Boosting Your Metabolism - Part 14 - Relax .... Your Waistline Depends on It

Hi again,

You may perhaps think this week’s blog title is a little strange, or at best irrelevant to losing weight, but the fact of the matter is, that experts have now identified stress as having a key influence on our metabolism.

Essentially, what happens is that when the body is under constant stress, it releases stress hormones that flood the system. These stress-related hormones actually tell the body to create larger fat cells in the abdomen, resulting in both increased weight (through increased fat cells), and a slower metabolism.

Obviously, these are two very negative factors in our quest to boost metabolism and lose weight, because the last thing that we want is more and bigger fat cells in our abdomen, coupled with a diminished metabolism. Yet, tragically, this is what happens to many people who experience constant, continuous stress, especially those of us who have to balance so many competing objectives, such as work, family, and other vital tasks.

So the simple advice here is to learn to “relax and chill out”. For many that may be easier said than done, but being aware of the need for you to do so is the first step towards finding a way that works for you.

As women, we often respond very differently to stress stimulants from one another – one woman’s pain can be another woman’s gain, and the same is true for finding ways to relax. But there are some simple techniques that do work for a good proportion of women, so see if any of the following appeal that you might like to try.

Walking is a good one – yes it’s great in that it’s exercise, but for many, finding a little time to walk alone, is often a good way to step back and gain a little clarity and a perspective on life and any of the perceived stresses it places upon us.

Many women find tranquility and relaxation by listening to music, and with today’s technology, it need never be further away than your jacket pocket or handbag. Obviously you need to set aside a little ‘me time’ to really absorb your music and get the benefit – a 23 minute dash round the supermarket doing your weekly grocery shop with Led Zeppelin banging in your head is going to provide limited benefit, but if you haven’t tried experimenting with music before, give it a try – you may be surprised how quickly you can zone in and how relaxed it can make you feel.

Other ideas you may like to try include meditation, yoga, or even just trying to eat less stimulating foods that contain caffeine and sugar etc. Whatever you decide is right for you, the main thing is to try to build a daily regime into your life that includes periodic ‘time outs’ where you can re-centre yourself and de-stress.

Remember, while relaxing is good advice for anyone, it’s important to realize that stress negatively influences metabolism - so there is a link between how much stress you experience and your ability to break down cells and lose weight.

So if you don’t want to relax because you don’t have the time, at least be aware that your stressed-out life is probably playing a greater role in your weight gain or your inability to lose weight than you may have realized.

See you next time with ‘There Really is Something GOOD about Your Time of the Month !’


Take care


Sandra

PS. To discover how you can relieve stress, lose weight and have a general feeling of well-being Click Here and find out for yourself.