Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Sleep is a critical factor in weight maintenance and weight loss. Many college students do not get enough sleep for various reasons. If you find that you can't fall asleep at night or have trouble sleeping through the night, the things you do in the hours before you climb in to bed may be to blame. Having a good evening routine is important for falling asleep and staying asleep through the night.


What You Can Do During the Day
Eat Dinner Early
Avoid fatty foods late at night as they will take longer for your stomach to digest, which may make sleeping difficult. Try not to eat fatty foods at least 3 hours before going to sleep. If you get hunger late at night avoid heavy foods that cannot digest quickly. Some good choices for a late night snack include Chamomile tea, walk milk (keep it skim or 1%), a few slices of turkey, bananas, honey, oatmeal, flax seed, and whole wheat bread.
Move Around After Dinner
Avoid post-meal drowsiness by doing some type of activity after dinner. You don't have to go to the gym or run miles, that would actually be counter-productive. Do some household chores such as washing the dishes, folding laundry, or taking out the trash.
Skip the Afternoon Nap
You may think that taking an afternoon nap may recharge you for the rest of the day, but the opposite is often true. Napping often leaves your groggy and can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.
Get Regular Exercise
Engaging in regular exercise can help you sleep better at night. Logging your exercise minutes in the afternoon is most beneficial for better shuteye at night. Be cautious of vigorous activity at night as it may negatively affect your sleep.

Your Evening Routine
Leave your Work at Work
This may be difficult during college, but try to complete your school work as early in the day as possible.
Find Yor Perfect Bedtime
To get the best sleep, get on the same schedule every day. Yes, even on the weekend! You will get the most benefit from sleeping for 7-8 hours each night, and this amount of sleep has been shown to be most beneficial for weight maintenance.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol
You drink caffeine to stay awake and boost your energy so consuming caffeine in the evening and even throughout the day can affect the way you sleep at night. If you feel that you must consume caffeine, try to do so before 3 pm. On to alcohol...Even though you may feel that you fall asleep faster and sleep better when you consume alcohol, you are not getting quality sleep. Alcohol throws off your normal sleep cycle causing you to wake up tired and not re-energized.
Avoid Screen-time Before Bed
Computer screens and TVs emit blue light which has been found to suppress melatonin, the hormone that encourages your body to sleep. Try reading a book before bed or writing in a journal. If you find that you are studying at night, try to complete assignments that involve computer use first and save reading for before going to sleep.

For more information on this topic you can view the complete article here.

Get more out of your workout with HIIT

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and may be your solution to squeezing a workout into your busy life! HIIT has the potential to allow you to burn more calories, lose more fat, and improve your cardiovascular fitness all while spending less time in the gym. High Intensity Interval Training however is not for everyone.
This type of training is very physically demanding and should only be practiced by intermediate or advanced exercisers. HIIT workouts will improve both the aerobic and anaerobic energy release in your body by exercising at your maximum in short intervals. As a result, your body cranks up your metabolism and shifts it into calorie-burner mode. When you do a HIIT workout you not only burn more calories during the session, but you will continue to burn more calories even after you have left the gym. HIIT workouts are structured with period of steep peaks and deep valleys. this interval pattern drastically improves both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, which increases the body's ability to burn fat.

HIIT is different from other forms of interval training in that the high intensity intervals are done at your maximum effort. Other forms of interval training often have you push just to 85% of your maximum heart rate. During HIIT workouts you are going all out, putting every ounce of effort into your workout for a very short amount of time (usually 1-2 minutes).

Is HIIT for you?
Answer these questions with "yes" or "no":

• Can you currently exercise for at least 20 minutes at 70-85% of your estimated maximum heart rate (220-your age)?
• Can you do a full month of 30 minutes of intense cardio workouts 3 times a week?
• Do you have a healthy heart?
• Do you have strong knees and joints?

If you answered "yes" to all of the questions that's great! You are ready to add HIIT into your workouts. If you answered "no" to 1 or more of the questions, then HIIT may not be for you - at least not for now.

You're Ready to Try HIIT -Now What??

HIIT can be used with many different types of cardio workout including running, swimming, biking, etc. As I said earlier, HIIT workouts will allow you to cut your workout time and provide you with 9x the calorie and fat burning potential of a traditional cardio workout. For more HIIT guidelines to keep yourself safe, read through the General HIIT Guidelines from Sparkpeople.
Here's some sample workouts to get you started!

Train Smart with HIIT
HIIT is both tough and tiring. Make sure you fuel your body with proper nutrition, lots of water, and plenty of rest. Make HIIT part of a structured plan. To get the most out of HIIT, you can't just push your body indefinitely. When training with HIIT, results and physical improvements only occur for short periods of time, so make sure to change up your workouts every 3-4 weeks. Also, to avoid doing damage to muscle tissue never do HIIT workouts two days in a row. You'll burn plenty of calories by including HIIT workouts just 2-3 times a week.

Info to Share!

I wanted to share the info with you that Jill Kindy, RD gave us at the Lunch & Learn yesterday. If you're looking for healthy foods to eat on or off campus this is a great place to get some ideas!

Healthy Eating on Campus
At Campus Dining Facilities

• Deli sandwich (limit the sauce/dressing)
• Grilled chicken sandwich
• Baked or grilled chicken breast
• Baked or grilled fish
• Roast Pork
• London Broil
• International Station options
• Pasts with marinara (with or without meat)
• Salad Bar (limit dressing or use low fat variety)
• Fruits and vegetables
• Broth based soup
• Veggie Burgers

Near Campus Options

• 6" sub/pita sandwiches - turkey, grilled chicken, ham, veggie (limit the mayo/dressing), with baked chips or fruit
• Chicken or steak burrito (no cheese or sour cream)
• Pasta with Marinara or meat sauce
• Regular hamburger/cheeseburger, with apples (no fries)
• Regular roast beef sandwich
• Grilled chicken sandwich/salad (limit sauce/dressing)

What to Have in your room/apartment

• Whole grain bread, English muffins, bagels, tortillas
• Peanut butter & jelly
• Lunch meats -turkey, ham or roast beef
• Tuna fish (packed in water)
• Cheese
• Low fat yogurt
• Low fat milk
• Scrambled eggs (cook for 90 seconds in the microwave)
• Broth-based soups
• Canned fruits (packed in lite syrup/own juice)
• Microwavable potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Whole grain cereal
• Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers
• Nuts
• Whole grain crackers
• Low fat popcorn

Healthy Eats Available at Campus Convenience Stores
Breakfast

• Cereal - Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Special K, Total, Wheaties, Frosted Mini-Wheat, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Bear Naked Fit Granola
• Milk, orange juice, apple juice, V8 vegetable juice, soy milk
• Bars - Nature Valley Oats & Honey, Kashi, Fiber One
• Yogurt
• Fruit - apples, oranges, strawberries, grapes, canned peaches
• Peanut butter on 100% whole wheat bread

Lunch/Dinner (entrees and sides)

• Sandwiches - 100% whole wheat bread, deli meats and sliced cheese, peanut butter & jelly
• Tuna Fish
• Frozen Meals - Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine
• Soups - tomato, chicken noodle, chicken and rice, vegetable, vegetable beef
• Pre-made salad with grilled chicken
• Baked beans
• Vegetable - canned, frozen, or raw

Snacks

• Almonds, cashews
• Fruits
• Light popcorn
• Yogurt
• Pretzels
• Bars - Kashi, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Nutrigrain
• Wheat Thins, Triscuits
• String cheese
• Raisins
• Graham crackers
• Beef Jerky
• Trail mix
• Peanut butter crackers
• Pudding

Healthy Snacks for Eating on the Run

• Pretzels
• String Cheese
• Soft Pretzels
• Fruit Smoothies
• Cheese & Crackers
• Carrot Sticks
• Protein Bars
• Peanut Butter & Jelly
• Graham Crackers
• Raisin Toast
• Dry Whole Grain Cereal
• Half Sandwich
• Rice Cakes
• Low-fat Milk
• Applesauce
• Small Milk Shakes
• Slice of Pizza
• Fruit
• Yogurt
• Fruit Juice
• Muffins
• Bagel with Cream Cheese
• Vegetable Juice
• Peanut Butter & Crackers
• Granola Bars
• Snack Bars
• Popcorn
• Three Bean Salad
• Pudding
• Fig Bars
• Celery Sticks with Peanut Butter
• Vanilla Wafers
• Gingersnaps
• English Muffin Pizza
• Snack Sized Canned Tuna
• Cereal and Milk
• Vegetable Soup
• Sunflower Seeds
• Nuts
• Instant Breakfast Drinks
• Yogurt Smoothies

Healthy Mini-Meals

• Fruit Smoothie: 1/2 cup frozen fruit, 1 cup non-fat yogurt, 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 apple, fruit juice, 4 fig bars
• 1/2 cantaloupe stuffed with cottage cheese
• Peanut butter & jelly sandwich, skim milk, banana
• Bagel, English muffin with melted cheese & tomato
• 1/2 tuna fish sandwich, carrots, skim milk
• Pita bread topped with beans and melted cheese
• Vegetable soup with whole grain roll or crackers
• 2 turkey slices, lettuce & tomato on a tortilla
• Hummus and pita bread wedges
• Cereal and low-fat milk
• Chili stuffed baked potato topped with low-fat cheese
• Bagel with cream cheese and a slice of fruit
• Pita bread stuffed with vegetables, beans or cheese, and low-fat salad dressing

Weight Loss Tips

• Eat breakfast - this helps boost your metabolism
• Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, 4-5 days per week
• Eat healthfully - balance, variety, moderation
• Limit high calorie drinks (sodas, lemonade, alcoholic beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks)
• Eat when you are hungry (not when you are bored, stressed, procrastinating, etc...)
• Stop when you are satisfied.full (not when the plate is clean or the bag is empty, etc...)
• Limit late night eating. If you are hungry, a healthy snack is okay - just don't have a 2nd dinner
• Get adequate sleep

Calorie Balance

As a fitness professional, the 2 questions that I get asked the most frequently are both centered around calories. How many calories should I be eating? And, how many calories do we burn from this workout? Having the answers to these two questions is essential to finding the correct calorie balance. There are 3 factors that determine your calorie requirements.

1. Basal Metabolic Rate: This is the minimum amount of energy needed by the body at rest. It includes basic body functions such as respiration, cellular metabolism, circulation, gland activity, and body temperature control. It is affected by such things as age, gender, pregnancy, body composition, nutritional status, sleep, climate, and fever.
2. Physical Activity: The amount of calories needed for physical activity depends on the type of activity or work, the intensity and the duration.
3. Specific Dynamic Action of Food: This is the amount of calories needed to manage food intake and includes digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food.

Balancing the calories you take in with those you put out is the safest, healthiest way to control your weight – for the next two weeks, or the next 20 years. Finding the correct calorie balance is important whether you are someone trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your current weight. When calculating your calorie intake, make sure to calculate with your ideal weight. So if you are currently 160 pounds but are trying to lose 20 pounds, make sure to use 140 pounds when you calculate. Same thing if you are trying to gain weight, just add the weight you want to gain onto your current weight.
A word of caution for anyone who needs to lose more than 60 pounds; don't calculate your calorie needs with your final ideal weight. You should instead calculate your calorie needs in phases to ensure that your body is getting enough energy so that it doesn't enter "Starvation Mode" (i'll get to this later). Start by calculating your initial needs with a 30-40 lb. weight decrease from where you currently are. Then when you have 10 lbs. to go in phase 1 recalculate your calorie needs for the phase 2. Continue this process until you have reached your ideal weight.

Calculating Calorie Needs
Step 1: Calculate BMR  (W = weight in kg, H = height in cm, A = age in years)

For Males, BMR= 66 + 13.7W + 5H - 6.8A

For Females, BMR= 655 + 9.7W + 1.8H - 4.7A

W(kg) = W(lb.) x 0.4536          H(cm) = H(in.) x 2.54

Step 2: Add in calories for purposeful exercise. Since most people do not track their calories during exercise choose your activity level from the following:

• If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
• If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
• If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
• If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

So now you know how many calories you should be consuming eachday. If you are trying to lose weight, here's some advise.  It takes about 3500 calories to make one pound of fat. So to lose one pound, you can:

• Burn 3,500 excess calories (if you have a few hours to kill) 
• Eat 3,500 fewer calories (starvation diet, anyone?)
• A combination of exercise and diet (the best option)

For example, to lose one pound in a week, you could simple create a calorie deficit of 500 per day (7x500 = 3,500). That could be as simple as cutting out one donut (280 calories) and jogging for 25 minutes (240 calories) each day.

Starvation Mode
There is a common misperception that to lose weight, the lower the calories the better. Ironically, the key may be eating more calories. You can actually hurt your body's ability to lose weight by going too low. Here's why. The body has a protective mechanism, and when calories drop too low the body reacts as if it is starving and tries to conserve energy. It will lower your metabolism, conserve calories and fat, and you will not burn calories as quickly. This results in a slower weight loss or even no weight loss. This is what's know as "Starvation Mode". When calorie intake falls below 1,200 (females) to 1,500 (males) calories a day, it is also extremely difficult to follow a balanced diet and obtain all the nutrients that are needed by the body to stay strong and energetic and prevent disease. These very low calorie intakes can also lead to other health problems such as eating disorders, gout, gallstones, and heart complications.
No matter what your ideal weight, you should never go below 1,200 calories a day for females and 1,500 calories a day for males. Remember, your body is still burning calories for energy not matter what you are doing. You just burnt calories as you sat here reading this post (approximately 68 calories per hour for a 150 lb. individual). I will be adding some resources into the Fitness tab at the top of the page to estimate calorie burn during activity. So if you're curious approximately how many calories you burn while exercising, check out those resources for a quick estimate!!

And as always, if you have questions or comments about anything I have posted here or even something that I haven't posted about, please reach out to me! Either comment below, post in the Wildcat Wellness Support Group on Facebook, or email me.