I’m a big believer in experimentation, especially on myself. As long as it’s not too extreme, I’m more than willing to try it out and see if it works. So when I noticed some of my own issues with following the Tim Ferriss diet, I started wondering what could be causing these problems. I’m not usually the kind of person who gives in to sugar cravings and goes to consume a whole bag of chocolates. Not that I don’t love chocolate, but I can usually restrain myself pretty well. So what’s been going on in the past few weeks that’s causing me issues around healthy eating?
What’s Changed?
The main variable that changed is my diet, I am after all following a very different eating plan under this 4 hour body idea. The other variable that’s changed is my sleep pattern. Due to a variety of factors, I haven’t been sleeping as well as I should have in the past few weeks. So, over the past few days I’ve been experimenting with different sleep patterns and amounts. The results have been rather eye opening.
On days during which I get a good amount of uninterrupted sleep, at least 8 hours, my cravings for both sugar and caffeine are extremely low and I can easily control them. I also find myself more productive and focused on work which allows me to easily avoid distracting cravings. On days in which I get bad sleep, less than 7 hours or more than 2 sleep interruptions a night, I find myself distracted, irritable and easily prone to snacking. I just can’t focus on anything during these days and I frequently find myself irritated enough with this to the point where I leave my desk and roam around the office trying to regain focus. Eventually, I wind up in the kitchen where I pick up some candy or a diet coke.
Surprise Surprise
Ok, I can hear you now, lack of sleep makes you irritable? No kidding! Well yes, I already knew that, but what I didn’t know was how powerful the effect was after just a single night of bad sleep. I also didn’t realize how different I am with a good night’s sleep. It’s not just my eating habits but my whole demeanor which changes, and my productivity sky rockets on days where I’m not tired.
So consider me convinced. I’ve been preaching about good sleep for years now but I’m more determined than ever to follow my own advice and get a good night’s sleep EVERY SINGLE DAY! Hopefully, this should allow me to better follow the 4 Hour Body diet and see what the results will be.
01.18.2011 Weight – 223.2
