Can't Lose Weight? Try managing stress and getting more sleep!
Ask anyone you meet what they think the most important parts of losing weight are, and I'm willing to bet you will hear the two main things, "eat less and exercise more". Well, they are correct to an extent, but those two things are not the only components to achieving body fat loss.
Two components that most people do not take into consideration actually make a huge impact on fat loss: stress management and sufficient amount of sleep. How do I know? There is scientific research to support it, and I have personally found that I lose body fat at a much faster pace without adjusting my diet or exercise routine when I am able to control external stress levels and get 7 or more hours of sleep nightly.
Stress Management
Stress management programs have shown to produce effective reductions in the body mass index of individuals (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4996635/). Higher levels of constant stress can result in behavioral eating habit changes and higher cortisol reactivity, leading a person to eat more than they normally would when not put in a higher-stress environment. High stress levels have also been linked to even greater medical concerns such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and cancers (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2727271/).
There are many different ways you can effectively reduce stress levels. Below is a short list of what activities have worked for me personally (beyond daily exercise) to reduce stress levels successfully:
- Scheduled "time out" from whatever is the main source of my stress at that time
- Deep breathing exercises, especially those used by musicians
- Journaling
- Creative mindfulness activities (i.e. coloring, creating art, drawing, painting, etc.)
- Unplugging (including my phone, computer, television, etc.)
- Volunteering
- Long, hot baths especially before bedtime
I also have started taking a supplemental product that has helped called Adrenal Restore from 1st Phorm. This was something I began to use to see if it would help regulate my body's response to daily stressors that still happen regularly. I can honestly say that I can tell a significant change in two main areas since taking Adrenal Restore: my rest seems to be far greater each night, and my response to daily stressors is reduced drastically. I wake feeling fully rested rather than like I still need a few more hours in bed, and I don't feel overwhelmed or panicked when daily stressful events occur. With the combination of lifestyle changes, and Adrenal Restore, my stress is far more manageable than it has ever been. For more information on Adrenal Restore, you can read other rave customer reviews and all of the benefits of it HERE. Keep in mind that products like Adrenal Restore work best when you are eating a nutritious diet, are exercising regularly, and make sleep a priority each night. Also, make sure you discuss all over-the-conter supplements prior to taking them with your doctor--no matter what.
Adequate Sleep
The second component that has a tremendous impact on fat loss (and general quality of life!) is getting enough sleep every night. When people get adequate amounts of sleep, hormones that directly relate to metabolism are able to be properly produced and/or regulated within the body. One study found that, "sleep restriction results in metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, increased evening concentrations of cortisol, increased levels of ghrelin, decreased levels of leptin and increased hunger and appetite." (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065172/) By improving your sleep duration and quality, you can improve how your body regulates hormones that are part of basic metabolic functions (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17308390).
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night for optimal function (https://sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times/page/0/1). These are general guidelines, so each person needs to find an appropriate amount of sleep for their body to function efficiently.
If you find that you cannot lose weight, and your stress levels are out of control or sleep is a struggle, I highly suggest trying to get both of these things addressed as soon as possible! You might be as surprised as I was to see your weight start dropping again, without any changes to your diet or exercise routine!
As always, feel free to contact me via email or the contact page on my website with any questions you might have! I'm also accepting local and online clients currently, and I would love to help you create your own success story, no matter you goals!
