Three Health and Weight Saboteurs

Losing weight is only one part of living your best life. To be the happiest, healthiest you possibly can, you have to address all the areas that can interfere with your health and weight-loss goals. It's not just about diet and exercise, but how much energy you have, how well you're sleeping and how frazzled you feel (incidentally, when you feel energized, well-rested and calm, you're more likely to lose weight). Take a look at the three areas below to figure out how each can affect your weight-loss efforts and your health, and what you can do get on the path to your best life.

SLEEP
We're all working longer hours, trying squeezing more into the typical day, and not surprisingly, we're cutting back on sleep to fit it all in. In fact, the average American sleeps about 6 ½ hours a day, even though most experts recommend seven to nine hours. Irritability and difficulty focusing aren't the only problems you'll face if you skimp on shut-eye, though. More and more studies are showing that those who sleep less typically weigh more. It seems that those who snooze really do lose: Getting enough shut-eye helps prevent any disruption of the hormones that control appetite. Plus, studies suggest that getting little sleep can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

So, how can you squeeze in some more shut-eye? Try to get yourself on a sleep schedule, so you go to bed at the same time each night and rise at about the same time every morning. Exercise (earlier in the day is better than later in the evening) can also help you sleep more soundly. Avoid anything that will stimulate you before bed; this includes caffeine, alcohol, nicotine or even any kind of exciting TV show, book or movie. Instead, try a relaxing bedtime routine, such as a warm bath, a cup of herbal tea or listening to soothing music. And use your bed and bedroom just for sleep—working, TV watching and all other activities should be done somewhere else! All of these tips should help you get a more sound slumber, which can help you slim down and stay healthy.

SMOKING
You know you should quit—it's terrible for your health, but you just can't seem to kick the habit. Well, here's more motivation to put out that cigarette for good: Smoking can interfere with your efforts to slim down. You may think that quitting smoking while dieting is mission impossible, but in may ways, it can making slimming down a little easier. Just think: If you're a smoker, you may have a difficult time working out at a vigorous pace thanks to all that wheezing and huffing and puffing. (You can blame this on congested lungs and a diminished capacity of your blood to deliver oxygen throughout your body.) That means you're probably not reaping the full calorie-burning benefits of exercise. Kick the habit, though, and you'll allow your lungs to heal. The result: Working out becomes significantly easier, and you'll be able to burn more calories. Not to mention, your diet is also affected by smoking. Cigarettes and nicotine have been shown to make food less palatable. If you stop smoking, you'll be able to truly enjoy the flavor of healthy fruits and veggies, lean protein and whole grains.

And of course, there are all the health benefits of quitting, which you'll begin to enjoy just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. You can look forward to a lower heart rate and blood pressure, improved circulation and lung function, a decrease in coughing and shortness of breath, a significantly reduced risk for stroke, heart disease and cancer.

Ready to quit now? Before you get started, you should set a quit date a few weeks ahead so you can prepare yourself mentally. You can also use that time to clear your house of ashtrays, lighters, any remaining packs and anything else that may trigger a craving. You may also want to check in with your doctor about cessation methods, such as the patch, inhaler and drug therapy. Another important factor: Setting up a support system. You can round up a group of friends and family, join a support group for ex-smokers or find the number to a quitline.

STRESS
We all react to pressure differently, but many of us try to calm our nerves with chips, candy or ice cream. And even if you don't make a stress-induced trip to the vending machine, stress can still affect the way body fat is distributed.

The effects of stress go beyond the scale, though. Frazzled folks tend to store fat in their midsection thanks to excess levels of the hormone cortisol. Belly fat, or visceral fat, poses long-term health risks, including an increased chance for developing heart disease and diabetes. And stress can also interfere with the body's ability to metabolize fat efficiently, according to research. In one study, it took study volunteers who were put under stress a longer time to clear triglycerides—blood fats associated with heart attack and stroke—from their bloodstream, allowing these harmful fats to do more damage in the body.

Of course, stress is unavoidable, but you can work on coping methods so it takes less of a toll on your health. Exercise, yoga, meditation, hot baths or showers, and even sex can help relieve stress (and the potential resulting desire for food) because they activate the same feel-good spots in the brain that make us crave comfort foods.