Product Description
The words, "You snooze, you lose," have never been truer. Research suggests that fewer zzzs you get, the more likely you are to pack on the pounds. In fact, a recent study shows that those who average less than 4 hours a night are nearly 75 percent more likely to be obese than those who log 7 to 9 hours nightly. Even people who get 6 hours of sleep a night are about 25 percent more apt to be obese. The fact is, lack of sleep affects hormone levels, which can trigger hunger and tell the body to slow down the metabolism and store fat unnecessarily. What's more, when we're exhausted, our body's ability to process sugar drops by about 30 percent--leaving us not just worn down, but at a significantly higher rise of developing type II diabetes. Cherie Calbom has developed a groundbreaking program to harness the power of sleep for optimum weight loss. Perhaps the most doable diet ever, Calbom's 3-week program combines:
* A breakdown of the science behind sleep as a weight loss aid
* Strategies for getting more and better sleep--including solutions for insomnia and sleep disorders
* Relaxation techniques to improve mood and reduce stress and make your nights more restful
* A sleep-well menu program that tells you what to eat and when to eat it for optimum shut-eye

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 3 reviews)

Good science plus great practical help

Cherie Calbom has written another extremely helpful book for those of us who need real help for real problems. I appreciate how she integrates sound scientific research with practical and useful tips for people who need help getting a good night's sleep. Calbom is known for her expertise and precise research as a nutritionist, yet she is skilled at explaining things so anyone can understand.
She begins with an overview of the newly discovered hormones like leptin and ghrelin that affect our physiology and make it difficult to lose weight if we're chronically sleep deprived. She includes diet and exercise programs that help keep us on track. I have followed her 21 day weight loss program and have been able to lose weight and feel much more energetic. There are also suggestions for supplements that help, along with ideas from alternative medicine, some of which I may disagree with, like Chinese medicine, but that are nevertheless informative. She and her psychologist husband include practical steps for relaxation to help deal with stress, which is probably the biggest contributor to health problems in our society as well as the lack of sleep. I highly recommend the book and have bought copies for a number of my friends.
February 06, 2007

Some good advice but a lot that just sounds weak and airy

One of the primary points of advice in this book is a natural one, namely get the amount of sleep appropriate for you. After all, if you are sleeping you cannot be eating. One very well documented characteristic of staying up late is that you suffer from a case of the munchies. That hunger fuels the desire for food and the influx of calories helps keep you awake longer. The lack of sleep then leads to a feeling of sluggishness during the day and most people try to cope with that by eating more during the day.
The solution is of course to establish a sleep routine, where the goal is to get restful sleep. Find a simple activity that helps get you to sleep and do it every night before retiring. It can be reading, listening to music, anything that causes your brain to think sleep. Watching television is often counterproductive as the events stimulate the brain, causing you to stay up longer and sleep less sound.
The dietary recommendations are in general good, but sometimes the justification is rather vague. Phrases like, "... which some people have found to aid them" are not convincing. Other phrases like, "According to Chinese medicine . . ." and "Chinese medicine says that the liver filters all our blood through the night, especially between 1 and 3 AM." just sound like inconclusive hearsay. Other phrases like "... an imbalance between the energies of the liver energy (Chi) and the lung energy (Chi), since 3 AM is when the body's energy moves from an emphasis on the liver meridian to an emphasis on the lung meridian." just sound strange.
Therefore, while there is some sound advice in this book, a lot of it sounds like unjustified and unclear pontification.

February 03, 2007

Sleeping and dieting mixed together

Sleep Away The Pounds. Who would have thought weight loss could be so comforting?

My first reaction to the title of the book though, was one of skepticism. Cherie Calbom walks you through the program, which involves a well-rounded approach to weight loss: diet, exercise, weight management, and sleep. According to research, lack of sleep can be correlated to the overall gain in weight in our society. Lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances in areas that affect our body's signals toward hunger. Proper sleep helps to halt this cycle and retrain the brain. When correct levels of hormones are reached within the body, it aids the weight-loss program.

Sleep needs to be refreshing and restorative--when you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and with energy to tackle the day. The author presents an extensive list of various ways to increase the likelihood of a good night's sleep. Also tips are given on quieting the mind, exercise and diet. Numerous foods are listed which are known to relax the body and increase the likelihood of a good night's sleep.

Included in the book are a 21-day menu plan and a listing of resources.

Armchair interview says: If you have struggled with weight loss and been on too many yo-yo diets, this book presents another aspect which may affect the way you loose weight.
January 05, 2007

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