There was a commercial several years ago telling women they could bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. This commercial was telling women they could be all and have it all; but at what cost?
Like most women, I too fell into this trap. It is so easy to get caught up in work and being successful. While I was focused on making it happen, I did not realize that I was quickly killing myself.
Most women take care of everyone else except themselves! From family to career, it never seems to stop. Day in and day out the rat race continues until we decide to say stop; only to notice that we have added several pounds and dress sizes to our body.
Emotional eating, lack of exercise, improper rest, and fast food are some of the culprits that can cause your waist to expand. If you add those things to a high stress level you are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
If you remain in this state of stress for a prolonged period of time, it becomes a health risk. There are several ways in which stress can contribute to weight gain. One has to do with cortisol, a stress hormone. It is true that prolonged exposure to very high levels of cortisol — such as due to Cushing's syndrome — can result in weight gain. Cushing's syndrome is a medical condition in which your adrenal glands make too much cortisol.
So stop giving away your power and make your health a priority today.
Be Aware of Emotional Eating -- Nervous energy can often cause you to eat more than your would normally. How many times have you found yourself scouring the kitchen, or absently munching on junk food when you’re stressed? You do not know if you’re hungry or not. You are just eating as an activity.
Make Fast Food Obsolete – Cut down on the amount of fast food consumption. Plan your meals. Drink half of your body weight in water. Choose healthy snacks like almonds and walnuts. Start to think of food as fuel. Choose to put good food in your body.
Start a Supper Club-- Gather new recipes and share them with your girlfriends. Take turns cooking and sharing the work. Learn how to share your thoughts while listening to others.
Make Exercise Fun -- With all the demands on your schedule, exercise may be one of the last things on your to-do list. Do not allow exercise to go by the wayside. Try yoga, tai chi, walking, Zomba, or biking. Not only will exercising help you maintain your weight and it will increase your creativity also.
There are numerous ways that you can decrease your waistline and your stress levels at the same time by making sure that you make yourself a priority!
Nathalie Gregg is a catalyst for facilitating change! She is passionate about empowering women and building high performance individuals, teams, and organizations.
Due to my hectic schedule, I was forced to learn the importance of exercise, stress management, and living a balance life. I had issues with high levels of stress, excess weight gain, increased levels of blood pressure and cholesterol, anxiety, and poor sleeping habits. I had to assess what was important to me and begin to schedule according to my priorities. I had to learn how to stop giving my power away and I encourage others to do the same.
www.nathaliegregg.com