Stress is a MAJOR issue often over looked when we are trying to get healthy and lose weight. Self care and stress management usually slide to the very bottom of our to do list, myself included. Often, we do not even realize how much stress we are carrying because we are so used to living this way. Who isn't juggling 100 things daily? Stress has become part of our "normal". A little bit of stress is a good thing. It's what fuels us, it can motivate us. When we stress our adrenals release cortisol. I am sure everyone has heard this by now, but what is really going on in our body during these stressful times? Cortisol and adrenaline spike and then they return back to normal levels. This is a natural process. The real issue is chronic stress. You body releases cortisol and more cortisol and more adrenaline and you are constantly in that activated state. Your body is constantly in "fight or flight" mode which leads to sugar cravings and emotional eating. Eventually these chronic high cortisol responses will lead to adrenal fatigue, where your adrenals can no longer produce the right amount of cortisol. I have seen women do everything right. Eat Right. Exercise Right. If your body is constantly in stress mode or has been for years it makes it nearly impossible to lose weight. Stress management is often the missing piece of the puzzle for many of us. Yet, for some reason it is the most difficult for all of us to fit into our lifestyles. I am assuming if you are reading this you have tried everything, every diet, every exercise program, logged hours at the gym and still no results. Look at your stress. Schedule stress management in as a part of your day. Figure out what works for you. Find a stress management practice you like and stick to it. You are not going to notice a huge difference from sitting down to meditate for 10 minutes one time, the same way you won't lose weight from one 3 mile run on treadmill. A couple things I love for stress management: 1. Meditation Apps-There is no shortage of apps out there for basically anything you want to do. Find one you connect with and one that resonates with you. I love Buddhify and Calm. Many men I work with love Headspace 2. Deep Breathing. Don't have time to sit with an app? You don't need one. There are so many deep breathing techniques and numerous studies that show how these balance your nervous system. The majority of my clients love the 4-7-8 technique. a. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. b. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of 4. c. Hold your breath for a count of seven. d. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of weight. This is one breath. e. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. 3. Not the meditating type? Find what you like. Go for a walk, take a yoga class, take a hot bath with essential oils, get a massage, acupuncture, read a book... There is no right way to manage stress. The right way is the one that works and one you will commit to. 4. Supplements-The right supplements and herbs can have a huge impact on your stress response. Ashwaganda and L-Theanine are the 2 I started with and now use a much more comprehensive system that targets the microbiome to reduce stress. These are part of my daily routine along with my basic vitamins and have had a HUGE impact on my stress level and sleep as a result. Happy to share more details about my regime for those interested please reach out. Try it, you have nothing to lose..but possibly those extra pounds you are carrying. XOXO, Jen
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Is this how you are feeling right now? Does weight loss as you age seem like an insurmountable task? Do you feel like you have been eating right and exercising and still cannot crack the scale? Can you not lose those extra 10 pounds that you honestly don't know where they came from in the first place? You are not alone.
I know I have felt like that and still feel like this at times in my life. Just when I think I finally have my body figured out, BAM something shifts and once again I have to adjust, play detective and through trial and error figure out what my body is asking for. Unfortunately, with every shift my body is usually asking for less wine, but that's a whole other topic. Often we get so frustrated with the process and lack of results that we give up RIGHT before a major breakthrough is about to happen. I have been fortunate enough this year to team up with some amazing people at Momentum Health Center in addition to working for a Functional Medicine Doctor. The wealth of knowledge I have gained through these opportunities has been incredible. I hear this same story over and over, one incredibly similar to my own and I am sure a lot of yours as well. I cannot tell you how many woman cross my path with almost the same story. They hit a certain age and weight shows up out of no where, through no changes in diet or lifestyle. It's a hard thing to wrap your brain around. We all get the weight showing up after a bender of over indulging in french fries, ice cream, wine, beer and chips and dip. It's the weight that seems to slap us in the face when least expecting it that we struggle with. It's a confidence killer and that along with hormones out of whack can send us all into a bad space. After 40 the weight loss formula changes, amongst a lot of other changes going on in our bodies as well. It's a new decade and as women we need to reevaluate and treat our bodies differently than we have in the past. It is not a simple calories in calories out approach. It's not about punishing yourself for an hour on the treadmill. It's not about eating 700 calories a day. Often, the reason why are bodies are responding like this is the result of things that have built up over the course of our lifetime, not the burger from last week. We need to take a look at all pieces of the puzzle. I will be covering each of these in more detail over the next four weeks but a few of the key areas to look at if you are stuck. 1.Reevaluate your food choices. You may be eating "right" but not eating the right foods for YOUR body . 2. Supplement when needed. It is very difficult to get all vitamins and minerals we need from today's diet. Herbs and supplements are a great place to fill in and to support your ever changing hormones. 3. Manage your stress. This is the single most overlooked factor when trying to lose weight and the impact that is has on your weight loss efforts. 4. Exercise Appropriately. Your exercise could be doing way more harm than good. Discover what YOUR body really needs and often it's counterintuitive to what your brain is telling you to do. 5. Get those zzz's. Is uninterrupted sleep a thing of the past for you? Quality sleep is imperative for your body to heal itself. 6. Be Kind and Patient to Yourself. You didn't get here overnight and you won't lose weight overnight either. Being too hard on yourself creates even more stress...and the cycle continues. XOXO, Jen |
AuthorI love sharing my knowledge of clean food and healthy living. It's not as overwhelming as people think it is. I am not about eating salads 24/7. Anyone who knows me knows I don't really deprive myself. Through trial and error I learned what works for me, my body and most importantly my sanity. Archives
April 2019
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