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Managing Stress – Part
2
We previously discussed how, in
reaction to stress, the hormone cortisol can cause excessive
weight gain due to stimulating the release of insulin which
causes an increase in appetite and decreases the body’s
ability to burn fat.
The key is to reduce cortisol levels in
your body by managing your stress. This week we are going to
take a closer look at the elements of stress and break down
some of its components and help you figure out some ways to
help identify some techniques to reduce the bad stress in
your life.
Exactly what is “stress?” The
dictionary defines it as: a force that tends to distort a
body (!), a factor that induces bodily or mental tension, to
put pressure or strain on.
What is excessive stress? You can
define this as a specific response the body makes to ALL
non-specific demands placed upon it. Or a perception of a
threat or expectation of future discomfort that arouses,
alerts, or activates a person. Or when the problems
presented by everyday life exceed an individual’s perceived
resources for coping with them.
What is chronic stress? The prolonged
state of being stressed over a long period of time. Having
elevated levels of cortisol in your system due to chronic
stress usually has a detrimental, accumulative effect on
your body.
Not all stress is bad. When you begin a
new job, buy a new home, have a new baby, plan an exciting
event – these are all examples of events that are “usually”
good things that are happening, but they place excessive
stimuli that can overload your body’s circuits. It’s when
you have too many of these events over a long period of time
that leads to detrimental behaviors like overeating,
compulsive eating, poor cardiovascular health, obesity to
name just a few.
Since the body is simply responding to
what’s going on around you, it’s not a matter of eliminating
stress; it is managing the stress that’s important. And
working on those stress management skills are critical for
long-term weight loss goal success.
When people are feeling under excessive
stress, the very first tendency for that person is to turn
to food for relief. So you need to look at what the
stressors are in order to determine if you need to adapt or
reduce something in your life to cope with the stressors so
that you don’t overeat.
Here are some examples of how events
can lead to stress & overeating:
EVENT
BODY RESPONSE
- Unrealistic or distorted view of
reality =
Increased stress hormones
- Anxiety
=
Increased adrenaline & blood sugar
- Metabolic changes
= Increased insulin &,
decreased blood sugar
- Overeat and/or binges
= Sudden low blood
sugar
What are some nutritional ways to
incorporate into your life that help with stress management?
- Eat regular meals with planned
snacks
- Adequate complex carbs (fruits &
veggies) – not the simple sugar carbs (more fiber-rich
foods)
- Adequate protein intake
- Alcoholic consumption needs to be
in moderation or just avoid
- Limit your Caffeine intake as much
as possible
- Adequate fluid intake, preferably
water.
LAUGHTER – Daily Doses are good for
you! “A joyful heart is good medicine” Proverbs 17:22.
Not only does laughter reduce stress, it lowers blood
pressure, elevates your mood, boosts the immune system,
improves brain functioning, connects you to others and
initiates instant relaxation. Not only that – it’s fun too!
DID YOU KNOW? Kids laugh anywhere from
125 to more than 400 times a day while adults only average 7
to 25 laughs a day – so help de-stress yourself, find ways
to laugh and enjoy life a little more!
Trying to be SUPERMAN or SUPERWOMAN?
This you do not have to be!
-Not everything will get done!
Prioritize – don’t spend all your time meeting other
people’s needs.
-Not everything has to be done
perfectly!
-You do not have to do it all by
yourself – ask for help!
-Get rid of the shoulds, oughts, musts
in your personal impossible high standards.
-Use breathing, exercise, music,
reading, meditation techniques to relax (No one ever said on
their deathbed that they wished they had spent more time at
the office!).
-Remember that you and only you are in
charge of your own reactions, you cannot control people,
situations or events.
-Do not focus on your own physical
flaws. Beauty is from within!
Looking, thinking and paying
attention to your mind & body for the signs of stress are
the first steps in learning how to conquer it (or
realistically reduce stress).
ASK
YOURSELF:
1.
How do I know I am stressed? Symptoms? Behavior?
2.
Is the stress work-related?
3.
Is the stress from your personal life? Is there
something wrong in your personal life?
4.
Is it a combination of the above?
5.
Are my goals, standards, dreams unrealistic and
creating anxiety for me?
6.
Do I resist change because it is uncomfortable or
threatens me?
7.
Do I feel anxious most of the time?
8.
How do I usually cope with stress? Is it really
working for me?
9.
What are my habitual responses to stress?
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