Life can be stressful. Kids, money, work, significant other… It can all lead to stressful situations. Then you notice a gradual, or even sudden, weight gain, which has you stressed about a whole-new thing!
There are several times when you keep working out, even rigorously, but still can’t seem to get rid of the tummy bulges or thigh cellulite. And then you go ahead and drown your anxiety or stress in a sweet chocolate ice cream cone or a decadent pastry.There’s no doubt that life is stressful, and if you don’t have a good handle on managing those ups and downs, it’s not just your weight that’s in jeopardy; your overall health can suffer!
Some issues you might face due to added stress include:
- Heart palpitations and increased blood pressure.
- Bad breath, gum disease, and oral-health problems.
- A compromised immune system.
- Premature aging and wrinkles.
- A negative effect on your relationships with your spouse, parents, children, friends, and coworkers.
- Loss of emotional control, which can result in lashing out or crying for no reason.
- Potential long-term illnesses and disabilities.
Curb the Stress and Regain Control
Thankfully, there are plenty of steps you can take now to reduce your stress levels and get back to normalcy.
- Get 7–8 hours of sound, peaceful sleep each night.
- Exercise daily! Whether it’s just a brisk walk around the neighborhood or a hour in the gym, you need to get that heart pumping.
- Meditate and center yourself at least 10 minutes a day.
- Repeat mantras or positive self-talk, such as “I am a calm, loving person.”
- Get stress off your chest by talking to a trusted friend or a professional therapist.
- Write down your troubles with a stress journal, listing what’s bothering you and how you can change the situation.
- Take control of your emotions and shift negative feelings into positive ones.
- Schedule your time so that you can manage what currently what feels out of control.
- Free your life of clutter. Clean up your surroundings and file paperwork so you can find things when you need them.
- Say no. There’s no need to take on everything, and allowing yourself permission to say no might be the key you need to manage stress.
Healthy Stress Eating
Many people are stress eaters, and as you work to reduce your stress load, you’ll probably still find yourself drawn to eating just to have something to do. If that’s the case, veer toward healthier options that will ease cravings while keeping you on track with your fitness and weight-loss goals:
- Pistachios
- Blueberries
- Dark chocolate
- Avocado
- Pumpkin seeds in yogurt
- Cashews
- Chamomile tea
- Orange
- Oatmeal
- Walnuts
As a side benefit, most of these healthy snacks are high in antioxidants, which will help boost your immune system, which often gets compromised due to stress.
Do Something for You
There’s a lot of truth to the saying that when you look better you feel better. If extra weight gained from times of stress is troubling you, that’s one thing you can get rid of sooner rather than later. The answer: CoolSculpting.
Bodify is Phoenix’s premier CoolSculpting boutique, and we want your experience to be stress free. We even back up our treatments with a guarantee, so you can rest easy knowing that your excess fat will soon be gone, just like all that excess stress. Learn more about this revolutionary fat-freezing process so you can get back to a stress-free, healthy life.
