Sabotage!

Children can be so cute.

Especially when they are like this:

or this:      or this:

But these sleeping angels have also managed to sabotage my weight loss intentions!

I was fooled. My firstborn slept from her dream feed at 11pm to 7am from 10 weeks old and from 7am- 7pm at 16 weeks. Getting babies to sleep is straight forward! Or so I thought… but second time round it was different- as she only slept from when I introduced solids and third time round… well… he sleeps best at his daytime nap! He has got worse since our move and recently I have been reminded (again) why I am still struggling to lose the baby weight 3 years on.

So here are My 5 reasons why sleep deprivation causes weight gain: 

1. I crave a sugar hit. When I am tired, I crave a sugar hit to give me more energy. A piece of fruit just won’t cut it- cake or chocolate is in order. 
2. I have no willpower. Which makes No 1. a sure winner!
3. I’m hungrier. Studies have shown that lack of sleep can affect appetite controls and lead to over eating. (www.webms.boots.com/sleep-disorders)
4. I have no energy to exercise. Even though I know it will give me more energy- I don’t exercise when I am tired! 
5. I’m awake for longer so have more time to eat. If I have eaten supper with the children at 6pm and am still up at 10:30, I’m starting to get peckish and so I raid the biscuit cupboard…

So my starting point in trying to lose the ‘Mummy Tummy’ before the summer is to get more sleep.

Easy- if I can get J to sleep through the night!

If you have enjoyed my post- why don’t you pay a visit to A Word in Your Ear where I got my inspiration for the post from this week’s Word of the Week Challenge and see what is happening there.