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Lack of sleep can affect your appearance in more ways than you think. Our friends at Self tell us just how bad sleep deprivation is for our waistlines.

We've all had those mornings where thanks to a bad night's sleep, you get the dreaded, "You look really tired" (aka "You look like hell") feedback from well-meaning co-workers and friends. We've all been there. But, dark under-eye circles and energy levels aside, here's another reason for getting a full night's rest: your waistline.

Yep, sleep can affect how much weight you gain. According to sleep scientists, we are not wired for sleep deprivation, and as a result, every bodily process is affected.

"There is no doubt that insufficient sleep promotes hunger and appetite, which can cause excessive food intake resulting in weight gain," says Eve Van Cauter, director of the Sleep, Metabolism and Health Center at the University of Chicago.

Granted, it's up for debate how many hours makes up the ideal full night's rest. Research shows that all THESE things are happening on days you don't get enough sleep:

    Levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin increase, and levels of the satiety/fullness hormone called leptin decreases. This can lead to overeating and weight gain.
    You consume about 300 more calories a day, and most of it comes from high-fat foods.
    You consume more calories than what is needed to provide the energy to stay awake longer. If this continuously happens at night it can lead to significant weight gain.

One study showed that participants who did not get enough sleep over five days not only had a higher carb intake, but they also gained nearly 2 pounds in that time period. Clearly, getting enough zzz's is important.

Most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep. According to Kenneth Wright, director of sleep and chronobiology laboratory at the University of Colorado in Boulder, those people who are getting enough rest reduce both their fat and carb intake.

Now that's something think about. Will you be turning lights out earlier tonight?Share with us on our official website .

If you're trying to lose weight, burning calories through exercise is key. But if you're not burning enough, then you won't see the scale budge. If this sounds familiar, keep reading to learn what you might be doing wrong when it comes to burning calories.

You Skip Breakfast Before Morning Workouts
Many women work out on an empty stomach to save calories or to prevent digestive upset. But as it happens, it's one of the worst things you can do. That's because eating first thing in the morning not only boosts your metabolism, but it also gives you energy to get through your solid calorie-burning workout. Without the proper fuel, you could end up with a headache or a dizzy spell. You're also less likely to push yourself as hard and more likely to throw in the towel before your workout is complete.

Walking Is Your Thing

Taking a brisk walk is a great way to lift your mood and improve your circulation, but unfortunately, it's not a huge calorie burner. If weight loss is your goal, you must exercise for at least an hour a day, and it must be the heart-pumping kind that burns tons of calories. Jogging, hiking, biking, jumping rope, swimming, or taking a cardio class at your gym are all excellent options.

Since devouring an enormous plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, and hash browns is also a bad idea, fuel your workout with something small that contains easily digestible carbs and protein, like these pre-workout snacks.

You Sip Post-Workout Smoothies
You just finished a kick-butt workout and burned more than 400 calories, and now you're ready to refuel with a post-workout snack. But even healthy snacks (like this chocolate-banana-cashew smoothie) can be high in calories. To prevent taking in more calories than you just burned, go for one of these 10 low-calorie post-workout snacks.

You Head Straight to the Weight Room
Muscle tissue burns more calories than body fat, so it’s extremely important to build muscle with strength training if you want to lose weight. That said, cardio helps burn calories to decrease your overall body fat and reveal the toned muscles underneath. Keep up with the strength-training sessions, but be sure to incorporate heart-pounding cardio into your routine, as well.

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