Less Stress, Less Weight: How to Lose Both
By Genevieve Cunningham
For a lot of situations in life, we're looking to get more. More money. More time. We want as much as we can get, right? But for most people, there are at least two things that we wish we could reduce or completely get rid of. Stress and weight. No one likes either of these, but unfortunately, we all have way too much of both! And because stress and weight are connected, it's a spiral that continually reduces our well-being. If you're ready to lose a little weight and stress at the same time, take a look at these tips to start today.
The Stress-Weight Connection
So what is the connection between stress and weight? When we stress -- no matter what it's about -- our bodies begin to make the stress hormone called cortisol. And when we produce too much cortisol, our bodies begin to hold onto weight, most specifically in the midsection of our bodies. The more stress we feel, the more weight we're likely to gain. And as we gain weight, we feel stressed! It's only when we can break this cycle that we'll see our weight drop and our bodies regain a healthy state.
Tips for Less Stress
Stress is hard to beat, but it's possible. In order to lower your stress levels, you'll probably have to change your lifestyle a little bit. Start by using these tips:
Make a schedule - Schedule everything that needs to get done. If it doesn't fit in the schedule, prioritize and drop something from your life.
Say no - You don't have to say yes to everything. If your plate is full, say so. The faster you learn how to use the word no properly, the happier and less stressed you're going to be.
Use coping mechanisms - For some, it's a hot shower at the end of the day. For others, it's meditation or exercise. Find what works for you, do it regularly, and your stress should begin to level off at a much lower level.
Tips for Less Weight
Along with lowering your stress levels, there are other things that you can do to help yourself lose a few pounds. To get started, check out these tips:
Burn more calories - The basic idea of weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. To burn more, get in daily exercise and eat better foods.
Lift weights - Many tend to turn straight to cardio to lose weight, and cardio can definitely help! But challenging the muscles with weights allows for additional calorie burn that lasts all through the day.
Focus on diet - Eating the right foods makes the process so much easier. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, and lean meats. Leave out the junk food, and you'll be that much closer to a health weight.
It might be challenging to lose weight and stress, but it's not impossible. It's something that takes focus and dedication. It takes effort. But losing both of these in your life makes a huge healthy difference! Use these tips to get started, and you may begin to experience better health and wellness in your life every single day moving forward.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Clifton Park, N.Y.