We all get stressed from time to time. Sometimes more severe than others. Sometimes we feel like we can barely breathe from all the life events we are trying to juggle.
Stress does not only come from big life events, but also comes from the “little” things like getting in an argument with your boss, getting stuck in traffic, your kids not doing their chores, intense workouts, having to accomplish 5 major tasks in one day, etc! Our bodies do not know the difference between one type of stress from another so it all matters!
When we feel stressed, our body goes into what’s called “fight or flight mode” which is literally our survival mode. Remember, it doesn’t matter how large the stressor is … stress is stress. This fight or flight mode causes the hormone cortisol to rise and because of that, some negative side effects can occur.
Negative Side Effects of Stress:
- Decreased appetite of nutrient dense foods (fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains)
- Increased appetite of calorie dense foods (pizza, cookies, cake, muffins, etc)
- Difficulty in making balanced food choices due to above
- More likely to burn muscle instead of fat when eating in a calorie deficit (less calories than you burn per day which results in weight loss)
- Increased fat storage in the abdominal region … stomach … when eating in a calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn per day resulting in weight gain)
- Stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea
- Headaches
- Increased blood pressure
- Anxiety, depression
- AND LOTS MORE!
You might be thinking … More likely to burn my hard earned muscle?! More likely to gain fat in my abdominal region?! Difficulty making balanced choices?! How am I supposed to reach my goals?! Let me reassure you … stress IS manageable.
We cannot control the stress that happens in our lives.
What we can control is how we react and how we manage.
If you feel you have constant high stress levels, I understand girl! I’ve been there before and many of my 1:1 coaching clients initially struggled with this too. The stress you are experiencing IS manageable with the right tools!
Do you need help managing your stress levels so you get the results you deserve for your efforts?! Join my free Facebook community for tips & tools on how to manage your stress & get results! Click here to join.
