"“The whole dieting paradigm is flawed” - Jon Gabriel, Hungry For Change
Jon failed time and again at a number of different diets, he discovered that these diets were pushing his body to its limit and as a result his body was fighting against him. What would seem like a small win would often later lead to more weight gain.
According to Gabriel, our bodies don't understand modern stress. It interprets stress according to ancient programs. Modern stress is interpreted by the primitive brain as immediate physical danger, famine, or susceptibility to the elements, such as frigid temperatures. It responds with measures appropriate to the perceived danger.
If your chronic stress is consistently interpreted as physical danger, your brain will want you to be lean and agile, so you are more prepared to fight or flee. This is why, according to Gabriel, some people cannot gain weight no matter how much they eat. Their brains have a reason to keep them thin.
If your brain interprets stress as potential famine, however, it will demand that you eat while you can. It will also slow your metabolism, enabling you to gain weight as quickly as possible. It needs you to be fat and if you try to be thin, you are setting yourself up for failure.
The key is to identify the underlying, chronic stressors in your life. For some, emotional trauma is the cause. For others, physical causes such as sleep apnea or insomnia are at the root of the problem. For others, a stressful or mismatched relationship may be at the root of the issue. Whatever the cause of the stress that your brain interprets as famine is the key to reprogramming your body to want to be thin.
The source of hope for weight loss success is to identify, and learn to let go of, underlying issues so that you are not continually fighting an uphill emotional battle.
1. Breathe deeply and regularly
Doing so can actually decrease the tone of your sympathetic nervous system and increase the tone of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the portion of your nervous system that promotes relaxation and good digestion.
2. Spend some quiet time every day in prayer, meditation, or a purposeful relaxation session
All three have been scientifically proven to facilitate a relaxation response in your body that can decrease blood pressure, decrease pulse rate, and improve blood circulation. Meditation and relaxation sessions can be greatly enhanced by listening to any number of audio CDs that are designed to facilitate optimal relaxation and mental clarity.
3. Practice visualization
Almost all great athletes practice some form of visualization. As author Wayne Dyer says, "you'll see it when you believe it." Spend some time each day visualizing your ideal body and going about your day in a balanced and emotionally poised manner. You can include visualization in your prayer/meditation/relaxation session.
4. Make sure that you are getting the nutrients that you need for a healthy nervous system
Your nutritional status can make all the difference between being able to handle a certain amount of stress without breaking down versus quickly suffering health problems when faced with stress. While it's important to your overall health that you eat a well balanced and nutrient-dense diet, for emotional health specifically, it is important to ensure adequate intake of B vitamins, Vitamin D, and two long chain omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA.
5. Be honest about your feelings
There's a reason why 'know thyself' is a wise proverb/saying in virtually every culture of our world. Striving to know yourself and what you are truly feeling on a daily basis is absolutely essential to preventing unpleasant but genuine emotions from becoming chronic states. Anger, frustration, and anxiousness can all help to fuel personal growth and character development if you are honest with yourself and seek to discover their root causes.
One of the best methods to increase your awareness of what you are truly feeling is journal writing. The rules are simple: no censorship, no possibility of another set of eyes being able to read your thoughts, just pure flow of thoughts from your mind and heart onto a piece of paper or your computer screen. Regular journal writing in this manner can be extremely beneficial to your emotional health.
6. Move your body
It's a well established fact that regular exercise is one of the best habits you can adopt that will help you avoid depression and stay emotionally balanced. It doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do. What's important is to be active and use your joints and muscles on a regular basis.
The key is to identify the underlying, chronic stressors in your life. For some, emotional trauma is the cause. For others, physical causes such as sleep apnea or insomnia are at the root of the problem. For others, a stressful or mismatched relationship may be at the root of the issue. Whatever the cause of the stress that your brain interprets as famine is the key to reprogramming your body to want to be thin.
The source of hope for weight loss success is to identify, and learn to let go of, underlying issues so that you are not continually fighting an uphill emotional battle.
6 Simple Tips For Managing Stress For Weight Loss
1. Breathe deeply and regularly
Doing so can actually decrease the tone of your sympathetic nervous system and increase the tone of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the portion of your nervous system that promotes relaxation and good digestion.
2. Spend some quiet time every day in prayer, meditation, or a purposeful relaxation session
All three have been scientifically proven to facilitate a relaxation response in your body that can decrease blood pressure, decrease pulse rate, and improve blood circulation. Meditation and relaxation sessions can be greatly enhanced by listening to any number of audio CDs that are designed to facilitate optimal relaxation and mental clarity.
3. Practice visualization
Almost all great athletes practice some form of visualization. As author Wayne Dyer says, "you'll see it when you believe it." Spend some time each day visualizing your ideal body and going about your day in a balanced and emotionally poised manner. You can include visualization in your prayer/meditation/relaxation session.
4. Make sure that you are getting the nutrients that you need for a healthy nervous system
Your nutritional status can make all the difference between being able to handle a certain amount of stress without breaking down versus quickly suffering health problems when faced with stress. While it's important to your overall health that you eat a well balanced and nutrient-dense diet, for emotional health specifically, it is important to ensure adequate intake of B vitamins, Vitamin D, and two long chain omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA.
5. Be honest about your feelings
There's a reason why 'know thyself' is a wise proverb/saying in virtually every culture of our world. Striving to know yourself and what you are truly feeling on a daily basis is absolutely essential to preventing unpleasant but genuine emotions from becoming chronic states. Anger, frustration, and anxiousness can all help to fuel personal growth and character development if you are honest with yourself and seek to discover their root causes.
One of the best methods to increase your awareness of what you are truly feeling is journal writing. The rules are simple: no censorship, no possibility of another set of eyes being able to read your thoughts, just pure flow of thoughts from your mind and heart onto a piece of paper or your computer screen. Regular journal writing in this manner can be extremely beneficial to your emotional health.
6. Move your body
It's a well established fact that regular exercise is one of the best habits you can adopt that will help you avoid depression and stay emotionally balanced. It doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do. What's important is to be active and use your joints and muscles on a regular basis.
Hope this offers some new insights and ideas!
~Leanne
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