Motivators in your life
Many behaviors that we adopt along the way have negative effects on our bodies and as a result on our lives. For example, bad eating habits, consumption of diet sodas, lack of exercise/sedentary lifestyle, and last but not least sleep deprivation.
Scientifically has been proven that individuals who get less than seven hours of sleep per night are more likely to be overweight. In addition, there is a link between lack of sleep and hormonal changes that leads to alteration of appetite and eating patterns in ways that causes weight gain and insulin resistance. According to biological perspective, sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, which stimulates eating junk food/sweets, and decreases leptin, which acts as satiation signal; that has as a result the maintenance of a vicious pattern of behavior. Also, from the behavioral perspective, people continue this vicious circle as a result of operant conditioning. The pleasure that someone receives from this action, acts as a reinforcer; so for example, the more someone eats sweets/sugar, the more he/she craves them.
In order for someone to alter/succeed his/her goals, he has to modify his behavior and follow a strategy that will help him improve his lifestyle. First of all, he will have to increase the level of exercise. According to Brannon and Feist, exercise is known to counteract metabolic slowdown, along with the ability to change body composition, as it builds muscles. In addition, he will have to keep eating diaries to focus his awareness on the types and quantity of foods he eats and under what circumstances (boredom, tiredness, habit, need etc). Finally, he should try to rest more and slowly improve his sleeping patterns.
