As the year and the holiday season come to a crescendo many of us are looking down and noticing a bit more of a pouch than before.
At this time of year it’s easy to think of going on some radical fast or detox plan to shave off a few pounds quickly.
There is nothing wrong with using food to lose belly fat. As a matter of fact, it is probably the quickest way to do it.
However, there is something that is considerably more insidious when it comes to widening our waists. And if we don’t address it in the long run, that belly fat will come right back as soon as we end that cleanse.
And that is stress.
Stress is a necessary evil in most of our lives.
It has many adverse effects in the body.
And increased belly fat is probably one of the worst.
But how does it work? And how can we stop it?
Stress produces a hormonal cascade in the body that results in increased cortisol and therefore increased blood sugar. This results in higher levels of insulin, which triggers the body to TURN OFF fat burning.
So actually the best way to lose belly fat is to practice SELF-CARE
There are two major areas of self-care that are particularly impactful when it comes to lowering cortisol and (and insulin and other hormones).
And they are:
Poor sleep wreaks havoc in the body.
This is probably THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT factor to address for self-care
So good sleep is really, really important.
And the minimum requirement is 7 hours per night. Some experts say 8 hours.
Stress Management
When we hear the term “self-care” we immediately think of stress management.
Just remember that there is no stress-management routine in the world that can make up for poor sleep. So make sure you work on sleep first.
Stress is a major player in belly fat and weight problems. It also causes a lot of other problems:
We pretty much all know that stress is bad for us. But it’s something that usually gets brushed off.
One great place to start is mindfulness.
You don’t have to go crazy. Even just 5 rounds of breathing practiced a few times a day can make a difference.
You can try “box breathing”, which means inhaling for 5 counts, holding for 5 counts, and then exhaling for 8 counts (all through your nose). Do 5 rounds of this a few times a day and watch the benefits unfold.
Breathing like this will “force” your nervous system closer into the para-sympathetic mode (aka rest and digest) and therefore reduce cortisol.
One controlled trial showed that stress management reduced the stress response and led to weight loss in the group that had counseling on stress management techniques.
Both groups had reductions in BMI, perceived stress, level of depression, as well as improved dietary habits, physical activity, daily routine, and social support.
The group that had counseling on stress management had better results in terms of reduction of weight, perceived stress, and depression levels.
This is not rocket science!
We KNOW that stress has many adverse effects and we know we need to sleep 7-8 hours a night.
The first step in getting these things done is recognizing how important they are.
The second step is prioritizing YOU!
It is so easy in our modern, busy lifestyles to brush aside our own needs in the name of productivity.
The irony is that we perform better and we are more productive when we are well-rested and relaxed.
So, take the time to CARE FOR YOU. And see not only great benefits in your energy and productivity but you’ll also be on the road to losing that belly fat for good!
References
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