I realize this is not always an easy thing to do. Most of us are juggling way too much and going through the day at high speed, trying to get more and more accomplished. By having a high stress level, not only is it harmful to your health, it’s harmful to your waistline as well.
When you are constantly under stress, hormone levels, like cortisol and insulin are elevated. The elevation of these two hormones can sabotage your weight loss efforts and actually cause weight gain.
‘Feeling stressed can create a wide variety of physiological changes, such as impairing digestion, excretion of valuable nutrients, decreasing beneficial gut flora populations, decreasing your metabolism, and raising triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, and cortisol levels.’ – Mercola.com
While you think you can “handle it”, we are not meant to be under constant stress. After a while, it takes a toll on you. If you are doing everything right as far as diet and exercise, but you are under stress everyday, you are not going to see or feel the results you want.
Here are some ways you can reduce your stress levels:
- Re-assess your reaction to the situation – often times we fall into a pattern of reacting to certain situations in ways that are not serving us. Take the time to talk about your concerns and be willing to adapt your ways if necessary.
- Time management – planning too many things in a short amount of time is sure to leave you overwhelmed and stressed. Instead, plan ahead, set a realistic number of tasks in relation to the time you have at hand. Clear, achievable tasks will leave you calm and focused.
- Get social – interacting with another human being, communicating your thoughts and feeling understood is calming and helps put things into perspective. So make sure you turn to someone who is positive and a good listener.
- Moving – be it in the form of exercise, dancing to your favorite song or running around playing with your kids, moving plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress.
- Coffee and sugar – be mindful of the amounts of coffee and sugar you are consuming per day. They give you a temporary “high” that ends with a crash in mood and energy.
What is one thing you can start with this week?
Disclaimer: My recipes and suggestions are what have served me well and made me feel my best. This information is for general purposes only. It is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical conditions. You should seek the care of your doctor before starting a new exercise routine or before changing other dietary or lifestyle habits. A health coach is not a licensed nutritionist, registered dietician or medical professional.
