I know that stress was the prime reason I gained so much weight through menopause. I put weight on around the middle that I’d never had before, and found it challenging to lose no matter what I did. This can certainly be a factor in why so many people, over 90%, fail to lose weight no matter which of the multiple diets they use.

Chronic stress raises your levels of cortisol, a hormone that triggers extra fat storage, especially belly fat. The adrenal glands aren’t picky when it comes to what creates cortisol release. The stress can be physical trauma, environmental, emotional turmoil, or even created by our thoughts.

The human brain is automatically hard wired with fight or flight responses to protect the body from perceived harm. Those responses cause the adrenal glands to get larger and secrete additional adrenal cortical hormones. Unfortunately, our fast-paced lifestyles bring us multiple triggers in a day that can lead to these becoming chronic responses. Over time, these different sources of stress become cumulative, which can lead to adrenal stress and what is called the metabolic syndrome. Typically, because of the cumulative damage, this is even more of an issue for the baby boomer population.

But beyond weight gain, stress can literally kill you, so it’s time to take note and make some changes if you want to lose weight and get healthy.  Here are 10 simple stress reducers that you can fit into your life with ease.

1. Laugh at least once a day. See a funny movie, read the comics, but try to incorporate it into your life every day. I’ve found a great You Tube video of a toddler laughing that is contagious. Any time I need a laugh I watch it.
2. Music therapy is a great way to unwind, and you can incorporate it into walking or other stress reducing activities for added benefit. Certain kinds of music can lower blood pressure and calm your mind. Listening to nature sounds is relaxing, and classical music has been shown to aid weight loss by causing people to eat less and digest more easily.
3. Aromatherapy uses essential oils, the pure essence of a plant, found to provide both psychological and physical stress relief. You can use essential oils in a diffuser for inhaling or added to other natural ingredients like sea salt for a relaxing bath. Be sure to use pure oils and check ingredients to avoid synthetic chemicals or perfume fragrances, which do not provide true benefits.
4. Walking 15 – 30 minutes daily is all you need to see the benefits of this affordable and easy to incorporate activity. Any exercise is good for lowering stress and producing those feel good chemicals, called endorphins, in the brain, but make sure you do it at least 5 times a week for the best benefits in minimizing chronic stress. Consistency is key!
5. Breathing a few deep breaths every hour and for 10 minutes before bed will oxygenate the blood, refresh the mind, and relax the muscles. This is also a great activity when you feel anger, anxiety, and other negative emotions…remember the count to ten before responding advice you got from your mom? Just take a few deep breaths for the same benefit.
6. Sex, if you have a loving partner to enjoy it with. Some good cuddling and affirming conversation beforehand helps. Too often, people avoid sex when stressed out instead of engaging in this healthy activity.
7. Drink less caffeine as it adds further stimulation and stress to the adrenals. Limit yourself to a cup a day and avoid it altogether as a pick me up since that is the worst time to force your overtaxed adrenals to operate in overdrive.
8. Journaling is the perfect activity for getting out the pent up emotions that keep us chronically stressed. Expressing yourself on paper is freeing and great for personal growth, too.
9. Serving others is a great way of taking your mind off your own problems and helping relieve someone else’s stress, as well. Sometimes being aware of other people’s challenges and offering a helping hand gives you a better perspective on your own…even minimizing them.
10. A day of refreshment. The Creator set aside a day for both spiritual and physical rest. Studies have shown that more is accomplished in 6 days when rest is incorporated into our lifestyles, than if we work 7 days without rest. Take a break from worries and work, and spend a day with loved ones having fun. It’s important to get at leas 7-8 hours of sleep daily, too.

Stress is unavoidable in today’s busy world, but we certainly can learn to add purposeful activity and healthy nutrients that will counteract stress and provide health building and weight loss benefits.

Do you have stress reducing tips that have worked for you? Please share by posting them in the comment box.

Enjoying life together,

Leta

Here are 5 tips to help you get your thinking on the track to weight loss and a lean and healthy lifestyle.

1. Focus on what you want in life.

Don’t know what you want? Just figure out what you do not want and change it to what you do want.  For example, if you don‘t want to go through summer busting out of your swimsuit or hiding under your cover-up, change your thinking to “I am fit, healthy and look great in shorts, my bikini, or whatever you want”.  It’s your vision, so see it, say it,  write it down,  and believe it so your brain can make the behavioral changes needed to see that outcome.

2.  Keep it positive

Your brain automatically agrees with your every thought and belief whether positive or negative. If you focus on being fat, or say it’s impossible to lose weight, or believe sweets are your weakness, your brain (which says “yes” to every statement) accepts that as fact and will trigger behavior to reinforce those beliefs.  Positive statements either written or spoken are powerful tools for the brain to act on to aid you in your fat loss efforts. Create “I am”, “I can”, and “I will” statements and post them in places you’ll see and affirm as reminders of your journey to a lean and healthy body. In the meantime, find ways to love yourself as is. Everyone, no matter what size they are, has attractive qualities they can focus on. Ask others what they like  about you and develop those strengths to be your best at any weight!

3.  Keep it real

Rather than setting a goal of a specific weight, picture a dress or pant size. Often when you gain muscle and lose fat, you may look more toned and lean than the scales show.

Don’t compare yourself to society’s image of “ideal size”. Do not let the stereotypes of the current Hollywood scene influence your goals. Many of the current celebrities are neither healthy nor beautiful when their bones are showing and the faces are gaunt and pale. They are sacrificing their long term health and longevity at the altar of money, vanity, and fame.

Celebrities who are healthy, fit, and lean often commit daily to 2 hours or more of intense fitness training. That is not realistic for most of us to plan into our already busy and stressed days. There are some very effective ways to get and stay fit and toned in 20-30 minutes daily, so, determine for yourself what size or weight is most ideal for your frame and ongoing lifestyle, and plan that into your schedule. As a side note, this seems to be a bigger problem for women than men.

Set your goal in segments and time frames, then design a lifestyle plan you can and will do. Expecting to lose 30 pound in 30 days is both unhealthy and unrealistic. Or, setting a goal of losing 60, 75, or 100 pounds may seem daunting. Instead, try setting achievable markers along the way such as 10 pounds in 6 weeks, and then another 10 pounds in 2 months, and so on. Keep in mind that the closer you get to your ideal size, the more you may have to change up your planned routine of both diet and exercise to avoid plateaus.

4.  Think like a thin person

Do you know people who are slim? They aren’t fixated on food or the need to lose weight. Their thoughts are the thoughts of a thin person. Study their habits and you’ll see what they do to be and stay that way. They rarely eat everything on their plate. They are usually active in sports and/or physical activity for fun, not for weight loss. They often eat less food, but more frequently. They eat to live, not live to eat. They take the time to savor their food and push their plate away when satisfied.  They are comfortable in the skin they’re in.

Think like a thin person and you’ll eat and live like a thin person. Eventually your body will catch up to your mind! Sounds crazy, right? Try it, it works!

5.  See all your activity as beneficial to fat  loss

As you go about your daily activities believe that each one is benefiting your health and helping you lose weight. Pulling the weeds, folding laundry, painting the garage door, are all activities that burn calories and keep you active. A recent study of hotel workers showed that if you “view” your daily activities as beneficial to weight loss and health, you’ll actually see better results in both.

The best thing about putting these thoughts into action is that they will affect more than just your weight. Getting rid of “stinkin thinkin” will literally change the way you view and live your life. Being lean and healthy is not something you do, but a lifestyle choice.

So what changes will you make today in the way you think?