Sleep

[Evie]

I think diet is more important then sleep, cos sleep you can always catch up on quickly.

Don't know about that, there are 3 factors that are important in Body Building, If you don't do 1 you aren't going to reach your potential

1. Eat (Fuel / Diet)

2. Train (Damage muscle fibers)

3. Rest (Repair muscles)

This adds up to growth! You don't grow in the gym, you grow while you rest. Of course when circumstances don't allow for 7/8+ hours sleep a night, there are other possibilities, things like power naps in the day, just ensuring when the kids have 'down-time' during the day you schedule down time too.... even if it is reading a book, or something.

Perhaps you and your husband could allow each other 1 day a week where you can choose to sleep in (sleep binge) and wake up naturally (no alarms no kids) - I believe this helps 'catch up'.

You will find that if you wake up naturally once in awhile you will be able to gauge if you are getting enough sleep - most weekends when I allow myself to wake up without an alarm I wake pretty much the same time I normally get up (4.30 - 5.00 am), so I know I'm getting a good amount of rest... of course I still go back to sleep on the weekend!

But all said and done - more power to you, being a Mum and competing is such a big challenge and I applaud you! You are doing something right that's for sure, I think if you can train on a smaller amount of sleep and you are feeling fine, then you have probably adapted to the situation.

Hope things are ok with you and the family in Fiji.

[virgo1978]

Hay thanks Eve, we are all good, lookng forward to coming back to NZ though to a decent gym, decent food & of course shopping... 3 of my favourite things.

[mike-311]

Don't know about that, there are 3 factors that are important in Body Building, If you don't do 1 you aren't going to reach your potential

1. Eat (Fuel / Diet)

2. Train (Damage muscle fibers)

3. Rest (Repair muscles

I agree, but I also believe that everyone is individual and much like training a muscle to get bigger, one can also train the body to cope just fine on a small amount of sleep.

I personally find that I can wake up after 6 hours sleep feeling completely refreshed and function quite normally during the entire 18 hours Im awake and moving.

Yes I had trouble doing this at first, but after 6 months I feel into it quite easily. Now 4 years later I run in to very few problems.

It doesnt mater when I go to sleep my body will automatically awaken ready to go after 5-6 hours. I find if I try to sleep longer I awake groggy and lethargic.

I dont set an alarm clock, I dont becos I figure if my body decides it needs more sleep and I miss out on going to the Gym then so be it.

That happens hardly ever.

[AgentOrange]

posted at 5.29 mike?? sheesh ya up early or cant sleep? :pfft:

[mike-311]

posted at 5.29 mike?? sheesh ya up early or cant sleep? :pfft:

LOL....had just finished work.