Now is not the time to get sensitive, but I’m about to point the finger at you.
If you are like most people who struggle with their weight or simply have difficulty looking the way you want, odds are you have an eating problem. And it’s not necessarily that you eat the wrong foods—it’s that you eat too much.
Ok, so that’s the obvious part. But why do you eat too much? It’s clearly a hunger issue, but one that confuses most people. Whether you wake up needing food, are scavenging for snacks at work, or come home famished, your stomach seems to be in perpetual starvation mode no matter how much you eat.
One night of insufficient sleep (less than 6 hours) triggers an area in your brain that is involved with your need to eat.
The problem might not be your appetite, but rather a big issue happening behind the scenes and beyond food selection.
Recent research has found out one of the main reasons why you’re always hungry, and it has nothing to do with what you are putting in your mouth.
The problem is how you’re sleeping.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that a lack of sleep impacts your brain in a way that pushes you towards a “see food” diet, which explains why you always want to eat.
Just how bad is it? Only one night of insufficient sleep (less than 6 hours) triggers an area in your brain that is involved with your need to eat.
Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg. A lack of sleep also increases ghrelin, a hormone that increase appetite, while decreasing leptin—the hormone that keeps you feeling full. This is what allows you to keep on eating…and eating…and eating…even as you put more energy (food) into your body. The topic is something that plagued hundreds of test subjects in Engineering the Alpha.
It’s mind control, and you have no solution other than to get more rest, or be forced into a world where you desire more food when you don’t need it.
It might sound crazy, but sleep really can—and will—help reduce your physiological need for food. And while that’s not the only thing driving hunger, it can make a big difference.
Eat the Way You Want
If you want personalized help controlling your hunger and eating the food you love, you can work directly with a Born Fitness coach. Whether you are trying to lose weight or gain muscle, you’ll receive 1-on-1 coaching and a catered plan.
Adam Bornstein is a New York Times bestselling author and the author of You Can’t Screw This Up. He is the founder of Born Fitness, and the co-founder of Arnold’s Pump Club (with Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Pen Name Consulting. An award-winning writer and editor, Bornstein was previously the Chief Nutrition Officer for Ladder, the Fitness and Nutrition editor for Men’s Health, Editorial Director at LIVESTRONG.com, and a columnist for SHAPE, Men’s Fitness, and Muscle & Fitness. He’s also a nutrition and fitness advisor for LeBron James, Cindy Crawford, Lindsey Vonn, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. According to The Huffington Post, Bornstein is “one of the most inspiring sources in all of health and fitness.” His work has been featured in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, Fast Company, ESPN, and GQ, and he’s appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and E! News.