If you've struggled to lose weight, you've probably blamed the typical factors - genetics, fast food, and lack of exercise. One factor that you might not have considered, however, is stress. Studies have shown that prolonged stress can actually cause you to gain weight. Unfortunately, this can create a vicious cycle - you gain weight because you feel stressed; then you experience even more anxiety because you discover you are putting on unwanted pounds. In turn, the increased anxiety causes - you guessed it - more weight gain!
It's little wonder that obesity in developed countries has reached epic proportions. The lifestyle we lead makes unhealthiness more than a possibility - it makes it a near certainty! Take a look around you - what tasks are you responsible for every day? You probably have a full time job, kids to drive around, friendhips to maintain, and social obligations to keep. On top of that, you have to keep the house clean, the refrigerator stocked, and the clothes clean.
So what gets put at the bottom of the list? Your health! You can hardly blame yourself, considering the sheer number of roles you are required to play every day. Finding time to cook a healthy, balanced meal is nothing short of a luxury... and when there are so many packaged meals available on your grocery store shelves and so many fast food restaurants offering a quick solution to the question, "what's for dinner?", it's not hard to see why many of us keep packing on the pounds!
But your busy lifestyle doesn't make you gain weight just because of your conscious food choices, though. Did you know that stress causes your body to release a cocktail of harmful chemicals that can cause a wide range of problems? Among these is cortisol, a chemical that makes you crave sugars and simple carbohydrates.
So here's what happens... you're having a hard day, your kids are late getting ready for school, the boss is off on a tangent, and your spouse still hasn't fixed the garage door opener. So all day, you've been stressed out, and your brain has been pumping out cortisol the entire time. And when you walk in the door, what's the first thing you do to deal with your stress?
That's right - you reach for "comfort foods"! You know, those goodies like chips, cake, and cookies... the whole time, you're thinking about how you're putting on more weight, but you can't seem to control yourself.
You might not think of your favorite comfort foods as "simple carbs", but most junk foods are loaded with them! Here's the problem - your body breaks simple carbs down into sugars. So if you reach for that frosted cupcake or glazed doughnut, you're really getting a double whammy of sugar! Sure, that's what your body wants when you're stressed, but all that sugar will keep you gaining weight, no matter how much you exercise or how strongly you try to assert your willpower.
So what do you do when the little devil on your shoulder is pushing your hand into the cookie jar?
1. Smile Breathing Curbs Cravings
Take a deep smile breath and invite the angel on your other shoulder to guide you to a better choice. Practicing smile breaths helps reduce your comfort food cravings. To do: Breathe in through your nose, smile and slowly release your smile as you exhale through your mouth.
2. Practice Simple yoga.
Not the kind that makes your body yell, 'hey, what are you doing to me, I'm not designed to bend like that!' A terrific beginner yoga stretch is called heaven and earth. Reach your hands up to the ceiling and bend to the side, to the floor and keep going all the way around until you've made a complete circle. Incorporate the breathing and you have instant stress release.
3. Meditate
Meditating just 10 minutes a day can help you lose 2 dress sizes in a month because it helps you deal with stress related issues by calming your mind and helping you to stay focused on your goal.
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Dynamic-Stress-Release-Weight/dp/B001P7CACI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1260131667&sr=8-3-fkmr2
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