Fat Loss Series Part Two! 👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾STRESS
Your body is resilient. Your body can manage stress like a champ! In fact, we thrive when we are met with periodic stress.
For instance, physical stress (exercise) is good in controlled doses. We get stronger, faster, leaner when stress is appropriately applied.
BUT in today’s society, CHRONIC stress is the norm and eventually your body will rebel.
I’ve been there – in a constant state of fight or flight mode. So much so that my body completely shut down due to severe Ulcerative Colitis.
What we know is:
Chronic stress creates chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation is a precursor to disease.
Chronic inflammation can cause the body to store an excess level of fat.
Extra fat then promotes more inflammation resulting in a CHRONIC STRESS + CHRONIC INFLAMMATION cycle.
Stress influences everything including body fat loss!
Here are common signs that your Stress Cycle may be out of whack:
Muscle loss
Bone density loss
Mood swings
Depression
Hair & skin problems
Low sex drive
Thyroid imbalances
Inability to sleep
Weight (fat) gain around the belly
If this sounds like you, I highly suggest that the very first step you take is to decrease your stress level. Focus on that before even attempting to add in exercise or start a diet.
Focus on restorative activities like sleep, meditation, gentle yoga or stretching, easy walking outdoors, journaling, maybe it’s therapy or reading.
Focus on activities that replenish your energy systems not drain them!
What’s your stress level these days? I’m happy to report that since having my colon removal surgery on December 7, 2015, my stress cycle has been pretty 👌🏾
