Reducing Stress During Stressful Times
No one need tell us these are chaotic times of tremendous uncertainty in our personal and global economies, security at home and abroad, and deep moral divides. It can feel like navigating a cloud of generalized angst, causing many of us to be overly stressed, prone to cravings, and vulnerable to overeating.
The chief mechanism of stress-induced weight gain is elevated cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite, triggers cravings for high-calorie "comfort" foods, and promotes fat storage, particularly visceral fat around the belly. Chronic stress also lowers metabolism, increases insulin resistance, impairs sleep, and often leads to reduced physical activity, creating a sustained cycle of weight gain, or inability to lose weight. Here are some tips for relief:
Get Active: You will feel immediate relief with this one. Even if you feel out of shape or not an exercise person, moving your body, muscles and increasing your breathing rate even for a few minutes will give you relief by pumping up your feel-good endorphins and other neural chemicals.
Stop and Smell the Roses: Try your best to get outside in nature every day to breathe in fresh air. Look around at trees, flowers; listen to bird song. Walking is a feel-good activity and definitely counts as exercise leading to stress relief.
Eat the BonVie Way with Coaching Support: Having structure and accountability will insure you are fueling your body for wellness and decreased inflammation. Both in active weight loss mode and in maintenance mode, reducing carbs, increasing vegetables, protein and hydration will make you feel better. Eating at regular intervals keeps your blood sugar and your emotions in balance.
Reduce Unhealthy Habits: This may seem obvious, however its not easy to do. This is where commitment to yourself, and support of others is essential. Habits like drinking too much caffeine, using alcohol and drugs, smoking, and eating too many sugar/carbs harm your health, and increase your cortisol and stress levels.
Sleep is Critical: How well and how long you sleep affects your emotional balance, metabolism, energy level, focus and overall functioning. Commit to developing a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine, especially without screen time. Achieving a regular schedule for bedtime and sleep may require several weeks, but once you reset your internal clock you can look forward to better days ahead. If you have trouble falling asleep try breathing and meditation techniques; ask for help with proven strategies.
Meditation is Powerful: Meditation provides calm and balance that helps both your emotional well-being and metabolism for optimal body function, allowing for relaxation and easier weight loss. Even a few minutes every day will create a measurable difference over time. The key is making it a daily habit. There are infinite types of meditation and readily available apps or classes to get you started and meditation can simply be while walking, a quick time-out in your office, or waiting for an appointment.
Laughter is Medicine: It can break the cycle of worry and stress and lighten your mental load. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response. Watch a comedy, read some silly jokes to your family or friends – shared laughter is even better!
Connect with others: Social connection with positive supportive people is essential; the opposite, isolation, can worsen stress and if prolonged, even be deadly. Social contact offers distraction, support, and helps you manage life's up and downs. Try volunteering, where you help yourself while helping others.
Commit to consistency: Relief does not happen overnight. Prepare to be patient and dedicate yourself to doing what it takes to have a more balanced, peaceful life. And reach out to me at BonVie for many more stress relief strategies to help you reach your weight loss goals, and live a happier, more joyful life.
