I recently went through a good month of 5-6 hours of sleep a night.  Besides coming to feel like each day was groundhog day - which is what actually queued me into noticing I had been going to bed too late - my weight was oddly up.  Sleep corrected, I settled back into my normal range.
 
This brings me to the importance of sleep in regulating fat metabolism vs. fat storage. 
 
Sleep supports fat loss and enhances muscle growth.
During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone which helps burn fat and preserve lean muscle mass.  Lack of sleep often leads to muscle breakdown and less fat loss, as the body becomes less efficient at metabolizing stored fat.
 
Lack of adequate sleep reduces insulin sensitivity which increases metabolic bias to fat storage
Sleep deprivation increases cortisol, the stress hormone that promotes fat storage—especially visceral fat (belly fat).
Lack of sleep can lower your resting metabolic rate (RMR) -meaning you burn fewer calories at rest.
In these ways, sleep deprivation over several days a week promotes fat storage, makes your workouts less effective, and creates more friction in your efforts to lose weight.
 
Do your best to consistently get 7-8 hours.   Consider it part of your weight loss and metabolic health program.  It is, after all, one of the easiest, most pleasurable ways to up your weight loss and overall wellness.  

Several clients have asked about creatine to support muscle mass growth.  
 
Yes, creatine does build real muscle by improving workout performance and stimulating growth mechanisms in the body. 
 
However, it also makes your muscles look bigger due to the water retention effect. It is an added bonus that enhances the appearance of size and fullness, but also an effect of creatine that can be a struggle.
 
The extra water retention will give you a higher scale weight and it will change the fit of your clothes.  
 
In my journey with creatine - I want the benefits of recovery, muscle build, and the star of the show - cognitive benefit.  Creatine also affects the brain helping you remember, focus, and  learn.  This is the benefit of creatine that led me to look at how creatine can be used while minimizing the effect of water retention and weight gain.
 
So here it is:

1. Dosing. Use 3-5 g at a time.  Creatine usually comes with a small scooper: use half to almost a full scoop.
2. Use only after your strength workout.  This way all the building effect goes into muscle synthesis.
3. Stay hydrated.  Being well hydrated actually reduces water retention.
4. Cycle on and off creatine.  Besides only using post strength workout, I use it  one month on, one month off.
5. Use only monohydrate powder creatine.  My favorite is from Momentous supplements.  No sugary, crappy creatine.
6. Use body composition analysis to keep track of how you are doing.  Lucky for you, we at jolie are offering that option to all our nutrition clients as part of your program.  Take advantage of it.

 
With this, I have been able to use creatine in my muscle build without the frustration of excess water.

​This time of celebration, gratitude, community, and connection is not to be ruined by a diet NOR is it to ruin a diet.  Instead, you make space for the things you love.
 
During the holidays your schedule is going to be flexible.  We are going to skimp in some areas to make space for indulgences.  
 
Also, don’t believe that if you don’t feed every hunger you will binge later.  That is simply not true.  You are eating leanly so that you can eat more later.  You are making space.  Do not eat before the party.  Just eat at the party.  Eating before is not going to increase your willpower, but it will increase the total amount you eat in a day.
 
So during the holidays - start sidelining the things you can do without. For me that means I go super low carb most of the time; snack on cucumbers and tea; and prioritize moving after eating.  That way my leanness during most of December makes space for the celebration days.
 
Think of three ways you can create space for your celebrations?
 
Another idea comes from a client who has lost his gut with jolie this year.  He orders a one or two day broth cleanse and then uses the broth throughout the day as a replacement to some of his meals and a way to suppress hunger.  An excellent, and sustainable, way to make space for what you want without sidelining your goals.
 
I do a pre- and post- celebration period of 12-24 hours intentionally hydrating and eating mainly low calorie foods like jolie salads and soups.  
 
With these hacks, you can move toward and maintain your weight loss goals while celebrating.  And in doing so, you learn how to maintain weight loss during periods of events, parties, and celebration.

​Mastery over food equals you not feeling restricted by good foods vs. bad foods which means learning to include things you love in a diet that serves you.  I wanted to arm you with strategies for including non-negotiable foods so that they work with your plan and do not harm it. 
 
First is to prioritize quality:  up leveling your non-negotiables means opting for higher and higher quality versions.  For example, my chocolate non-negotiable overtime became more and more aligned with my healthy lifestyle as I improved the quality of my chocolate and the percent cacao.  Now, I can say that my love of chocolate adds to my health instead of distracting from it.
 
Timing is important.  Food timing is something we dive into with our online training in nutrition, weight loss, and metabolic health.  Eat them when you will most enjoy them.  Eat carbs or sweet foods at the end of meals to buffer the absorption of sugars.  Move after you eat if you can to blunt the caloric effect.  
 
Know that you will have those foods again.  You do not need to gorge yourself or overeat because you will have those foods again.  You can always have them again.  Let yourself know this, so you are not motivated to eat past enjoyment.  You enjoy it.  Stop as enjoyment wanes and move on until the next time.
 
This approach empowers you to enjoy your weight loss journey without sacrificing the foods that bring you joy.