Want to lose weight? Get some sleep

If fitting into a smaller dress size or a new pair or pants is high on your list of goals, there's actually a very easy and extremely relaxing step you can take to help make that happen.

It does not require a pair of $150 running shoes, a special membership, or even a minute more of your effort. This weight loss aid is something that's available to many of us, yet fewer and fewer of us choose to take advantage of it. If you haven't guessed it by now, I'm talking about sleep. Of the three major ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle (diet and exercise being the others), sleep is the one we seem to skimp out the most -- despite the fact that it is free and requires very little effort. With specific regard to weight management, a growing body of evidence shows that getting an ample amount of shut-eye encourages your body to produce more leptin (a hormone that makes you feel full) and less ghrelin (the hormone that makes you feel hungry).

So, instead of staying up late and just spinning your wheels -- whether it's online or in front of the tube -- close down early for the evening. Get 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night on a regular basis, in addition to exercising and following a sensible diet, and you'll be fitting in that dress or those new pants before you know it.