Stressed out? If you are, you may find your weight is sticking to you or increasing.
Yesterday I talked about restricting calories and how it prevents weight loss.
We become stressed for many different reasons and for different periods of time, work is clearly often a big one and often for long periods of time. Combined with that we, tend to grab a snack and not take the time to make a good meal. And it's not only work, there can be family pressure, exams, relationships and many more.
So, although you may not "feel" stressed, your body is stressed out since you're not feeding it correctly, it produces more of the stress hormone Cortisol. High cortisol can lead to weight gain and high blood sugar levels.
Just telling people to “stress less”, or take a “chill pill” is not the best advice, as it’s easier said than done.
Here are some things that actually will work to help you reduce stress and get the scale moving again and are free to do:
Take a walk
Meditation
Breath work
Painting/colouring
Watching a funny movie
Puzzles
Listen to music
Dance
Go for a drive
Journal
Stretch
Workout
Get experimental in the kitchen
CONNECT - with a friend or family member
Bubble bath
Read a book
Now, go and sit in a quiet place and ask yourself, am I under stress? If the answer is "yes" or "maybe" why not take time to do one of the activities above. Which ones will you do this weekend to chill out?
Karen is a qualified personal trainer and nutrition coach living in Cyprus near Paphos with her husband Mal and their cat Dave. She has been a personal trainer for 14 years and a qualified nutrition coach for over 2 years. She is passionate about working with people of any age and fitness level to improve their health and wellbeing.
Click here to see more of her posts.
Comments