Life is challenging. We can view life's issues as problems or as opportunities for growth. There is no question stress impacts weight loss or gain. We also know stress is virtually unavoidable. What's the solution? Have you ever considered that stress can be a positive thing?
Positive stress is a motivator for improving our lifestyle. Negative stress is destructive to our health. Stress itself does not impact our health, it's the way we react to it. One of the best things you can do for yourself is learn how to turn as many negative stressors into positive ones as possible.
Letting stress affect you negatively can lead to a major increase in your caloric requirement. Up to 200 per cent in fact. To make matters worse, we typically eat high-calorie, low-nutrient foods when we're stressed. Negative stress increases the release of cortisol which releases glucose and fatty acids into the blood stream to provide energy. Prolonged periods of high cortisol levels can cause increases in appetite and fat deposits around our abdomen.
Here are some ways to turn negative stressors into positive ones:
Forgive yourself for mistakes you make. Learn from them and move on. The only mistake is the one you don't learn from.
Use exercise as an escape from stress. Start thinking of exercise in a more positive way as opposed to something you have to or need to do. Also those who are more physically active have reduced levels of cortisol produced during stressful times.
Be more aggressive. Those who take charge in a stressful situation highly reduce the amount of stress they perceive.
Get some sleep. Even simple problems can seem daunting when you are overtired.
Try positive self talk. Instead of saying "Don't eat that candy bar," try saying things like, "I am going to choose to eat these veggies as a snack instead of that candy bar because I have worked so hard this week." Or when you do indulge, rather than saying "You can't even stick with your diet for one week, you'll never lose that 20 pounds," try saying, "I worked really hard this week and I ate only half of the chocolate bar instead of the whole thing."
When your boss hands you a huge project on Friday afternoon and it's going to consume your whole weekend, you might get upset, angry and stressed about it. Instead, realize he obviously trusts that you can do a great job and get it done by his Monday deadline. This is a sign of a valued employee and gives you the opportunity to really show off your skills.
There are a million things that can stress you, probably thousands a day. How you perceive them and how you deal with them depends on how they affect your health and wellness. Don't cry over spilled milk. Take life one day at a time and remember all the joys in life that you might be missing while you're stressing about two pounds or a half a candy bar.
Say it! Mean it! Do it!
