Read an Excerpt
Eating Smartly
A Guide to Pursuing a Healthier Life through Diet and Exercise
By Mia Nassini iUniverse
Copyright © 2017 Mia Nassini
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5320-0259-5
CHAPTER 1
The Impact of Stress
For most people, obesity is a solution to being stuck in an unwanted situation. That is the reason why I attacked stress at the beginning of the book before we went on with the solutions to obesity and nutrition. A lot of us tend to turn to food whenever we are under stress. Food eases our hardships for a moment and fills a void. But, hardships cannot be resolved through food. Every time you experience an emotional stress, it activates chemistry pushing you to seek more and more of the food we commonly refer to comfort food. There are two neurochemicals responsible for obesity and unhealthy appetites: Cortisol and epinephrine. These two chemicals are there for our protection and their No. 1 reaction towards stress is fat storage. Cortisol is a product of adrenaline. The more stress you experience; the more cortisol you produce.
Cortisol in a sense communicates with the brain to eat and your belly to store. The "eat and store" phenomena increases whenever you are facing a marital, financial, or family issues. Being under stress means eating, and with the vast availability of fast food, it is easier and cheaper to indulge on food, which sadly does not solve our current challenges. Weight does not come from having a bad diet and cortisol alone; sleep deprivation and dehydration also can be the cause of your weight gain. Stress increases fluid retention, thus to avoid this unwanted phenomena, you need to identify the real causes of your stress and fix them before going ahead with your weight reduction. Life can be full of stress; it is up to us to make sure it is reduced to a minimum or eliminated. Some children tend to turn to food to overcome the circumstances they might be experiencing in school or at home in some cases. Parents, loved ones, even counselors in this case have to step in and help them overcome their worries. There are thousands of clinics willing to help children relieve their worries and get them healthy again. Exercising regularly also helps reduce stress and at the same time burns calories in the process. Physical exercise increases your good hormones and promotes a good mental clarity throughout your day. Taking a walk three to four times a week is as good as an anti-depressant medication. Anything that is pleasurable that isn't eating, smoking, drinking or taking drugs generally decreases your stress hormones.
Visualization is a way to push your subconscious and unconscious mind to accomplish your desires. Pictures are like a hidden language; they are really effective and promote an efficient method of healthy living. Hold up a picture of the body you want to be in front of your face for 30 seconds or more; then let your subconscious mind absorb it. Finally, close your eyes and see yourself in that body, walking or doing what you want, and your subconscious mind will follow suit. It is that simple! This small exercise helps you achieve results faster than intended. Most activities you will be performing will be unconsciously made, thereby leading to a great body figure.
Stop treating yourself badly whenever you are in a condition you despise. Treat yourself as you want others to treat you. Whenever you take care of yourself; you realize that you are precious, and that energy goes around everyone you meet, making your life not just livable but wonderful. When you love yourself, you will avoid putting on excess weight and take better care of your body. If you hold the sentence; "I am worthless and ugly," you will never do anything fruitful to make yourself happy. A life coach; Dr. Tom, once told me: "If God made you, you are beautiful and wherever you are in life, is purely based on the choices you make daily." There was a point in my life when I became helpless and the only comfort I had was my emotional eating. That was the comfort I could find in the world. I even tried on multiple times to take my own life. Life was not fun at that point. It wasn't until I woke up one day and said enough that I was able to take control of my life. Everything I had could no longer fit the body I was in. I had to purchase larger sizes. I went from a size zero to a size sixteen in less than a year. A couple of months later, my life coach reached out to me and helped get on my feet. You don't really have to have a life coach to help. All you need is your family or those around you who care! They are available to help get you on your feet.
That statement is so powerful that no matter what goes on in my life, I tend to take care of myself in a way that I want others to treat me. Everything starts with you loving yourself! Every day when I get up and see this statement, I instantly become fulfilled. Recite a good message every morning and night before going to bed. This is the greatest accomplishment you will ever make. Self-love is so powerful that it wires the healthy cells in your body, making you healthier than you have ever been. Stress can affect our lives negatively in many ways. If you have a lot of stress in your life, it can affect your relationships, your focus, your productivity, and even your health! That's why it's so important to learn to relieve and reduce stress in your life before getting on to your desires. Reducing or eliminating your stress before weight reduction is a stepping stone to obtaining a healthier self. Stress is the primary cause of any unhealthy eating; therefore, to see potential results and prevent a future weight gain, use the techniques provided below, and you will find it easier to reduce your stress, have the ability to stick to a healthy diet, and live a better life. Your body is designed to be healthy; grab it and move on!
Basic Tips to Relieve Stress in Your Environment
Managing stress in today's world can be a hard task to accomplish. Yet it is not hard if you are aware of what to do in the presence of a stressful situation. Stress negatively impacts your body and your mind. Knowing what causes your stress and how you can deal with it can greatly improve your health. An efficient system of personal organization can significantly lessen the stress you experience. Stress is usually the result of forgetting to carry out an important task or locate an unknown solution, which subsequently induces feelings of frustration and tension. The feeling of control over your own life will make your efforts at organization well worth the time invested. You must understand the situations that create your stress before you can handle them effectively. These are some basics steps and suggestions to lower your stress.
• An efficient system of personal organization can lessen the stress you experience. Organization is essential for managing anxiety-based stress. Most people tend to be disorganized, which causes confusion and frustration and which inevitably leads to anxiety and later stress. Simply being organized, whether at work or at home, can cut back on the anxiety and stress you experience. Work out all problems that you may experience through time management, especially when it comes to big projects. If you have a large project to do, break it down into small steps that you can handle. If you have everything laid out well, your stress level will greatly decrease compared to contemplating the project in full. When you keep yourself organized, you can lower your stress and complete the job effectively.
• The most important aspect in relieving stress is to reduce your caffeine intake! A large intake of caffeine can increase the levels of cortisol in the body. By decreasing your caffeine intake, you will naturally decrease your stress levels. Start maneuvering your way into drinking decaf coffee, and stay away from caffeinated sodas and other unhealthy beverages as well. Dropping caffeine all at once can cause headaches, so you might have to do this progressively or try drinking a cup of tea.
• To quickly relieve your stress, pay attention to your breathing! Make sure that you are breathing from your abdomen, not your chest. Take slow, deep breaths and make sure that your abdomen rises and falls accordingly. This will help get more oxygen into your blood, which will help reduce your level of stress. Everyone has different coping mechanisms, and you should develop them to reduce your stress levels. Consciously employ healthy coping mechanisms, like thinking positively about yourself whenever you sense difficulties. Positive thinking means a positive outlook, which enables you to have a different perspective compared to what stress might dictate.
• Most people experience stressful times in their lives, and some may cope with stress better than others. If you have a hard time dealing with your day-to-day stress, find five minutes a day to stop and clear your mind of your daily burdens. The efficient way to lessen your stress throughout your day is to meditate, especially in the morning before any other activity. This can be a great way to not only relax your body, but also clear your mind of everything that might be causing your stress. Consider buying audio tapes or books to assist you with different ways of meditation. Meditating and deep breathing in and out slowly through the mouth will work wonders to ease your stress levels, especially in the morning! Furthermore, many do not get the proper amount of vitamins into their daily diet. Taking a multivitamin can take care of this, and it is the best possible scenario for taking care of yourself and reducing stress in your daily life. If you take stress-control formulas, their content of vitamins is insufficient to lift your mood, and therefore these types of formulas should be avoided. Multivitamins are the key! Getting them from a natural source is a healthy habit. You can refer to my vegetable juicing recipes for a great morning boost!
• In case you continue to experience stress at work, listening to the music of your choice offers greater benefits. Be sure to play lower-key tones, as this will help soothe you. If a more upbeat music choice is made, it should be cheerful and happy. The right song can instantly lift your mood and help relieve stress. Keep a music player and headphones close by with some of your favorite songs at all times. When the stress becomes overwhelming, throw on your headphones and take a 10-15 minutes break and relieve your tension. Another action you can undertake is to imagine yourself at the beach, or any other tranquil environment. Visualizing is a great stress reducer in itself! The next time you begin to feel overwhelmed, take 5 minutes and imagine yourself in a soothing bath, on a sun-drenched beach, or in a beautiful forest. You may find the stress a little less overwhelming. Most importantly, search for sounds that can soothe your stressful day; get a table-top fountain. The sound of running water is therapeutic in calming the mind. These fountains come in all sizes and can be conveniently placed on a table at home or in the office. So whenever you feel stress, just have some quiet time and listen to your mini-waterfall.
• To help you manage your stress, you should make time for relaxation and enjoyment. Do not carry all the worries of the world on yourself. Change the way you think and your attitude; let yourself relax. If you regularly make time for relaxation and enjoyment, you will be in a better position to handle the inevitable stress that will come your way So take time to relax and you'll feel better, which will lessen the number of stressful situations you encounter. Replace unhealthy habits with healthy, productive ones. For example, if you tend to overeat when stressed, you should instead consider exercising. By replacing unhealthy coping strategies with healthy ones, your body will be able to stay strong and be better equipped to deal with daily stresses. Mix up a stress-reducing potion. Homeopathy can be a great way to reduce stress. Spearmint oil, for instance, can be a stress reduction method. Whenever you feel stressed out, dab a little on your temples and neck. You will be amazed how much relief you can find from simple remedies like this. Investigate it and see if it's right for you. Remedies that are all-natural and safe to use will have a good track record of effectiveness with many users.
• Another remedy is to fix your posture! People who are unhappy and stressed tend to have poor posture, which lessens the amount of oxygen going into their brain. This makes your thoughts more negative and also causes muscle aches. By standing up straight, you get more oxygen into your brain and you feel instantly better.
• Cultivating close relationships is a necessary part of life, but that doesn't mean it is always easy to do. Pets generally require less from you; consequently, they can be very relaxing. Interacting with a cherished pet can provide a rewarding break in your day, and the interaction also carries health benefits. Even if you don't have a pet, go to a friend's or neighbor's house and pet his or her animal for a few minutes; even just a few seconds of petting an animal will reduce your stress. Having a dog waiting for you at home with his or her tail wagging can be a great boost after a hard, stressful day at work. Even just having a fish can really improve your mood. But don't take on a pet if you're not going to be able to care for it. Another way to cultivate relationships is to call an old friend to whom you have not spoken to for a long time and catch up. This will bring back the memories that you have had with him or her, which will make you feel great for the rest of the day. Additionally, when you are trying to cope with a large amount of stress, make sure that those close to you are aware that they are not the cause. Your friends and family, especially your spouse and children, can otherwise get the feeling that they have done something bad. You should own your stress. It is your condition, and you need to make sure that the people in your life whom you love and care about don't have to suffer along with you unnecessarily.
• Go online and check out different classes that are available in stress management. There you will be dealing with professionals who can help guide you with important tips to implement in your everyday routine. This will go a long way toward putting you in a better state of mind during the day. In case it does not give you the satisfaction that you require, a good tip that can help reduce your stress is to spend some time away from home for a week or two without a computer in hands. It can be very tempting to get on the Internet, but the objective of you getting away is to spend time by yourself. Most importantly, stop worrying about others and what they are or are not doing! You only have control over your own actions. Worrying about what other people are doing will constantly stress you at all time! Stop it and enjoy your life for a change!
• Examine how you deal with stress. Then you can think of ways to cope with it better. Track how you respond to stressful situations over a few weeks. Remember and evaluate your response to each stressful event and ask yourself if you handled it in an effective and healthy manner. If your responses were not as healthy as they should be, you can develop new ways of coping with your everyday stress. One aspect that usually leads to stressful behaviors is anger. Properly express your anger! It is a big part of stress management. When you get upset, you do not want to work yourself up and raise your blood pressure. Learn some safe techniques to deal with your anger and keep your stress level to a minimum. One simple way is to lay out your work clothes for the next day. It can give you a better start in the morning and provide you a few extra minutes to relax as well. Another way to relieve your anger is to talk about your problems once in a while with friends, but do not place yourself at the center of the relationship. Friends will always be there to listen, so it is vital to use this option to help relieve your stress and anxiety. But in any case, be wary of overburdening your friends with daily discussions of your life stressors and complex issues. An additional effective way to deal with stress is to keep a journal. Keeping a journal can go a long way in alleviating stress since it is an outlet for letting go of your stresses. Writing down your thoughts, for instance, in a formal journal or indulging in a "free writing" lets things out instead of bottling them up inside. This technique is a great way to relieve stress or anger.
• Develop an exercise regimen that will help minimize your stress hormones and neurochemicals. Exercise is an excellent first step in a program designed to relieve stress. Our bodies are programmed by centuries of evolution to flee in the face of stress. We can use this aspect of our evolution to our advantage; therefore, exercise at least three to five times each week for thirty minutes each session. The exercise can be anything from running to swimming to simply taking a daily walk. Physical activity has the benefit of releasing endorphins, chemicals that enhance your mood; making it a great way to de-stress at the end of a hectic day, and at the same time, get your heart rate pumping! Running is one of the absolute best activities you can do to help reduce stress. Not only does it help you to clear your mind, but it also releases endorphins into your body to help you feel more relaxed. It's not called a runner's high for nothing. Activities such as walking, tennis, running, swimming, or biking are really important, not only for weight loss but for your mind as well. Stress-related chemicals are burned off during exercise, and it is healthy for you, especially your heart! Even though running or other forms of exercising may seem like a really annoying experience, with time you may learn to love it. Try to keep an open mind about exercise, and you will see that it helps you feel less stressed, as well as much more energized throughout the day. If you are not the kind of person who enjoys running, then you can consider some type of martial art. The act of hitting an object or another person in an appropriate context can really help ease the desire to hit people in the absolute wrong situations in life.
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Excerpted from Eating Smartly by Mia Nassini. Copyright © 2017 Mia Nassini. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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