Five Reasons Why You Need to Control Stress to Lose Weight

It’s disappointing when you embark on a weight loss plan but don’t see the results you were hoping for. You’re putting in all that effort, but when there are no visible improvements to your wellness, you can want to pack it all in and console yourself with cake. However, you may not be accounting for a hidden element in your lifestyle that might be secretly ruining your diet plans; stress. Stress plays a tremendous role in your wellbeing, and there are four major ways in which letting stress rule your lifestyle can hinder your weight loss progress.

 

1. Cortisol: AFLCA certified personal trainer Shannon Clark, who has a degree in Exercise Science, explains, ‘Cortisol is a particular hormone that will cause you to have a much greater risk of storing abdominal fat…In addition, when there is a high amount of stress moving through the body on a day to day basis, this is also going to increase the level of lean muscle mass breakdown that can occur, slowing your metabolism down as a result. The less lean muscle mass you have, the harder it’s going to be to stay lean over time. Finally, when you’re highly stressed out and cortisol is running through your system, you’ll also be far more likely to retain excess water, which can mask weight loss progress.’

 

2. Food Control: According to Clark, ‘If you’re highly stressed out, you won’t have as much control over your food intake as you would if you were calm and collected. Stress eating is a big issue for many people and most don’t need to be told the impact this will have on their level of progress. If you’re regularly turning to carb-dense, calorie-dense foods to sooth the emotions that you’re feeling, you know that you’re headed for trouble on your diet plan. Stress and food consumption go hand in hand for many people and will make sticking with that reduced calorie diet feel like mission impossible.’

 

3. Energy: ‘If you’re feeling very stressed out on a day to day basis, your energy level will be plummeting rapidly,’ says Clark. ‘You’ll find that you feel burnout, worn out both physically and emotionally, and the last thing that you feel like doing will be getting a workout in. Stress has a way of zapping the life out of most people and making you just want to curl up on the couch for hours. If you’re incredibly stressed out, this is something that you need to be assessing. If it’s draining you of your energy level, you need to find a better way to combat stress both for fat loss purposes, but also so that you can maintain better health and overall function as well.’

 

4. Adrenal Glands: Clark notes, ‘Your adrenal glands are the master regulators of the body and are going to control your hormones, your metabolic rate, along with many other actions of other organs in the body. Stress also wears out the adrenal glands because it causes them to over-secret adrenaline, which is the flight or fight hormone. In times of severe stress, this hormone is a good thing, but when it’s chronically being released, it’s not such a good thing. That’s when your adrenal glands may in fact burn out entirely and when they do, you’ll have an endless amount of fatigue to be dealing with on a day to day basis.’

 

5. Recovery: ‘If you’re very stressed out on a regular basis, you won’t recover nearly as quickly from your workouts as you should be and therefore will need to spend far more downtime in the gym between your sessions,’ Clark warns. ‘The less frequently you can be doing your workout sessions, the less progress you’ll make towards your end goal – therefore this is a significant hindrance of success.’

Categories: adrenal glands, control, day basis, energy level, highly stressed, lean muscle, Lose, loss progress, muscle mass, progress nbsp, Stress, weight, Weight Loss

Eat Right And Healthy: Boost Your Energy Level

It’s no new rocket science that having a healthy nutritional diet will lead you to better living. But eating proper food and at the proper time can increase your body’s energy level and keep you on your toes. Be it for an exercise routine or your day at work, following a proper eating habit can make you healthier. You need to understand your body and its requirements in order to be fit and energetic all day. Having meals on an unusual time or without proper breaks can cause side effects. Your body needs a proper routine with right kind of food so that in return you can stay active during the day.

 

When to eat?

If you happen to eat a large meal right before you hit the gym or exercise, you will feel bloated and may get cramps. Before you indulge in exercise, you should have a small snack, minimum half an hour before, so that the food gets digested properly. With that small quantity of food, your body will generate the right amount of energy required during your exercise. However it is good to have a proper meal after your exercise routine. Drink lots of water. Your body should receive liquids throughout the day. Having a proper meal at the right time will allow your body to function properly.

 

What to eat?

If you eat the right kind of food, you will not feel sluggish during the day or feel less on energy. Foods that contain fibre should form a part of your regular diet. This will keep your digestive system intact and keep you healthy. Fruits, vegetables, oats and whole grains are rich in fibre. While having proper meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner, pay attention to what food you are taking. For your breakfast, have a heavy meal as it kick starts your day well and gives you the energy. Oatmeal, cereals, toast, fruits, nuts, egg whites, milk and other such items should be included I your breakfast meal to trigger the right amount of energy. Since you have had a heavy breakfast, your lunch can be light but don’t avoid eating at all. A chicken or a turkey sandwich, vegetable salad or a fruit bowl should be fine. As far as dinner is concerned, it is advisable to eat way before you hit the bed. Sleeping right after a heavy meal is a strict no-no. Rice, vegetables and little meat can be a part of your dinner.

 

For your exercise routine, as mentioned earlier, eat 30 minutes before you start. Food rich in proteins such as fish, banana, yoghurt, a small quantity of cheese etc. can form a proper small snack. Food with high quantity of sugar and caffeine should be in eaten in small doses in order to boost your energy level.

 

Energy bars can also give you that boost. However, they should contain less sugar and more carbohydrates and proteins.

 

What to avoid?

While trying to keep your energy levels high during the day, it is a must that you avoid junk fatty foods, dairy or greasy foods. This will only increase your calories but won’t supply the energy. Choose health over taste. Drinking liquids throughout the day is necessary but that should include water and fresh juices. Drinking products like soda and caffeine can dehydrate your body.

 

Paying proper attention to your eating habits will allow your body to generate more energy and will keep you fit.

Categories: energy, energy level, exercise routine, Food, heavy meal, nutrition, proper, proper meal, small quantity, small snack