Good Morning Beautiful!
Let’s talk stress. I know we all have times of stress throughout our lives, but the questions are: How often? How long? How do you handle stressful times? There is no question that our bodies gives us the signals that indicate we are under stress, and it doesn’t actually start with weight gain. Let’s be honest, we didn’t go to sleep last night stressed out and wake up 5,10, 15, 20 plus pounds heavier than yesterday. It was a progression that lead up to where we are now, and a good possibility as to why we may not be losing the weight with diet and exercise alone.
Stress is just so unhealthy, and not just for vanity purposes. When we have extended periods of time under stress we can get hit with a triple whammy for weight and other health issues. Stress can cause an increase in appetite, cause our bodies to hold on to weight, and interferes with our willpower to lead a healthy lifestyle.
But what else is happening to our bodies when we are stressed out? Let’s start from the top:
Brains: we can suffer from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, etc.
Heart: Increase in blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, heart disease, hardening of the arteries,etc.
Lungs: strained breathing and possible asthma attacks
Stomach: ulcers, heartburn, stomach pain, acid reflux, etc.
Muscular/Skeletal: Joint and bone pain, muscle shortening from tension
Clearly we are getting messages that some of us tend to ignore until it is physically staring at us in the mirror, our clothes no longer fit, or the number on the scale has jumped.
So how does all of this happen? Did you know that fat releases inflammation causing chemicals, and excess belly fat is unhealthy and difficult to get rid of? These inflammation causing chemicals can cause heart disease as well as diabetes, so bottom line is: stress+ emotional eating=belly fat which then creates inflammation causing chemicals that in turn can cause heart disease and/or diabetes. NOT COOL!
The bottom line is this, we live in a stress filled society, but we don’t have to allow stress to consume us and reek havoc on our bodies. Below are some great tips on how to take it down a notch and learn to rid yourself of stress to melt away the pounds.
- Be present. You can’t change what happened yesterday, so tell yourself it is okay to let it go. You can’t worry about tomorrow because it hasn’t arrived yet. So focus on the things you can today.
- Prioritize. Instead of getting over whelmed with the “OMG I HAVE ALL OF THIS TO DO TODAY!” thoughts, make a check list with the highest priority first. Can you guess what should be on the top of that list every day? YOU! By making yourself a priority, you can make sure you are taking care of your needs, mentally and physically. Never place yourself at the bottom/last. Just remember the flight attendant’s oxygen mask rule. You place the mask on yourself first before anyone else, because you are no good to anyone if you are not breathing. Right?
- Don’t stress over your weight loss journey. As long as you are de-stressing, eating healthy and exercising daily, it will come off. It took time to put it on, so it will take time to take it off. Just tell yourself this when you feel anxious about it. I did not put this on over night, so I know it will not all come off over night. I will be gentle and loving to myself and enjoy the process along the way.
- Get a good night’s sleep. I know that my mind at times does not get the memo that laying in bed means rest time not let’s think about everything now time. I find that doing a breathing meditation helps quiet my mind at bed time. Just lie in bed, clothes your eyes and focus only on your breath. Breathing in slowly through your nose and gently through your mouth. if you find your mind wandering back to something else, just gently redirect it back to your breath.
Hey beautiful,
Angels Of Fitness 