Stress and Weight gain
Stress factors are often overlooked especially related to weight gain, but in fact stress is an important factor to consider. If you suffer from excessive stress levels and are trying to lose weight unsuccessfully, then the stress could well be a contributing factor why you are not losing weight. Many people eat when they are stressed and all too often, they eat the wrong foods.
For some people this might be a surprise to learn that weight gain and stress are related, this is due to cortisol, a stress hormone which is released when you are under stress. Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, increase craving of bad foods which is actually dangerous to your health and can cause long term healthy problems and weight gain.
Stress can have serious side effects on the body like heart attacks and diabetes, also including raising the bad cholesterol in your body as well as increasing your blood pressure. Some people respond to stress by eating the wrong foods for comfort while others will not eat at all. Both of these are definitely not solutions for weight loss and can actually contribute to further weight gain, because they interfere with the working of the metabolism.
Workable solutions for stress include breathing exercises, meditation and stretches at least once a day and definitely before any rigorous exercise. Cardiovascular exercise is also a good stress relief therapy and done on a regular daily basis it will lower your stress levels over time. Deep tissue massage is also a popular stress reduction technique as it releases toxins that are stored in the body tissue.
Another way that you can reduce your stress levels is through diet; consuming foods that are known to help relieve stress and return the metabolism to a healthy state. A diet that is high in protein foods is also known to help with stress and although this does not get rid of the stress directly, it helps the body cope with the stress levels more efficiently. Water is also an essential part of any weight loss diet and adequate hydration is important to maintain as dehydration also increase the effect of stress on the metabolism. Always drink water before and after exercise and additionally any time that you feel stressed.
There are certain herbal supplements on the market that help with stress levels, which can be taken as tablets or consumed as a tea. An example is chamomile that can be purchased as a tea and has a calming effect and helps the body have a restful sleep when taken at night. Valerian root is another herb that has therapeutic stress relieving effects as also does Kava. B complex vitamin supplements are renowned for stress relief and can be taken with a vitamin rich diet.
Here's a great all round guide if you are looking for the best to overcoming panic attacks, fear, phobias and anxiety:
Stress can have serious side effects on the body like heart attacks and diabetes, also including raising the bad cholesterol in your body as well as increasing your blood pressure. Some people respond to stress by eating the wrong foods for comfort or not eating at all. Both of these are definitely not solutions for weight loss and can actually contribute to further weight gain, because they interfere with the working of the metabolism.