Ill bet youve tried many diets and failed? How about exercise and then found after loads of effort youve only lost a few pounds if any, or worse still the little youve lost comes straight back on. Well theres usually a fairly good reason and Ill try and explain why it happens and better still how to overcome it.
Stress can be a reason which is often overlooked, and it can be a physical condition as well as a mental reaction. When under stress the human body produces adrenaline and it also produces a hormone called Cortisol. This particular hormone is better known for pumping energy in the form of sugar into the system. This gives you the adrenaline rush which we have all experienced many times. Stress in this form can be classed as a natural body function; it helps to keep us active to things around us.
Stress can be triggered by many factors in todays modern world. It can be money or family issues or work related just to name a few. The extra blood sugar released by this is not always used and this can settle in the body as fat. This is the negative side of stress.
Many people can gain weight as a result of stress and they dont always realize why its happening. Stress is not widely discussed so there is a tendency for it not to be in forefront of reasons. However, it needs to be controlled as you would with other factors such as unhealthy diets. A few simple adjustments can help you regain control.
Stress which is also known as anxiety can have a double effect in so far as it produces blood sugars which end up as body fat it can also cause you to indulge in comfort eating which is usually sweets or convenience foods such as burgers and French fries.
Eating foods which are classed as bad for you does not mean that you are weak willed: you are just following the way your body has been programmed. Clinical tests on rats have proved that when under stress the body can engage in pleasure seeking behavior such as high calorie foods.
Lack of sleep can raise your Cortisol levels and as this is the hormone responsible for energy ” sugar it can have a negative effect on your weight loss. Tests on men who only have an average of four hours sleep show these levels to be higher than those who regularly get eight hours sleep. The main cause for lack of sleep is stress!
When you are trying to lose weight it is very important to have a good nights sleep because a deep sleep encourages the production of a natural hormone which is Human Growth Hormone. The function of this is to protect your muscle mass which helps to maintain a healthy metabolism.
If you are stressed and find that its affecting your weight and sleep pattern you may feel that you are in a vicious circle. A visit to your doctor or physician is always a good idea. He may prescribe something to help you sleep but remember prescription medication is to be used alongside a healthy lifestyle not in place of one. Stress can be a silent diet killer but there are some easy ways to fight it: Many people find that exercise is an ideal way to combat lack of sleep, even a brisk walk every day can help your mind and body to relax and youre burning up the calories as well, so how good is that?
One thing you must have is a good breakfast; this is also associated with reducing stress levels. If you skip this first meal of the day youll soon be in trouble. It will also have a negative effect on your weight loss because mid morning youll feel hungry and start to snack, usually on the wrong foods. Cereal is a good start to the day.It might not be everyones favorite food but your healthy diet should contain fish, particularly Oily fish as this is high in Omega 3. Sardines have a high level of Omega 3 and are relatively inexpensive.
We all have a little stress in our lives and we have to learn to accept this and make it work for us. Think about this: If we had no stress at all wed be laid back and we wouldn’t care less about anything. So obviously thats no good. What we have to do is put life into perspective and not worry about the things we dont need to worry about. Take a planned approach and take life step by step and together well get there.
