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Fat and Stress Weight Control
Stress Free = Fat Free?
Stress is constantly around us and is a fact of life. Many people want to either avoid or eliminate stress in order to improve their lives even though not all stress is bad for us.
The problem with stress comes in when we get more than our body can handle and we are not able to bring down the tension levels. These high levels of tension that result from stress cause us to do a lot of things to try to fight it off and make ourselves feel better, however, most people have never learned that many sources of stress can be either managed or eliminated from our lives.
A concern about stress that someone wanting to lose weight must deal with is that stress does not let your digestion system work as effectively as it otherwise could.
When you undergo a stressful situation, your body releases adrenaline into your blood stream, making your heartbeat and blood pressure go up. You will probably notice that your jaw and other muscles get tight and you don't feel like your usual self. The combination of things like high adrenaline levels and tension on your body make things much more sluggish.
There is an almost unlimited of things that cause you to feel stressed. These stressors include: what you eat, where you work, your profession, and family problems. Stress can also be caused when you worry or get tense thinking about something. When people who want to lose weight stop eating nutritious foods, their bodies are put under stress, which is why it is important to consider what you are putting into your mouth.
What you can do?
Food:
Having a lot of stress in your life means that your body needs to work harder to handle everything. This means that getting the right nutrients into your body is very important. By eating a well balanced diet, you will increase your body's ability to handle stress and make you feel healthier at the same time. Make an extra effort to eat well by making food before hand and freezing it or making lunch the night before. Skipping meals will not help your body to fight off the effects of stress. Try to cut back on how much sugar and salt you have to help you feel better.
Caffeine and Alcohol:
This may be hard for you to hear, but caffeine and alcohol may be causes of stress in your life. Reducing the amounts you have may make you begin to feel better. Try having 1 or even ½ cup less of coffee per day and see how you feel.
Smoking:
Surprise, surprise. Many people smoke to relieve stress when in fact they are robbing their bodies of many precious nutrients and reducing their overall health. If you smoke, try to cut back a little and see the results.
Relaxation techniques:
There are so many things you can do to relax it is incredible. Here is just a brief list:
- Take a nice walk
- Biking
- Listening to soothing music
- Having a bath
- Massage
- Read the book Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard