you can enjoy the festive fare without ever having to worry about sabotaging your slim-down.

1. Green Bean Casserole

2. Twice Baked Cauliflower Casserole

3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple

4. Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mashed Faux-tatoes

5.Stuffed Acorn Squash

6. Simple Slow Cooker Apple Sauce

7. Butternut Squash Turkey Chili

8. Easy Thumbprint Cookies

9. Butternut Squash Chicken Chowder

10. Crock Pot Pumpkin Rice Pudding

11. Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

12. Savory Roasted Artichokes

13. Crustless Pumpkin Pie

14. Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots

15. Skinny Mashed Sweet Potatoes

16. 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies

17. Beetroot and Quinoa Superfood Salad

18. Filling Fennel Salad

19. 5-Ingredient Banana Nut Muffins

20. Vegetable Tian

21. Slow Cooker Kale & Beef Meatballs

The post 21 Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes You’ll Love appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/21-healthy-thanksgiving-recipes-youll-love/

You know to pass on a late-night latte if you have any intention of falling asleep at a reasonable time. You’re also pretty good about limiting yourself to one episode on Netflix, instead of binge-watching into the wee hours of the night. However, what you may not realize is that there are plenty of other sneaky habits in your nighttime routine that could be standing in the way of restful sleep.

A consistent sleep schedule is important for lots of reasons: According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, it helps to keep your body healthy and mind refreshed. It improves mood, reduces stress and decreases your risk for health issues like diabetes and heart disease. Plus, it can even help you keep your weight loss on track. To get the most out of your shuteye, make sure you avoid these six sleep-sabotaging habits!

1. You Facebook before bed.

You intend a quick check but end up in a rabbit hole of posts and pictures. Not only will you lose much-needed shuteye to endless scrolling but the mere act of tapping through your smartphone to scan social media or logging onto your laptop to send a late-night email keeps your brain on high alert and your body wide-awake. Plus, the light from the screen may also hinder the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you get a more restful sleep. “Blue light can also reduce the amount of time you spend in slow-wave and rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, two stages of the sleep cycle that are vital for cognitive functioning,” says the National Sleep Foundation. Reduce your screen time by unplugging from all electronics at least an hour before bed—including the TV. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The hour before bed should consist of relaxing activities that don’t involve devices with screens.

2. You skip your workout.

Regular physical activity not only helps you fall asleep more quickly but it also plunges you into deeper slumber for a longer period of time. According to Sleep.org, “People who get the recommended amount of exercise are 65 percent less likely to feel drowsy during the day. That may be because exercisers fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and have higher-quality shut-eye than non-exercisers.”

One very important caveat: don’t work up a sweat too close to bedtime. Intense exercise can raise your core body temperature and trigger the release of hormones that make it harder to unwind and drift off to dreamland, says The Better Sleep Council. Save the heavy-duty exercise for at least four hours before bed; closer to snooze-time, stick to yoga or stretching.

Boost weight loss and improve your slumber with this before-bed exercise routine! >

3. You eat dinner late.

Sometimes you can’t help it: a never-ending work meeting, unexpected traffic or extra innings at your kid’s baseball game may set your evening meal back. Eating a big dinner right before bed could leave you tossing and turning with indigestion and heartburn as your body works to digest your food—particularly if it’s heavy or spicy, says the National Sleep Foundation. Ideally, The Better Sleep Council recommends trying to eat two to three hours before you go bed. If unforeseen circumstances delay dinner, keep your last meal light.

4. You sleep in on weekends.

Grabbing extra ZZZ’s certainly seems like a smart idea. However, doing so may actually mess with your sleep cycle. Of all the advice you hear and read, the most important is to stick to a sleep schedule. That means going to bed the same time every night and getting up the same hour every morning—even on weekends. “Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle,” says Mayo Clinic. So, how much sleep do you really need? The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours each night for adults and seven to eight hours for older adults (65 or older).

5. You sip a nightcap with the evening news.

Alcohol may make you tired, but a glass or two of wine won’t help you sleep soundly. The effects of alcohol on sleep are well known. Research shows that drinking alcohol before bed keeps you from reaching the deep, restorative stages of sleep, says TheSleepDoctor.com. Instead, patterns will more closely resemble a resting state, resulting in waking up tired and bleary-eyed. TheSleepDoctor.com recommends avoiding alcohol within three hours of bedtime.

6. You lay awake in bed.

You fluff and re-fluff your pillow, adjust and readjust your blankets and get all kinds of frustrated. If this happens a lot, you may start to associate your bed with anxiety and not being asleep. “It helps to have a healthy mental connection between being in bed and actually being asleep.  For that reason, if after 20 minutes you haven’t gotten to sleep, get up and stretch, read, or do something else calming in low light before trying to fall asleep again.” says the National Sleep Foundation.

The post How to Get Better Sleep: 6 Habits That Are Disrupting Your Sleep Cycle appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://leaf.nutrisystem.com/how-to-get-better-sleep/