You’ve had a really stressful day at work. You eat late. You feel sluggish and bloated afterwards. You lay down to sleep but your mind is racing with the items on your To-Do list. Finally, around 3am, you fall asleep, only to have your alarm go off at 6am. You’re irritated that you couldn’t sleep and now feel even more tired. You grab a quick (unhealthy) breakfast, with sugary coffee, at a local coffee shop. You have no time for anything else. You snap at the barista, because she’s slow and you’re in a hurry. You then feel bad. By the time you get to work, you’re totally stressed out. You have a full day at the office and get home late again. You eat a late dinner, feel sluggish and bloated afterwards, and have another poor night’s sleep. This pattern continues day after day. Sound familiar?
When we are stressed we don’t eat well. Our hormones are impacted. Our bodies produce an abundance of cortisol (stress hormone) that causes cravings for high fat, high calorie food. High doses of cortisol can also cause weight gain around the abdomen. Sleep is impacted, which further increases cravings for high fat, high calorie food. Activity becomes challenging or non-existent due to exhaustion. Weight gain is inevitable.
When we are stressed and tired all the time, we may look for a quick solution…a special drink, pill, fad diet, or even weight loss surgery. Quick fixes get results but are not sustainable long term. The weight comes right back unless the behavior is changed. Not only are these quick fixes costly, they can lead to depression and serious health problems when the weight comes back. Many of the before and after pictures you see on the internet are the result of a quick fix. If the results seem too good to be true, they probably are. If it took years to gain the weight, it will take more than a month to lose the weight. So, how do we lose weight safely and effectively and keep it off?
The first step is committing to make a change. Any diet will work if behavior change is made. The key to getting lasting results is to develop sustainable healthy lifestyle habits. If the behavior is not sustainable, long term success is unrealistic.
Once the commitment is made, habit formation can begin. Setting small, specific, realistic, time bound goals is essential. Focusing on the big picture can be overwhelming. Breaking a larger goal into bite size nuggets is easier to manage. Focusing on the small successes along the way helps with motivation and overall engagement.
If you’re feeling stuck or have a history of Yo-Yo dieting, partnering with a health coach, such as Lisa Hammett, can help. Your coach will help you identify triggers, overcome roadblocks, and work with you to create a realistic plan to achieve your health and wellness objectives.
Sometimes, additional help is needed to balance hormones and manage stress. The magic formula is:
Stress + Sleep + Hormones + Weight = Best Friends. If one component is out of balance, the other three follow suit. Essential oils can help with emotional distress, quality of sleep, and hormone balance.
Stress Management Essential oils reach the areas of the brain that help support and control emotions and memories. By managing emotions, there is less desire to emotionally eat.
Sleep
When eating late at night, the body has to work very hard to digest the food. Eating a large meal before bed can also lead to heartburn and indigestion. Using a corrective enzyme for the body can make it easier to fall asleep, helping the body heal itself. Our emotions are strongly connected to smell. Think about a smell that makes you happy. Now think about WHY it makes you feel so good. Conversely, think about a person you dislike, someone that hurt you. Their smell will immediately incite negative emotions. Using Calm CBD, Lavender or other “bed time oils” will help you “train” your mind to associate rest with that smell.
Hormones Hormones impact all major body functions, including metabolism, sleep patterns, and digestive issues. If you struggle with weight issues, that means that you have a hormone imbalance as well.
Reach out to me on http://www.VestaSchneider.com and I’ll help you come up with a 3-6 month plan for all the above.
Lisa and I have teamed up for a series of FREE webinars, focusing on sleep, stress, emotions, and weight.
Wed., 5/26/21, 1:30pm-2:15pm CST – What Happens When We’re Stressed
Thur., 6/3/21, 10am-10:45am CST – The Importance of Sleep
Fri., 6/11/21, 12noon-12:45pm – How Emotions Impact Our Actions
Thur., 6/24/21, 10am-10:45am – Why Diets Don’t Work
Password: k1rf66
