Another theme in my Yoga for Healthy Weight Loss class is stress. If you are already stressed out, you may not appreciate this news, but stress wreaks havoc on your waistline. Those stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, signal your body to hold onto fat instead of burning it. It seems that belly fat, in particular, is affected by cortisol.
So what is a stressed out person to do? Drink large amounts of alcohol? In addition to the empty calories and excess carbs that alcoholic drinks provide, unfortunately alcohol is far from the healthiest form of stress relief available. It may seem like that buzz is helping to relieve your stress, but drinking alcohol reduces the quality of your sleep, often eliminating the release of beneficial hormones such as human growth hormone, and ends up creating a cycle where you are in effect less able to handle the stressors.
Instead, exercise has been proven to help relieve the effects of stress. Studies have shown that regular exercise, whether you simply put on a DVD in your livingroom and sweat to the oldies or join a Zumba class at the gym, helps reduce anxiety and improves mood. If you are a runner, you already know that "high" you get when the endorphins kick in and suddenly everything feels just fine.
Another stress-buster is getting out into the great outdoors. Research shows that spending time in nature is calming to our nervous systems. If you have ever had a baby, you may have discovered early on that when an infant is upset and nothing seems to help, simply strolling outside often calms the baby instantly. It's a funny thing. It's almost as if they know exactly where they belong, and it is not indoors!
If you have had a rough week, this weekend give your stress the double-whammy! Try getting out in nature and go for a hike. Moving your body, working up a good sweat, and reveling in the beauty of nature will do wonders for your mind and your body. Let me know how it goes!
So what is a stressed out person to do? Drink large amounts of alcohol? In addition to the empty calories and excess carbs that alcoholic drinks provide, unfortunately alcohol is far from the healthiest form of stress relief available. It may seem like that buzz is helping to relieve your stress, but drinking alcohol reduces the quality of your sleep, often eliminating the release of beneficial hormones such as human growth hormone, and ends up creating a cycle where you are in effect less able to handle the stressors.
Instead, exercise has been proven to help relieve the effects of stress. Studies have shown that regular exercise, whether you simply put on a DVD in your livingroom and sweat to the oldies or join a Zumba class at the gym, helps reduce anxiety and improves mood. If you are a runner, you already know that "high" you get when the endorphins kick in and suddenly everything feels just fine.
Another stress-buster is getting out into the great outdoors. Research shows that spending time in nature is calming to our nervous systems. If you have ever had a baby, you may have discovered early on that when an infant is upset and nothing seems to help, simply strolling outside often calms the baby instantly. It's a funny thing. It's almost as if they know exactly where they belong, and it is not indoors!
If you have had a rough week, this weekend give your stress the double-whammy! Try getting out in nature and go for a hike. Moving your body, working up a good sweat, and reveling in the beauty of nature will do wonders for your mind and your body. Let me know how it goes!
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