As we discussed last time, building healthy habits into your daily life is so much more wholesome, realistic, and responsible than extreme dieting. And the long-term outcome is even better. Recommitting to healthy lifestyle and eating habits not only minimizes bloat, but will also enhance your overall health and well-being for as long as these habits are yours.

The beauty of SHAPE (see sidebar) lies in the buildup. Each of these five key habits is important, but what’s even more important is slowly building each one into your routine until it becomes second nature — so that it sticks! Starting with the less-obvious habits, like sleep, hydration, and attunement, goes against the popular dieting approach, but it’s really the most effective because these habits set the stage for ultimate success.

This week, let’s zoom in on the first three steps.

Step 1: Sleep — Get Enough of It!

We’re programmed to make better choices when we’re well rested. Without proper sleep, the body reduces production of leptin, a hormone that tells you when you’re full, and increases ghrelin, the hunger hormone. Too little sleep also causes your body to release higher levels of insulin after you eat, making you feel hungrier and promoting increased fat storage.

If that’s not enough to send you snoozing, the growth hormone HGH, essential for growth, tissue repair, and reducing inflammation, is mostly released while you sleep, too. When you don’t sleep enough — or you start your night too late — the release of HGH is greatly reduced.

According to the Rambam, the eight hours of dark before sunrise give your body optimal rejuvenation. Sleeping from 12:00 to 8:00 doesn’t rejuvenate your body the same way as sleeping from 10:00 to 6:00 does. Getting to bed earlier will make a huge impact on the way you feel and how you make choices.

Step 2: Hydration — Drink Enough

There’s nothing more refreshing than starting your day with H2O and drinking water regularly throughout the day. Water improves circulation, combats fatigue, and increases metabolism. Aim to drink around eight to ten cups of water a day, or up to half your pound-weight in ounces of water. (For example, a woman who weighs 140 pounds should drink 70 ounces or about 9 cups of water each day.)

Rather than drinking with your meals, it’s better to drink one to two hours after a meal and at least 30 minutes before a meal to keep your metabolism up and ensure proper digestion. But if it’s a toss-up between drinking with meals or not drinking at all, please drink!