Be Stress Free
If you have been thinking that stress upsets only your emotional make-up, think again. Being stressed can cause you to add weight, probably making you more anxious. Stressed state of mind is one of the many factors that induce obesity and hamper your weight loss. Let us see why and how you can reduce weight caused by stress.
Stress And Its Types
Physical and mental response to a tough situation is stress. Stress can be long term or short term and it can be positive stress or negative stress. Positive stress enhances the level of your performance while you face a tough situation. Negative stress can cause just the opposite impact by affecting your health and performance. When you feel stressed while reaching for the winning lap in a race, it can be a positive stress that motivates you to come up first.
Chronic eustress and acute eustress fall into the category of positive stress. Chronic distress and acute distress are categorised as negative stress. Chronic eustress, the good stress, motivates you and it lasts longer. Acute eustress, on the contrary, is sudden and short. You are out of this type of stress immediately after the winning moment.
Bad Stress And Health
Chronic distress, the bad stress affects your health so badly that you are susceptible to various health conditions including weight gain, migraine, diabetes, digestive problems, insomnia and heart diseases. As you are well aware, bad stress can affect you psychologically. It can make you lose focus, anxious and sad. When you are hit by bad stress, you tend to overeat and this is precisely when you start adding to your weight and stress.
How Stress Results In Weight Gain
Cortisol and adrenaline, the stress hormones are released when you are stressed. These hormones cause your cravings for carbs as well as fatty foods to increase. Your blood sugar level increases as well. Stress influences your hormones to store fat and your ability to burn fat is reduced. Various studies have proved that people gain weight when they are stressed.
Techniques To Avoid Stress Eating
Since stress can work all the way down to increase a few inches in your waistline, it is essential that you stay stress-free to avoid getting obese. Here are some simple and effective tips to help you avoid stress eating.
1) Address Cravings The Right Way: Well, you are stressed and the stress hormones play their part. Now, you crave for sugary foods. Play along, but be wise with your choice. Do not reach for foods that contain artificial sweeteners. Instead, consume foods that contain protein and magnesium. Fruits rich in vitamin C can be the right answer as vitamin C strengthens your immunity when you are stressed.
2) Study The Signals: Don’t make a quick move before you study the signals clearly. Consider if you are indeed hungry or if it is stress-induced hunger. Taking some moments off to study your body’s language will help you identify the signs. If it is cortisol behind your hunger, you don’t need food to treat it.
3) Away From The Stressful Atmosphere: If you can help it, get away from the atmosphere that causes stress and thereby tricks you to eat more. You may go for a quiet walk or you may get involved in your favourite hobby to relieve you of stress. If you are at work and hence cannot as much move from your chair, remember that there can be no barriers for a mind travel. Visualise yourself in a pleasant atmosphere that is calm and soothing.
4) Breathing Techniques: Deep breathing techniques help to lower your stress. They calm your mind instantly. Sit comfortably with closed eyes. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Watch your breath as you do so. Regular practice of breathing exercises not only soothes your mind but also improves your immunity and makes you healthier.
Food might be a tempting option when you are stressed. Weigh the consequences of stress eating before you succumb to your cravings. The techniques mentioned above will help you overcome stressful situations. Regular exercise and breathing techniques will help to keep you stress-free. It is in your mind to control your weight.
