While talking about healthy lifestyle, we always stress on the importance of eating nutritious food, getting regular exercise, sleeping on time and following certain habits, but we usually need to keep our stress level under control. don’t talk about. However, experts suggest that stress How one’s body’s metabolism functions plays a big role in it. Elaborating on the same, nutritionist Nidhi S mentioned on Instagram that stress is the most relevant yet “unfortunately the least talked about cause of weight gain”. But how does stress affect weight?
He wrote in the caption, “We focus on dieting, exercise, hydration to lose weight but in most cases we do not work on the root cause, which is stress.”
But how does stress affect weight?
According to him, when there is tension:
*We eat more
*Our sleep is affected and we are anxious most of the time
* We do not exercise or even if we do not do it in the right way
“Stress has a massive impact on all of these. All of the above together lead to weight gain. Not to mention the various toxins produced in the body due to a stressed mind,” she said.
How does this happen?
According to dietitian Vidhi Chawla, founder of the Physico Diet Clinic, cortisol—the “stress hormone”—rises during stress or stressful situations. “This hormone enhances carbohydrate and fat metabolism in our body leading to an increase in energy which leads to food cravings that lead to binge eating. Cortisol also slows down the amount of calories our body burns , which leads to weight gain,” she said.
There can be many stressors including workplace pressure, relationship issues, or “simple things like getting kids ready for school every day, their exams, etc.”
According to Nidhi, here are some tips that can help
*Identify the things that are important to you and put your mind and time on them. Give up the things that don’t affect your life much. You have limited energy. Spend wisely.
*Build a good support system, even if it means a little extra cost.
* Make sure to spend time in your studies.
*Plan simple things ahead (your meals, your entertainment time, the time you spend with your family). Better planning trumps most other good habits.
According to Chawla, junk food is not needed to satisfy the mood or calm oneself. “Try to control your emotions and have a healthy salad or bowl of fruits. If not, you can always go for other healthy snacks like air popped popcorn, makhana, nuts,” said Chawla.
Ease feelings of anxiety and stress with some breathing exercises. (Source: Pexels)
*Stay connected with positive people and more importantly keep a positive social media feed. Nidhi wrote, “These days, we consume in terms of content.”
* Learn to say no. Remember that when you are saying no, you are saying yes to many other things.
* Appreciate the little things, and for the good things you’ve achieved, even the little things, she mentioned.
What else can help?
According to Ishaan Sivananda, founder of Yoga of the Immortals, meditation can help a person reduce stress and prevent burnout.
“Physically, meditation lowers blood pressure, strengthens immune system health, and helps with hormonal balance. Cognitively, the protocol helps regulate emotions, fight addiction, develop self-awareness, and help with sleep. Integrated meditation protocols are effective and should be included in one’s daily schedule,” he said, adding that regular meditation affects the sympathetic and parasympathetic. Nervous system Which “may help combat cognitive decline by working on the genetic factors that predispose us to stress”.
Experts also said that simple practices such as morning or evening walks, proper sleep schedule, eating a balanced diet at home and avoiding junk food with high sugar or salt can reduce the risk of weight gain and other chronic problems.
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