Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Diet Preparaton -- The Impact of Sleep and Stress

Diet Preparaton -- The Impact of Sleep and Stress

When you have started a diet in the past, how much sincere and attentive focus did you give to preparing for your diet? Isn't it true that usually you are getting the food together a particular diet requires, buying yet another tread mill (or hauling out the old one covered in dust from the last diet), getting another gym membership, planning that last big blowout gluttonous meal you're going to eat because you are going to have to starve for the next eight weeks.

The above really isn't an exaggeration. People spend a lot of time preparing everything else for their new diet program except the body!
If you are to succeed in keeping weight off, you must take seriously the preparation of the whole person--body, mind, and soul, right? Of course you do!

In the next few articles, I will focus on two very important and related components of preparing your body for weight loss programs: sleep and stress.

Think about these two questions. Question 1: "What are your chances of actually losing the weight you want to lose? Question 2: What are the chances you'll keep that weight off for at least five years? If you have been on the fad diet band wagon even once in your life, you already look at those two questions warily and with some doubt about your success. I would venture a guess and say that most of us have tried more than one diet that promised fast results with very little if any hunger and no exercise, right?

Take a look at most fad diets or weight loss programs, and you will find missing two very important components. These fad diets and online diet programs fail to give enough, if any, importance to an important key that could more than double your chances of losing weight and keeping it off.

What am I talking about? How getting a good night's sleep can make all the difference in your weight loss success.

Actually, we can place stress alongside sleep as the two are so very important to each other. If you are under a lot stress, most likely you aren't getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to more stress. Now try to take seriously any diet program when you have that kind of stress/sleeplessness cycle, and you are asking for failure.
Evaluating and, perhaps, changing our sleep patterns or lack thereof is not a short term fad diet fix. Remember: It's not about a diet; it's about a way of life. If you are going to lose the weight you want to lose and keep it off, you must stop thinking in terms of another "diet," and start thinking in terms of a way of life. You need to establish a pattern of life where YOU are in control instead of being at the mercy of what goes on at your office or what is going on in your family.

Having counseled countless couples, singles, married, divorced and you name it people during nearly 20 years as a spiritual leader and guide, I am not suggesting that we don't have to deal with life's issues and challenges. Quite the contrary. I am suggesting that you deal with those issues by taking the necessary steps to take control of your daily patterns and habits which will lead to a healthy psychological and physical wellbeing.

In other words, if you are eating right, exercising regularly, and getting a good night's sleep each night, you will be better equipped emotionally and physcally to take on stress. Here are some thoughts on why sleep and stress are so important.

If you consistently deprive yourself of sleep it can lead to a state of sleep deprivation. Typically, everyone goes through periods of sleep deprivation in their life. Remember staying up all night, maybe more than one, when you were in finals week in college? Or if you have a child, you definitely have experienced, or are experiencing now, periods where you deprive your body of sleep.

But there is a great difference in intermittent times of going without sleep because we choose to and patterns of sleep deprivation brought on by illness or, most common, stress.

Be sure to look for my next article in this series which deals with what happens to the body when it doesn't get enough sleep. These articles will lead to a thourough understanding of why the body needs rest and relief from stress and I will show you concrete steps you can take to make sure you are getting the best night's sleep possible.

For more information on diet preparations and other aspects of how to make your diet the most health and productive, visit diet preparation

Cheers to your weight loss success!

Mark A. Fuqua
Chief Editor and Consultant
diet preparation

With 3 earned degrees and more than 16 years of experience as spiritual leader, pastor, director of marketing and investment banker, Mark Fuqua brings to the discussion table a breadth and depth of unique experience coupled with academic acumen. He is Consultant and Chief Editor of Diet Basics, a website dedicated to healthy weight loss success.

green cleaning service Glencoe ..

In The News:

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Fake airline texts claiming flight cancellations are targeting travelers with convincing scams. Learn how cybercriminals steal personal data and credit card info.

Discover how iOS 26's new Adaptive Power feature automatically extends iPhone battery life by learning your usage patterns and adjusting performance intelligently.

New TikTok malware campaign tricks users into running PowerShell commands that download Aura Stealer, which steals credentials and authentication tokens.

Gaia Family offers fixed upfront pricing for IVF cycles with unlimited embryo transfers and financial protection, partnering with over 100 U.S. fertility clinics.

The Jetsons Act aims to position Pennsylvania as a leader in advanced air mobility by establishing regulations for hybrid ground-air vehicles.

Fake Geek Squad invoice emails are targeting users with convincing charges and urgent phone numbers to steal personal information and money.

Fox News Digital's artificial intelligence newsletter digs into a robot in Russia that faceplanted, George Clooney's alarm and OpenAI's rivalry with the New York Times.

Major data breach at Conduent exposes personal information of 10+ million people. Government contractor hit by cyberattack affecting Medicaid, child support systems.

Texas startup Janta Power raises $5.5M for innovative vertical solar towers that generate 50% more energy than traditional panels while using just one-third the land.

NASA's twin ESCAPADE spacecraft launched aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket Thursday afternoon from Cape Canaveral, beginning their journey to Mars with arrival expected in 2027.

Learn how to set email reminders on iPhone and Android so you never forget to reply again. Simple built-in features help you stay organized and on top of messages.

Discover how Apple's passkeys revolutionize Mac security by replacing vulnerable passwords with biometric authentication and encryption for ultimate protection.

New survey reveals 78% of parents fear AI scams targeting their kids, yet nearly half haven't discussed these threats. Learn why this dangerous gap exists.

Chrome now autofills passport and driver's license info automatically. Google's latest browser update adds official document support with encryption and user control.

Scammers impersonate Department of Veterans Affairs employees claiming veterans owe money, but real VA communications only direct to VA.gov or official channels.

The AltoVolo Sigma hybrid-electric aircraft flies 500 miles at 220 mph while operating 80% quieter than helicopters, featuring safety systems and compact design.

Google search scam alert: fake customer service numbers can give scammers remote control of your phone. Learn how to spot these traps and protect yourself.

Electric vehicles overtake gas cars in total CO2 savings after just two years of driving, with emissions benefits growing over time as power grids get cleaner.

Diet Preparaton -- The Impact of Sleep and Stress

Weight Loss