As if stress itself isn’t hard enough to deal with, it can also cause other unpleasant symptoms, like crankiness, forgetfulness, trouble focusing and even weight gain. It can lead you to stress eat. Rather than coping with stress in a healthy way, many of us eat foods that bring us momentary pleasure, like sweet or salty foods. We experience an increase in cravings and a decrease in our ability to say “no” to those cravings. These five, easy steps can help you reduce stress and improve your ability stick with a healthy lifestyle and stay on track with your weight loss!
Tip #1: Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Although this can be challenging, getting enough sleep will lower your stress overnight!
Tip #2: Exercise. Making time to exercise when you are pressed for time may seem stressful itself, but don’t underestimate the endorphins from exercise! Exercise is proven to help lower stress, help you sleep better and helps keep you on track with your weight loss goals!
Tip #3: Make time for yourself. When you are stressed and being pulled in a million directions, be sure you take at least a few minutes to yourself each and every day. Whether you meditate, pray, breathe deeply, talk to a friend or play with your dog, do something that feels good and helps you de-stress.
Tip #4: Learn to say “no.” Over-committing and having too many demands on your time are a sure-fire way to increase stress. Once you learn how to say “no” when you need to, and learn what your own limits are, you will start having a lower baseline stress level.
Tip #5: Get organized, prioritize and have realistic expectations. Not everything in life can be your number one priority. Sometimes weight loss is your number one priority, and sometimes it isn’t. Organize yourself, create a list of priorities, and have realistic expectations of yourself. You can’t do everything in life all at once!
If you are trying to lose weight, please consider visiting us at Olivera Weight Loss.
We use research-proven strategies, approaches and tools to help our patients achieve successful weight loss. We offer a variety of services to meet your needs. In our remote Nutrition Consultations, our Registered Dietitian develops a plan customized to meet your needs without you ever having to leave your home. Phentermine, an FDA approved appetite suppressant proven to help patients lose weight, is available at Olivera Weight Loss for patients who qualify. We offer all services in a caring, supportive environment. For more information on pricing and our other services, please visit our webpage or give us a call at 773-327-6624. Follow us on Facebook for free weight loss tips, recipes and more.
*Please note, appointments are required for new patients and strongly encouraged for returning patients to minimize wait times.*
