When trying to lose weight, one common mealtime habit might be setting you back in greater ways than you realize. We’re all undeniably glued to our phones and the internet, often surfing the web and social media for hours upon hours during our free time. For many of us, our mealtimes count as our free time to prepare for the day at breakfast, to take a break from work with lunch, and to unwind for the evening with dinner.
Usage of our phones, laptops and televisions often coincide with these meals. We spoke with registered dietitians about the importance of limiting technological usage while eating and after dinner, since adequate sleep is imperative for healthy weight loss. The following tips can help your weight loss journey in the long run.
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Tip 1. Eliminate Mealtime Distractions (Especially at Dinner!)
Are you eating while checking emails? The more distracted you are when eating, the less in tune you will be with your body’s hunger and satiety signals, according to Erin Palinski-Wade, registered dietitian, nutrition expert and MyFitnessPal spokesperson.
“Practice eating more mindfully by removing distractions when you eat,” she says. “Sit down at the table, put your food on a plate, and focus your full attention on the activity at hand – eating.”
Focusing fully on your meal, Palinski-Wade explains, can not only prevent mindless snacking while watching or reading something, but this can also help you connect with your body and feel more fulfilled and nourished. Since many of us often scroll through our social media feeds or watch TV while eating dinner, this could be affecting our sleep habits later on.
Dietitian Rebecca Schilling, RDN, LDN, notes that the most important change someone can make to their evening routine to encourage weight loss is “getting enough sleep.” It is so easy to make “poor health decisions,” she says, when we are not fully rested. “Being well-rested will help mindfulness at mealtimes,” says Schilling.
“Also, not getting enough sleep is linked to increased cortisol levels, which can cause weight gain, or at the very least, will make losing weight incredibly difficult,” she says. This leads us to our second dietitian-approved tip— prioritizing adequate sleep.
Tip 2. Commit To Getting Better Sleep
If you’re on your phone in the wee hours of the night while in bed, this can affect not only your sleep schedule, but also your potential to lose weight. Dietitian Erin Kenney, MS, RD, LDN, HCP, CPT agrees that “the most important thing someone can change” is prioritizing a bedtime routine that involves “shutting down electronics and getting the body ready for a good night's rest.” Lowering your phone’s brightness and using it less can greatly benefit your potential for rest, and ultimately, losing weight healthily.
“Good quality sleep is a crucial component to weight loss because it helps balance hormones, inflammation, motivation, and food choices the following day,” adds Kenney. To sleep more effectively, Kenney suggests “keeping the room cool, around 68 degrees” for an “ideal temperature for sleeping” as well as keeping the room dark.
“It's a good idea to have your last meal 2-3 hours before heading to bed, to optimize your quality of sleep,” she continues, also recommending avoiding “strenuous exercise 1-2 hours before bed” to allow your body to easily fall asleep when you hit the pillow.
Overall, the one habit that can be changed for healthier weight loss is limiting or eliminating technological usage when eating, especially at dinnertime. This can in turn help you get better sleep, which is essential for healthy weight loss.
We know that putting your phone down while eating or in bed can be difficult, but taking gradual steps can make all the difference in the long run! For more weight loss and sleep tips, visit your doctor or dietitian.
