In todays article I want to take you through a secret formula;
One that you may not even be aware of!
Something that can hold back ALL your weight loss efforts...
STRESS - and how it can totally STALL your weight loss progress.
But fear not! My easy 5 step method to manage your stress will help you start taking action TODAY to improve your weight loss.
Levels of "the stress hormone," cortisol, rise during tension-filled times.
This can turn your overeating into a habit.
Because increased levels of the hormone also help cause higher insulin levels, your blood sugar drops and you crave sugary, fatty foods.
Most of us think we know what stress is and how it feels:
But another, more subtle kind of stress can lurk beneath the surface...
It’s what happens inside our bodies when we’re continually exposed to the din of construction noise, the uncertainty of a pandemic, the scars of childhood trauma, or the never-ending pressures of parenthood, work, and finances.
These hidden stressors can be so constant that we don’t register them. They’re a part of the backdrop, woven seamlessly into our “normal.”
Over time, however, as they accumulate, hidden stressors can wear us down— leaving us feeling foggy, listless, tired, bloated, and sore.
When we have a Stress Bod, we might not feel rested, even after sleeping more than 8 hours. So we turn to caffeine, sugar, salt, and fat as energy-sustaining (and coping) substances.
And if we ignore our body’s messages to “take it easy” and instead try to power through an intense workout, we’ll likely find that we can’t pump out as many reps or lift as heavy or run as quickly as we used to.
We might even get injured or sick.
If you’ve been beating yourself up for skipping workouts, gulping down boxes of toaster pastries, or mindlessly scrolling social media when you’re supposed to be, a-hem, working, we’ve got four words for you:
Give yourself a break.
You might be in a situation that happens to be incredibly common, especially this year, given the general state of uncertainty and unrest unfolding all around us.
For example, in April 2020, the percentage of people living in the UK who were experiencing significant mental distress rose to 27 percent of people surveyed, up from 19 percent the year before.
You’re not stuck. You can do something about this.
The guys at Precision Nutrition do a great job of illustrating this one:
Do any of these resonate with you?
*Just a side note- allostatic load is NOT just the negative stressors on your life; exercise whilst beneficial is a stressor and has to be managed to get you the results you're looking for. You cannot become your Best Version Yet whilst juggling an overload of stress.
Your GP or Dr can rule out any underlying health concerns such as anemia first and foremost.
That might take the form of;
At the start of your day: Wake time, how you feel, how you slept, heart rate and temperature
During the Day- What you eat/drink, how you feel, exposure to hidden stressors
At the end of your day; How you feel, time you go to sleep
Quality nutrition, sleep and self care can minimise the impact of stress on stalling your weight loss nut like with anything in life, an all or nothing approach is counterproductive!
Focus instead on your health practices like dials; experiment with turning them up a notch at a time:
If you'd like to watch my FREE Webinar on the topic click here: WATCH ME
Love and Light
Nikki x