kaiser179 Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 I am post W30 but am planning on continuing the lifestyle. One of my main goals is weight loss, particularily around my midsection. As I continue to evaluate how to incorporate healthier habits, I am considering adding moderate cardio. I currently don't exercise at all, other than take occassional walks. My issue is that my schedule is packed full. I only have 30-45 min of personal time in the evening, and I'm not willing to sacrifice that time. I would have to get up earlier in order to add exercise to my routine. But I have read how important sleep is for your body and for weight loss, and I'm only getting 7.5 hours of sleep a night as it is. Is it worth losing 30 minutes of sleep to add some gentle cardio? I think I am kinda on the cusp of one vs the other being more beneficial ... Maybe I just have to try it and see how I feel ... any thoughts? I did come across this short article about a study that was conducted .. http://www.crankyfitness.com/2008/12/exercise-or-sleep-which-is-more.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted May 22, 2013 Moderators Share Posted May 22, 2013 I would not recommend sleeping less than 7.5 hours. Maybe you can find a way to get more physical activity into your day - take the stairs instead of the elevator, carry your daughter across the room, sit on the floor with your daughter and get back up after just a few minutes. I have a routine of 4 yoga poses I practice in the kitchen and 3 I practice after taking a shower. Some days, those are the only poses I practice. I don't use the remote control of my TV. I walk across the room to fast forward my DVR at commercials, to set recordings, and delete shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beets Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Sleeeep. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser179 Posted May 24, 2013 Author Share Posted May 24, 2013 Thanks for the replies! To say that I don't do any exercise except occasional walking is maybe a bit unfair. Chasing around my 21 month old daughter is a lot of work! I do see the value of sleep and am struggling with being tired in the morning ... during my next W30 I am going to add a "sleep challenge" and try to get at least 8 hours every night. Sleep wins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beets Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 This is a great piece on how we get exercise with young kids--without really trying--in the same way our paleo ancestors did: http://www.ancestral...-of-young-kids/ I think also from a parenting perspective that while it's important for my mental health to try to get some solo exercise time in, sleep has more of an immediate impact on my patience and coping skills. Not sure what your situation is, but I think getting to bed earlier will be a big deal. As moms we have the sleep deprivation from when our kids were babies, plus we don't sleep heavily and wake up at every sound. I think it's critical to take care of good sleep. Extra sleep can have a big impact on weight loss. I remember reading a study awhile ago where women lost, on avg, 7 lbs in say 3 months just by increasing their sleep. That said, i'ts a constant battle for me. During my w30 I made getting into bed by 10:30 a goal. Some nights Im up later, and bad habits always want to creep back in, but overall I am getting more sleep. I'm still tired some days after 8 hours. Amazing to realize that I really was running on caffeine before--no hyperbole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xandra Posted May 24, 2013 Share Posted May 24, 2013 I go to a gym that has a childcare center. I don't do it routinely, but there have been days when I took all 3 of my kids to that childcare center so that I could get a workout in. I work out only 3 times a week (Zumba class and weights) because that's what I can afford timewise. Those 3 times are valuable to me and I make them happen one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhenkin Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 I would not recommend sleeping less than 7.5 hours. Maybe you can find a way to get more physical activity into your day - take the stairs instead of the elevator, carry your daughter across the room, sit on the floor with your daughter and get back up after just a few minutes. I have a routine of 4 yoga poses I practice in the kitchen and 3 I practice after taking a shower. Some days, those are the only poses I practice. I don't use the remote control of my TV. I walk across the room to fast forward my DVR at commercials, to set recordings, and delete shows. Tom, I'd love to know about your kitchen and shower yoga poses! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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