How Lose Weight Has Its Breaking Point What Is Yours?

For those of us that have been on a diet or are currently on one our typical days are not always so typical. We wake up energized ready to hit that weight loss diet plan hard and heavy. We know exactly what we are going to eat that morning. We are prepared for a nice walk or perhaps a trip to the gym.

We know how lose weight we have done it a hundred times before!  We get off to a good start everything is going perfectly and by lunchtime we are ready to go off our diet. What went wrong?

Did you know that most diets tend to break down or fall apart in the middle to late afternoon? Is that what usually happens to you?

There have been scientific studies conducted on brain waves that show that often around 3 to 4 PM your body enters a time that researchers have called the “breaking point.” This is a time when your brain waves slow down and your body transitions into a place where it wants to be in a recuperating phase of rest or sleep. This causes your body to experience one of your lowest energy points of your waking hours.

During this phase you may feel less alert, very fatigued, and possibly like you need a nap. You know, that feeling of sluggishness near the end of your workday where it gets harder to think clearly and focus to get your work done.

This low energy time of day is the exact time that a huge percentage of dieters fall off the diet wagon and they reach for food to try to regain energy to get themselves through the rest of their day. Unfortunately these quite often empty calories (usually found in the vending machine) don’t even give you energy — eating simply occupies your brain with action and falsely helps you feel like you have more energy. Or you may get more energy for a brief moment and then drop down into even deeper sluggishness.

The good new is that you really can learn how to lose weight it is just a matter of choices. A better plan (and one that would help you stick with your new healthy diet) is to be very aware that these slower phases occur in your body and brain every day — then make a plan to give yourself what you REALLY need — rather than empty calories — when those sluggish times of low energy hit you.

So what do you really need? Your body really needs a break if at all possible. Grab a quick 20 minute nap or “rest break” if your schedule and environment allow it. You will feel a lot better if you can give your body to rest it wants. That short rest will rejuvenate you for the remainder of the day.

If you can’t take a quick nap, then at least take a small break. Even a five-minute break with a change of pace — away from your desk if possible — where you do some light stretching, take a short walk, grab some fresh air outside and reconnect to your body, your mind, and YOU.

Avoid using food to push yourself through your day. Listen to your body and give it food only when it is hungry and give your body rest when it needs rest. Get in touch with what you REALLY need and you will reach your health and weight loss goals.