How stress gets in the way of your results - Do you do this when you feel stressed out?
Have you ever had a hard day at work and been tempted to pull into the drive-through or pizza joint for a quick fix of junk food?
Or maybe you think about stopping at the grocery store for a pint of ice cream.
And you don’t even feel that bad about your plans to eat every single bite of it …
After all, you’ve had a bad day, right?
Stress eating is real. But guess what? It usually leaves you feeling WORSE after you finish it.
You’re bloated … you’re tired … you feel blah … and maybe you even have a stomachache.
And, most of the time you regret it or feel guilty about giving in afterward. Then think about this...where else is this showing up in your life?
With your family? Your Fitness? Your Discipline? Your belief in yourself?
Where else in life are you falling back on your destructive vices, that are not serving your mission, goals, and purpose in all areas of life? Did you ever realize, the quicker satisfaction you get from something, the more harmful it becomes in the long run?
Conversely, the harder and slower something is to attain initially, the greater the reward and impact down the line. It's all about delayed Gratification.
Back to your nutrition, and stress related cravings...
Giving in to cravings can soothe you temporarily, but it sets you up for even more cravings in the future.
---> Here’s why: Your brain burns about half of your body’s daily carb requirements.
(Do you think that’s as AMAZING as I do!?)
Regular short-term “acute” stress can mean your brain needs about 12% more energy, which might explain the initial cravings.
But when your stress becomes chronic, your body releases a barrage of hormones to help you cope with it – including cortisol and insulin.
Over time, this can cause blood sugar swings, insulin surges, more cravings, and even slow down your metabolism!
As well as mood swings, irritability, lack of focus, poor judgement, bad decision making, lack of energy, lethargic, and no motivation.
This is definitely not the state you can afford to be in.
Your body (and Mind) definitely doesn’t deserve that.
This is just one reason coaches and mentors talk so much about stress management – even when you’re not feeling all that stressed.
Trying to “walk it off” when it comes to stress doesn’t set you up for success – but being proactive and mindful definitely does.
- Spend some quiet time every day – either meditating, taking a walk outside, doing breathwork, praying, reading, hiking, biking, running, or journaling. The point is to be intentional with whatever you choose. Time block this on your calendar as a non-negotiable. Allow yourself to relax!
- On days you’re tempted to “stress eat,” before you take the first bite, distance yourself from the food by doing something else – take a hot shower or bath, go for a walk, read, exercise, play with the dog or the kids. Divert your attention to something positive.
- Practice a healthy lifestyle by getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and getting consistent, intense training sessions. Supplement your diet to account for any imbalances or deficiencies. Recovery/ Active recovery is not just a recommendation, but a Necessity.
I hope these tips help you tame the stress monster in your life – and the food cravings that go along with it!
If you need support for overcoming this, or any other struggles, roadblocks, or adversity that is holding you back let's talk about which program would be the best for for you. Click the link HERE and let’s talk.
Yours In Health,
Brian
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