While losing excess weight is good for your health, taking off those pounds can be stressful and many people seek how can I lose weight without stress. You check the bathroom scale each morning wondering why the numbers don’t drop down faster. You go to parties thinking about what you’ll be able to eat instead of looking forward to seeing your friends. There is quite a bit of stress in the process of losing weight if you place pressure on yourself which is why it is important to learn how to lose weight without stress.
Stress can disrupt the balance within the body, which can influence eating behaviors as well as food choices, which is why many people seek how can I lose weight without stress. The impact of stress depends on the type and duration of the stressors.
During acute stress, for instance, the appetite is typically suppressed because the body is in immediate need of safety. Chronic stress seeks wanting, seeking, and typically the intake of high fat and energy-dense foods, which can lead to weight gain. Stress, especially chronic stress, has been linked to obesity and weight gain in various studies. This is as a result of the correlation between food intake and weight which is in a response to hormonal responses. When we are seeking how to lose weight without stress it is key to manage stress hormones known as the HPA axis. The HPA axis is the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal axis, with emphasis on the role that cortisol plays in the HPA axis.
How Can I Lose Weight Without Stress?
The pressure to figure out how can I lose weight without stress can be driven by external sources too. Your doctor may be telling you that you need to lose weight to help manage medical conditions. You may compare yourself to images you see in the media and feel like your body comes up short. Or you may have family or friends that point out that you have gotten chubbier, or have gained weight. These external stressors can create more internal pressures BUT not to worry, here are some simple tips below:
You can reach your weight loss goals with fewer distractions and less discomfort!
Try this process for shedding the pounds without the stress.
The first tip to learning How to lose weight without stress
Make Your Choices Automatic
Making decisions requires effort, especially when you’re trying to resist something tempting for the sake of longer-term gains. By changing your environment and your thinking, you can make healthy choices automatic. There is a tendency to add rather than take away. That makes things so much easier than resisting and fighting the old.
Try these activities to form healthy new habits instead of fighting the old:
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Exercise regularly:
If you visit the gym each day after work for a few weeks, it will become difficult to do anything else with that time. Similarly, you could put your running shoes by the door to remind yourself to start each day with a jog through the park. Simple walking, stretching, or an easy bike ride can be one of the ways that you have now learned how can I lose weight without stress.
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Create a shopping list:
Keep candy and chips out of your pantry. Write a shopping list before you go to the market to prevent impulse purchases. Or even better yet, order your food online and have it delivered to resist temptation. It is so much easier and less tempting than walking through the aisles of the grocery store. This also allows you to stick to your meal plan.
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Drink water:
We often overlook the calories we drink. Fill up on water instead of soda or alcohol. When you first wake up, drink 16-32 oz of water. This water allows for you to flush your body of toxins, in addition to keeping yourself full.
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Keep a log:
Using a journal to track your behavior will help you to spot your personal triggers for overeating. That way, you can develop strategies and substitutes in advance. This is one of the ways that I hold patients accountable, and even though it may seem like stress, knowing what you are eating and why you are not losing weight is a way of how to lose weight without stress
Focus on Changes That Have the Most Impact on how I can lose weight without stress
Would you rather spend your day thinking about your diet or being free to focus on the activities you love? If you make a few major changes to your eating habits, you can relax and devote the rest of your energy to other things.
Focus on these changes on how to lose weight without stress:
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Eat more vegetables and fruit:
Aim to consume at least 7 servings of vegetables and fruits each day. They’re usually low in calories and high in nutrients. Plus, they’re rich in fiber which makes you feel fuller. It is much easier to add healthy things than to take things away.
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Cut back on processed food:
Much of the sugar, salt, and excess calories in your diet probably come from packaged food. Switch to natural whole foods whenever possible. Slowly begin to transition the foods that are processed into healthier alternatives.
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Control your portions:
You can eat just about anything if you watch your serving sizes. Treat yourself to a few bites of cheese or a small croissant. Keeping the portions small, tiny to get flavors, and or incorporating one cheat meal per week can mitigate engorging in unhealthy foods all week long.
Develop Social Support
Any goal is easier to reach when you have partners on your side. Reaching out to others can even make losing weight seem fun. One of the ways I teach people how to lose weight without stress is through peer support.
These activities will bring you support:
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Find a weight loss buddy:
You probably know someone who’s trying to lose weight too. Team up so you can share encouragement, and hold each other accountable. Our practice also acts as accountability and encouragement to allow for people to be able to move forward with their healthcare goals.
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Go online:
You may not have time to go away to a spa, but you can find a weight-loss community online. Discuss your experiences and learn from each other’s struggles and successes. We are currently working to develop community support for others who are seeking holistic healthcare just like you.
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Seek inspiration:
You’re bound to lapse occasionally. When your motivation wanes, give yourself a boost. Talk to one of your role models or read a book by someone who lost weight or overcame a similar challenge. Keeping a positive mindset is one of the ways that I teach how can I lose weight without stress.
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Ask for help:
Let your family and friends know what kind of assistance you need, whether it’s a ride to the gym or a few reassuring words. Be willing to help them out too. We are always here to help you if you need education, accountability, or support in the process.
Obesity is a significant health problem across the globe, but specifically in America today. It is estimated that one-third of U.S. adults are estimated to be obese. Obesity is now higher than malnutrition and infectious diseases as a contributing factor to poor health. As a response, research is being done to study intentional weight loss and weight maintenance. Intentional weight loss often supports short-term weight loss goals but has not been known for long-term weight loss goals. Researchers want to identify the root causes that lead to weight gain after intentional short-term weight loss.
Taking the stress out of losing weight can help sustain weight loss. Adopting healthy habits, targeting your efforts, and reaching out for support can make dieting more pleasant and successful. You’re more likely to not only reach your weight loss goals but sustain them and enjoy your life while you’re shaping up. This is why we teach weight loss as a lifestyle and not a chore!
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5373497/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2895000/
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