Summer is the time when we are supposed to find relaxation between the early sunrise and late sundown, but for some of us it just doesn’t happen that way. There are many reasons why we get stressed…maybe you are a secret agent and you are constantly under pressure to keep secrets and live a double life. However, you could just be that normal guy who swallows fire and knives for your 9-5 job and well, since you can’t mess up…ever, that stresses you out a lot. Or maybe, you are the Queen of England and all the demands of your people are just getting to you. I’m not sure, it may be your job, it may be family, it could even be friends…but whatever it is that is stressing you out, unfortunately, it will also stress your body out and you will begin to see physical changes the longer you stay under that stress.
What physical changes am I talking about? Well, I am sure that many of you have heard of Cortisol and if you haven’t, it is the hormone that our bodies release under stress. This hormone is often referred to as the “fight or flight” hormone because that is what it is supposed to help us do, yet if instead we sit around and let the stress stir…let it fester inside of us, our cortisol levels stay high. Cortisol tends to stay in the body for a longer time than other hormones so, if you are constantly under stress and you aren’t doing much to contain it, you will most likely maintain these high levels of cortisol.
When the body produces cortisol it responds to stress by fueling the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates into energy, and urging the body to create insulin to control blood glucose levels which leaves us feeling hungry as our bodies try to replenish those nutrients. If we allow these cortisol levels to be high and we sit around being stressed, what most people tend to do is eat and they usually eat foods high in calories because they are left with a hungry feeling due to the energy that was spent to secret the hormone. What does that mean to you? Well…have you ever looked down at your waist and realized that you while you used to have a little pooch you now have a spare tire…and not the kind of spare tire you use for your bicycle, a spare tire that you might pull off of your Ford F150 sitting in your backyard. Yes, it’s a little depressing and yes IT IS stressful when we realize that our bodies are in this physical state.
When we are stressed it affects our mood, energy levels, motivation, and we feel that one million things are piling up which have to get done. It is here that we substitute the time we used to use for the gym and use it towards “getting things done”. While putting all our energy towards our list of things to do, our energy levels drop and our stress levels rise and to try and balance this equation we often open the fridge and reach for the heaviest carbohydrate we can get our hands on. Maybe you prefer pasta or ice cream or even a Hershey’s bar, but whatever it is, it is only a temporary fix to raise your energy levels only to leave you crashing an hour later. What do we do when we crash? We reach for another carb. It’s an endless and vicious cycle if we let ourselves get caught up in it…so let’s not let that happen. Let’s set our priorities straight and see if we can’t show stress who is boss.
What physical changes am I talking about? Well, I am sure that many of you have heard of Cortisol and if you haven’t, it is the hormone that our bodies release under stress. This hormone is often referred to as the “fight or flight” hormone because that is what it is supposed to help us do, yet if instead we sit around and let the stress stir…let it fester inside of us, our cortisol levels stay high. Cortisol tends to stay in the body for a longer time than other hormones so, if you are constantly under stress and you aren’t doing much to contain it, you will most likely maintain these high levels of cortisol.
When the body produces cortisol it responds to stress by fueling the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates into energy, and urging the body to create insulin to control blood glucose levels which leaves us feeling hungry as our bodies try to replenish those nutrients. If we allow these cortisol levels to be high and we sit around being stressed, what most people tend to do is eat and they usually eat foods high in calories because they are left with a hungry feeling due to the energy that was spent to secret the hormone. What does that mean to you? Well…have you ever looked down at your waist and realized that you while you used to have a little pooch you now have a spare tire…and not the kind of spare tire you use for your bicycle, a spare tire that you might pull off of your Ford F150 sitting in your backyard. Yes, it’s a little depressing and yes IT IS stressful when we realize that our bodies are in this physical state.
When we are stressed it affects our mood, energy levels, motivation, and we feel that one million things are piling up which have to get done. It is here that we substitute the time we used to use for the gym and use it towards “getting things done”. While putting all our energy towards our list of things to do, our energy levels drop and our stress levels rise and to try and balance this equation we often open the fridge and reach for the heaviest carbohydrate we can get our hands on. Maybe you prefer pasta or ice cream or even a Hershey’s bar, but whatever it is, it is only a temporary fix to raise your energy levels only to leave you crashing an hour later. What do we do when we crash? We reach for another carb. It’s an endless and vicious cycle if we let ourselves get caught up in it…so let’s not let that happen. Let’s set our priorities straight and see if we can’t show stress who is boss.
#1. You think you don’t have time to get to the gym, but you do. If you have a busy week and you are stressed, no one ever said you had to spend two hours a day at the gym. No, you can get in 20 minutes of cardio which would be enough to release some endorphins into your system, get you feeling better, and you could be on your way. I won’t suggest that you only and ever do a routine of 20 minutes of cardio a day, but if you have a busy week, it would allow you to still get to the gym, spend much less time there, lower your stress level, and help you stay healthy. If you knew that you could be less stressed by spending only 20 minutes a day on yourself, would you do it? Come on! Your showers take longer than 20 minutes!
#2. When stress levels are high we are much more tempted to eat food that we normally would think twice about. When we are stressed we usually feel hungrier and because our mind is working on a different level, we don’t stop to think of what the consequence may be if we eat that big piece of chocolate cake or take that extra helping of chicken alfredo. I can’t say that your cravings for these foods will necessarily disappear just because you are doing exercise…but people that tend to do exercise tend to make better decisions when it comes to food. The best way I can prepare you for these cravings is to tell you to prepare yourself. If you know that you are becoming stressed and you feel that you are having cravings, you must take action in surrounding yourself with good options. Since carbs are really sugar to our body, you can find these same sugars by taking some fresh fruit and cutting it up into small pieces. The more pieces you have, the more you feel you are eating. When you get a craving for some ice cream or chocolate, you can instead reach for the fruit. The fruit has sugar which our body is telling us we need, but it has fewer calories. The sugar in the fruit should help subside your craving and it should contain enough sugar that your energy level will raise. Hopefully by giving yourself a better option such as this, you can avoid the big bowl of Ben and Jerry’s and opt for the fresh plate of apples and bananas. (Or whichever fruit you prefer =D )
#3. I am aware that one factor which can amplify stress levels is sleep. It is not always possible to get enough hours of sleep when we feel that we have so much to do. So, what are our other options when a good night’s rest is not one of them? You need to take time to stop, breath, and relax. This can take as few as 5 minutes or if you have the time, you could take 10 or 15. You must devote at least 5 minutes every few hours to just stop, walk away from your stress, and breathe. Ever heard of the “Count back from 10” rule? Well, it works. Try closing your eyes, breathing deep from your diaphragm, and counting back from 10 nice and slow. It sounds funny and it may seem like it won’t do much, but if you allow yourself to clear your mind every few hours, it gives your body a break from the constant stress you feel you are under. Don’t deny yourself the time to disengage ever so often; it will make a big difference in how you feel at the end of the day. Meditation and deep breathing, shoulder rolling, and even stretching can all help you feel less stressed. What is my favorite way to get all this in? Yoga. Nevertheless, I understand that some of you don’t have that much time that you can devote to a yoga class…so then you can just practice the “Count back from 10” rule…but please, GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO BREATHE!
The easiest part of being stressed is allowing yourself to be stressed. We are all guilty of it and it is very easy to let stress overwhelm us. However, while it may seem that you will be less stressed if you DON’T go to the gym today, don’t listen to that little voice inside your head. Exercising will give you energy, endorphins, you’ll feel better about yourself, and you will most likely make better food choices. If you are stressed this week and get on the scale next week only to find you have gained 5 pounds, the stress will start all over again. We have to find a way to remember that it is important to always maintain a good relationship with our little friend called exercise. Our bodies were made to move, made to expend energy…and when we do what we are meant to do, we function and feel better. In this world today it’s hard to keep up, it’s hard to not get stressed…and there will always be days where you DO feel stressed. Nevertheless, what is important is how you react to that stress and how you use exercise as a tool to control it.
At this very moment you may feel stressed about being stressed…so, stop for a minute. Close your eyes (after you read this), take a deep breath, and realize that you hold the power to control what you’re feeling. All you have to do is make a commitment to feel better. How can you do that? Hit the gym or take a quick jog around the block. I guarantee you that once you do, you won’t be able to help it… you will just find yourself feeling better. Don’t let stress get the best of you or of your fitness goals. You and I are on a mission to get you one step closer to being who you want to be…so do me a favor and give me a break, take my advice and once you have, I’ll take it from there :) Remember,
YOU ONLY FAIL WHEN YOU STOP TRYING TO SUCCEED!
So…go succeed! Until next time! -Natalie
Very good Nat! It is true exercise is an amazing stress reliever.. Right Now I swim half an hour 4days a week.. It helps.. ALOT!! :)
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