| I have to confess something. I am overweight. | | | | PM, or whenever I started to feel the urge to go |
| Obese. Just plain old FAT. But I am a lot lighter | | | | out, I would take my favorite natural sleep aid |
| than I used to be just a month ago and I am | | | | instead. Within thirty minutes, I would become |
| going to share my simple, but powerful weight | | | | very tired, and ready to go to bed. |
| loss strategy with you. Now, before I start, I | | | | Think about this for a moment! What did I just |
| want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am not | | | | do? I simply skipped a big meal, and avoided a |
| a doctor, nor am I a dietitian. So, do not try this | | | | few high calorie drinks. By doing so, my calorie |
| or anything else at home without first consulting a | | | | intake went down by at least 40%! Instead of |
| professional. I am simply sharing my story with | | | | gaining weight, I became a mean, lean, |
| you. Here it comes. | | | | weight-losing machine. I lost 17 pounds in the first |
| I did not have a specific food addiction. I did not | | | | two weeks and my weight has been falling ever |
| eat tons of donuts and gulp them down with a 96 | | | | since. I am still a long way from my ideal weight, |
| oz. Coke. I did not consume Super Whoppers and | | | | but finally making great progress. |
| Big Macs or chicken wings and drink gallons of | | | | This is not all. In the past, I used to wake up tired |
| beer. Nope. I simply got fat the old-fashioned way. | | | | after digesting food and drinks all night long. Not |
| I ate and drank too much! | | | | anymore! I sleep like a baby and wake up |
| The pattern was always the same: I would eat a | | | | refreshed, rejuvenated and energetic bright and |
| fairly healthy breakfast. For lunch, I would usually | | | | early. What a difference can a natural sleep aid |
| have a chicken sandwich or go to my favorite | | | | make! If you do not have enough self-discipline to |
| lunch restaurant. No unhealthy snacks, really. Sure, | | | | fight against cravings in the evening, skip the |
| I could have a small candy bar every now and | | | | evening! Eventually you will condition this new |
| then, but usually I was able to resist temptations. | | | | behavior, and the cravings will be gone even |
| I was doing just fine. That is... until 6 PM. But then | | | | without the help of a natural sleep aid. |
| it was dinner time. As a single professional, I | | | | By the way, I started to use this new-found |
| ended up going out to eat way too many times a | | | | energy to exercise - a few 45-60 minute walks |
| week. Restaurant food and a few alcoholic | | | | per week. This helped me lose even more weight |
| beverages boosted my calorie totals so much | | | | -- faster than I ever thought possible. |
| that instead of losing weight, I was gaining weight. | | | | So, let me recap. No dramatic changes in the diet, |
| Breaking this pattern was very difficult because I | | | | eat a very light dinner and take a natural sleep aid |
| do not like cooking that much, and I am not into | | | | - early. Make sure your natural sleep aid includes |
| microwaveable TV dinners either. I was using | | | | at least ten different active ingredients, otherwise |
| food and drinks instead of addressing my | | | | it may not work for you. This is because every |
| boredom. Going out to eat and drink met my | | | | natural ingredient generally targets only one part |
| need for variety and provided me with enjoyable | | | | of the sleep cycle, and you need to cover all the |
| social interaction. | | | | bases instead of guessing which ingredient might |
| So, how did I break this pattern? With the help of | | | | do it for you. |
| an all natural sleep aid! | | | | Could you use prescription drugs or |
| "Hold on", I can hear you ask. "What does a | | | | over-the-counter sleep aids instead? Yes, but |
| natural sleep aid have to do with weight-loss?" | | | | they can be addictive and quite toxic to your |
| Everything. Let me explain. | | | | body. Some sleep drugs also produce horrific side |
| I knew that I typically lost my fight against | | | | effects such as sleep-walking, sleep-driving and |
| boredom between 6 and 10 PM. So, I had to | | | | even sleep-shopping. I did not want any of that, |
| make a game plan. I had to make sure I could | | | | so natural sleep aids were the only option for me. |
| look my enemy straight in the eyes and not blink. | | | | One more thing.... I have not stopped going to |
| My plan was simple, yet powerful. First, I made | | | | restaurants either. Since I am not on any |
| sure I would not get hungry after 6 PM. Solution? | | | | particular diet plan, I will still allow myself to go out |
| I bought some of my favorite ready-made foods | | | | and eat and drink once a week. In other words, I |
| and placed them in the fridge. At around 6 PM I | | | | am losing weight and having fun at the same time. |
| would force myself to eat a small portion. This | | | | And by the way, the natural sleep aid I am using |
| eliminated the need to go out to eat. | | | | seems to promote lucid dreaming. My dreams are |
| Secondly, I needed to make sure I would not go | | | | very vivid and I remember them upon waking up. |
| to a restaurant or a bar just because I was | | | | I am having the time of my life - asleep and |
| bored and felt I needed some 'action'. This is | | | | awake! |
| where the natural sleep aid came in. At around 8 | | | | |