The belief that if we eat right and work out hard enough, everything will fall into place is not always reality. There is so much more to losing weight than what we are doing on the outside. We also need to work on staying mentally healthy. Stress may seem less important, but it could be the reason that you have stalled in your fitness journey. Taking care of the physical aspect of weight loss is only half the challenge. The stress in your life needs to be overhauled and eliminated just as much as the cookie cabinet.
Cortisol
Stress is not just feeling out of control or overwhelmed with our lives. There is a chemical reaction when we feel stressed out. The hormone cortisol is released when we reach a level of stress. Cortisol is not a hormone we want released while we are trying to lose weight. It promotes fat storage, especially around the middle. It wants to help us protect our organs. They just happen to be right in our core, where we tend to want to lose weight the most. Limiting those things that stress you the most is essential. Find something that helps you relax and make them a part of your daily life. It will help your weight loss journey and your sanity.
Sleep
If you are not getting eight hours of sleep a night, you should start working your way toward it. Sleep is not only needed to be physically healthy but also mentally. Without sleep, the rest of your day is going to drag on. We also need the hormones we get from sleep to promote weight loss. While you may think you could do more in the day with less sleep, you will be working against yourself. Get your beauty sleep, and your body and mind will thank you. Increase your sleep, and other things will start to fall into place.
Routines
We all have routines, even if we do not write them down. When the day’s stress starts to set in, the first thing to go is our routine. When we feel the pressure, we may decide that fast food would make our day better instead of cooking. Or skipping out on workouts will give us the time we need to get things done. While both may be true, it will not help you in the long run. The endorphins from eating right and working up a good sweat are great ways to beat the stress down. Add relaxing activities to your daily routine to help eliminate the stress.
Caffeine
When you feel your stress level rise, resist reaching for your chosen caffeinated drink. Caffeine may give you a little boost, but it can also boost your body’s already growing cortisol levels. Caffeine is also not beneficial for our waistlines. We are working against ourselves when we poor the second and third cup of caffeine. Find a healthier alternative.
Find a way to eliminate stress!
