Here’s how it works:

Quality is just as important as duration: When you ask most people, “how did you sleep?”, they will either answer “good” or “bad”, and at the most they may tell you how many hours they slept. No one considers how the quality of the sleep that they get affects everything from memory, to muscle growth and repair, to appetite.

Your body composition changes while you sleep: There are in fact 5 stages of sleep. During deep sleep, Human Growth Hormone is secreted. Human Growth Hormone is a substance naturally occurring within the human body that promotes cell regeneration in your bones, vital organs and muscles and reduces the amount of fat circulating in the body. Human Grown Hormone regulates body composition by triggering lipolysis and promoting muscle growth.

You manage what you measure: At DailyBurn, we live by this the phrase. If you hit a weight loss plateau and have already dialed in your nutrition and exercise perfectly, sleep may be the key to unlocking further fat loss. By looking at the duration of your deep sleep versus light sleep with the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach, you can identify whether your sleeping patterns allow you to secrete enough human growth hormone. The Zeo even sednds auto-updates each day to your DailyBurn locker room.

Not sleeping well enough to reap the benefits of deep sleep? Tomorrow, we’ll give you our top 5 ways to get a better night’s sleep.

Kyle aka "kylepjohnson"

Today’s post comes from Community Blogger Kyle Johnson. This month, Kyle cuts through confusing health and fitness advice  by offering three core principles that you need to know about in order to change your body for good. Learn more about Kyle’s recent 65 lb weight loss here. He is kylepjohnson on DailyBurn.

A few days ago on my way into work I was reading Tim Ferris’s The 4 hour body.  Fantastic book, love Tim Ferris I have met the guy, he’s great.  A few chapters in he starts to outline some guidelines to getting healthy and goes on to say you need to  keep it simple. I totally agree!  However the very next paragraph he goes onto detail about eating this and not that, and do this and not that.  My eyes glazed over and I lost interest. Why? Because it got too complicated.

Tim had it absolutely right when he said keep it simple.  That is the most important tip I can give when it comes to weight loss. Folks that are new or just starting out can’t absorb that much information. Just like starting a new job you are overwhelmed with information. Adding all sorts of complexity right out of the gate is setting yourself up to fail. I love to quote Scott Smith, a mentor and fitness expert I have followed for a lot of years.  ”Complexity creates paralysis and paralysis is not moving”.

So start simple. Find what works best for you, and then add complexity as you start feeling more comfortable in your new routine and feel that you can take on and learn more. Let’s assume that you’re new to the game, and start with the 3 most basic pieces I can give you.

• Know your basal metabolic rate (BMR)

If you are not familiar with your basal metabolic rate, this is probably the single most important number you should know aside from your weight. This is the amount of energy or calories that your body is burning everyday just to run itself. Circulating blood, blinking and digestion all take energy. You’re not actively making it happen, but you are burning calories all the time.  Your BMR gives you an idea of just how much your body burns to keeps its vital functions running.  You need to strive to eat this number of calories every day give or take 100.

You’re going to burn this many calories daily regardless of how active or inactive you are, and keep in mind this doesn’t take into account any sort of activity. If you were to sit on the couch all day and not move an inch, you would still burn this number of calories.

So you need to find out your BMR and it’s a simple calculation based on your age, height, weight, and gender.  There are lots of calculators to find out your BMR, and generally I have always used this one.

• Calories in vs. calories out

Let’s face it, it’s a scientific fact. You have to eat less calories than you burn. But now you have a secret weapon. You know your BMR and roughly how many calories your body needs. So now you do a workout, and you have burned calories on top of the energy your body has consumed to continue running and as a result of this you are at a net negative in terms of caloric intake. Net negatives equals losing weight.

Let’s look at a quick example.  My BMR for instance is about 1,800. So let’s say that I have a workout and burn an additional 550 calories. Over the course of the day I ate about 1,850 calories, a little over my BMR. So my caloric intake and output for the day would look something like this:

1,850 (Calories Eaten) – 1,800 (BMR) – 550 (Workout) = -500 Net Calories

So I am burning more calories than I am consuming as shown by the -500 net calories.  This means I am losing weight, it’s that simple. Taking this a step further, generally speaking a pound of fat is about 3,500 calories. So if you were do this for 7 consecutive days you should have shed at least 1 pound.

If you’re like most people you’re probably thinking that’s a lot of work and a lot of time for 1 pound, and it is. But lets look at this in another way. If you were to stick with this for a year wouldn’t it be great to be 52 pounds lighter a year from now?

• Become a cook, and eat good whole foods (things that are not packaged)

The last thing I really recommend is learning to cook with whole and raw foods.  There are so many reasons to do this, but for me there are two that to a beginner stand above them all.

1. Pre-packaged food is extraordinarily high in sodium (aka salt).  Salt is one of your worst enemies when you are trying to lose weight.  A sodium rich meal can make you gain 3-5 pounds overnight. No joke! Now, this added weight will go away within a couple of days but the reason I think it’s extremely important as it could be really discouraging to someone who wasn’t expecting it. So keep an eye on your sodium.
2. Raw whole foods are going to keep you fuller longer, not to mention you can usually eat a lot of them compared to their packaged counter parts. Learn good recipes with fruits and veggies. Believe me, I was that person that hated fruits and veggies. Take some time and effort to try different varieties and different recipes. There are so many good ones out there! A great example, my parents always seemed to buy red delicious apples.  That’s really all I knew and I hated them. I still do, but then I tried braeburn apples and I loved them.  Then my wife found Fuji apples, and I love those even more! The point here is to try out some new things, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable for a while, but you’ll get there.

Keep it simple. Take time to understand your body.  Understand how your workouts affect your body and how they make you feel. Experiment and discover the reactions to the food you fuel yourself with. Learn to control these aspects and then add complexity.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”  ~Confucius

Pamela aka "ThriveFit"

Today’s post comes from Pamela Hernandez, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach. She is ThriveFit on DailyBurn.

I didn’t start my journey with a New Year’s Resolution, although I am sure many of you will.

The New Year was well behind me when I made the decision to live a different life. It was early spring when I started down the road to a healthier and fitter me.  It was nothing to do with the season or the calendar that made me decide that something had to change.

It was how I felt, both body and spirit. Physically, I was experiencing frequent low back pain and I had zero energy. Mentally, I was depressed and lacked self confidence. I had known I was overweight and had been feeling these things for some time. I tried some of the fad diets (anyone else remember Stop the Insanity and Susan Powter?) and fat burning pills (but forgot to read the diet and exercise fine print) without success. It had taken those failed experiments and the passage of time to get to a point where I knew I had to change for good. I simply reached a point where I said Enough.

I didn’t change overnight. I took several small steps,  ones that anyone who has is ready to say Enough can take.  My beginner basics were:

• Consistent exercise, both weights and cardio.

I bought a copy of Weight Training for Dummies to learn how to lift properly.  I made a commitment to ride the exercise bike on days I wasn’t lifting. Find what you like and get moving.

• Eat small meals 5-6 times per day that include lean protein.

Don’t get too caught up in ratios of protein, fat and carbs to start. As a beginner you just need to focus on the calories in verses calories out, quality food and balanced eating.

• Weigh yourself once a week and only once a week.

The natural day to day fluctuations of your body weight can drive you nuts if you step on the scale every day.

• Find someone in your life to support you in your journey.

The start of my journey coincided with the beginning of my relationship with my husband. He was, and still is, my champion every step of the way. Don’t try to go it alone.

These were the foundation on which I built my life of health and fitness upon. While they are simple, they are some of the most important things anyone can learn who is trying to live healthy and fit. You must have a solid foundation before you can progress to bigger and better things.

Right now, as many of you are working on keeping the New Year’s Resolutions you have made, I want you to focus on keeping it simple.  I want you to lay your foundations with the basics of exercise and nutrition.  Don’t get caught up in the hype, the promises of miracle diets with tedious food plans and complicated training schemes.

Don’t get me wrong, there will be a time further down the road for more advanced workouts and more detailed meal planning. But right now, on the threshold of your transformation, focus on getting the basics right.  If you can do that, then you will be successful at every stage of the journey to come.

Scott aka "Copey"

Scott Copeland is a 26-year-old freelance writer from Boston, Massachusetts. He has an unhealthy love for running, good music and new technology. He has run a number of half marathons as well as the Twin Cities Marathon full-marathon. He hopes to run another in 2011. In addition to running, he loves snowboarding, biking, racquetball and kayaking. As someone who has recently been thrust into the “real world,” he will be helping with tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle while keeping up with your friends and social life. Around DailyBurn, you’ll know him by his username Copey. You can also find him at www.blindcreativemedia.com and on Twitter @blindcreative.

Mac aka "fitmacdaddy"

Mac Smith is a father, husband, marathon runner and a recovering dieter. He blogs about health, fitness, weight loss and motivation at Get Fit Slowly. Around DailyBurn, you’ll know him by his username fitmacdaddy.  I love checking out the mouthwatering photos in the “What’s For Dinner?” topic on his blog.  Follow him on Twitter: @fitmacdaddy

Ashley aka "AAPFitness"

Ashley Poptodorov, fitness professional, public speaker, and author, is owner of AAP Fitness in Tampa, FL along with her husband Alex Poptodorov. Formerly 208 pounds, Ashley was miserable with little self -confidence. Seeing the immediate need to lose weight and gain back control of her life, Ashley embarked on her fitness journey losing 80 pounds!!

After tackling her health, it became Ashley’s mission to share her story and journey with others. In 2006 Ashley and her husband Alex opened AAP Fitness in Tampa, FL. Today Ashley helps to inspire others to reach their fullest potential through AAP Fitness, public speaking and her many writings and blogs. Ashley is currently working on writing her first book. Her favorite saying is “The preservation of your health is the greatest gift you can give yourself and those you love”.  Around DailyBurn, you’ll know her by her username AAPFitness. Follow her on Twitter: @aapfitness

Pamela aka "ThriveFit"

Pamela Hernandez is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach who considers herself to be “not your average personal trainer”.  Having faced her own struggles with weight and food, she tried the fad diets and supplements without success.  Then at age 24 she realized that it wasn’t about dieting, it was about moving more, eating a bit less and eating a lot better.

“My life changed one small step at a time. Each choice I made was the foundation to the next choice. It took some time, but I found myself transformed. I was no longer the overweight girl who switched to button fly jeans because the zippers kept breaking. I was healthy, fit and full of energy and self confidence.  As a trainer, I share what I’ve learned with my clients and can empathize with them because I have been where they are.”

Today at age 35, Pamela owns Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield MO where she focuses on weight training for weight loss.  She writes a blog for her web site, www.thrivepersonalfitness.com, sharing vegetarian recipes from her kitchen, exercise strategies, lifestyle tips and stories from her own journey. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter @ThriveFit or pick up more tips on Facebook, www.facebook.com/thrivepersonalfitness . Around DailyBurn, you’ll know her by her  username ThriveFit.

Heather aka "hmduey"

Heather Duey is a married 42-year-old mother of two boys, ages 8 and 6.  When her husband decided to lose some weight, she decided to shape up as well.  As they both were working out, they had to figure out how to keep their exercise routines as well as spend plenty of time with their sons and show up at their jobs every day.  Her goal is to teach you how to find time to exercise and still have quality family time despite your full-time job and everything else you have to do.  Heather’s blog is called Finding Time to Do It All.  She loves all things tech, running barefoot, being outside, and spending time with her family.  She lives in sunny and usually warm Tallahassee, FL (home of the Seminoles), despite being a huge Florida Gators fan. Around DailyBurn, you’ll know her by her  username hmduey.  Follow her on Twitter: @hmduey.

Kyle aka "kylepjohnson"

Kyle Johnson was a high school 3 sport athlete who went to college, got married, bought a house, and added 70 lbs to his frame.  He has recently transformed himself and lost 65 lbs by hiking, running and cycling outside, and improving his diet. “When technology or fitness don’t have my attention I also enjoy spending time with my family, friends and two little dogs”. We first met Kyle here at DailyBurn when he contacted us about using our API to build  DailyBurn for Palm WebOS. Read more about Kyle’s work here. . Around DailyBurn, you’ll know him by his username kylepjohnson.  Follow him on Twitter: @kylepjohnson

Scrap the fried chicken and check out these tasty Superbowl Sunday snacks that won't derail your Monday workout.

Superbowl Sunday doesn’t have to increase the size of your gut.  Substitute some of your family’s favorite Sunday dishes for these healthier alternatives.

1) Where’s the Beef? Substitute lean ground turkey for ground beef in your chili recipe. Your superfans will barely notice the flavor difference, and you’ll cut the fat in half.

2) Dip well, dip often. Forgo the sour cream based dips and chips for hearty vegetable based dips like hummus and white bean and roasted red peppers. If you must go for the creamy stuff, make your own and substitute non-fat greek yogurt for sour cream.  Instead of chips, try crunchy sesame crackers or pretzels.

3) Stuff it. Prepare pesto stuffed mushrooms ahead of time and pop in the oven as needed through the third quarter.

4) Stick it to me. Instead of fried buffalo wings, try skewering chicken thighs (cut into chunks) and grilling the kabobs until done.  Dip in spicy peanut sauce for a mouthwatering half-time snack.

5) Get cheesy. Forgo the pizza and instead try bruschetta.  Pile the fresh tomato and basil atop low-fat mozzarella and a crunchy grilled bread.

6) Wrap it up. Instead of bacon wrapped scallops, try wrapping grilled asparagus in prosciutto.  You’ll get that buttery flavor with half the calories and a nice subtle crunch.

What are your favorite healthy Superbowl snacks?

16 oz NY Strip Steak = 496 calories

1 cup roasted potatoes = 145 calories

Salad with Blue Cheese = 240 calories

Total meal = 881 calories.  Why not add a glass of wine too!

Which would you pick?

Photo by Mike Baird

Glamour Magazine and DailyBurn have partnered up to bring all of our female users a fun new way to get in shape this year. Body by Glamour Powered by DailyBurn gives you access to all of the familiar tools that you love, combined with chances to win prizes like workout gear, and motivational tips on Glamour’s Vitamin G blog.

You’ll find workouts personalized for your shape and fitness level designed by celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza, and healthy eating advice from Beverly Hills dietician Rachel Beller, R.D.

We’re excited to be part of this fun program. Check it out here.

Check out the live leader board and download the app here.

For updates about leaders, check out our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

We’ve picked up a great new book to share with you that will help you do just this.  Our friend Tim Ferriss has just released The 4-Hour Body. In the book, Tim answers questions like:

Is it possible to:

• Reach your genetic potential in 6 months?
• Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours?
• Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing?

Tim's new book explores hacking human physical potential.

This is not just another diet and fitness book.  Tim covers more than 50 topics, all with real-world experiments, many including more than 200 test subjects.

The 4-Hour Body is the result of an obsessive quest, spanning more than a decade, to hack the human body.  Tim explores one fundamental question:

For all things physical, what are the tiniest changes that produce the biggest results?

The 4-Hour Body is an interesting take on human performance and potential. You don’t need better genetics or more discipline to achieve what Tim outlines in his book.

We thought you all would be interested in what Tim has to say about diet, metabolism, and strength.  Check it out!