Stress ‘The Silent Killer’
In modern today it’s not as simple as visiting the gym and training hard to achieve your fitness results. A healthy human being needs to be physically and mentally fit to succeed in reaching the ir fitness endeavours. At times it is hard to adjust work, relationship, or family environments to decrease our stress altitudes. As we have evolved and amplified our knowledge we have found that what we consume has drastic measures on how we control our stressors which can be what is holding us back from losing that extra kilo.
Here are some food groups that can be implemented into your diet to assist you with your day to day life!
Carbohydrates cause the body to make insulin, which allows tryptophan, an amino acid that’s a precursor to serotonin the brain’s natural “feel good” chemical and appetite suppressant to get into the brain. “When people talk about comfort food, usually they don’t talk about sardines or cottage cheese. They talk about foods that are carbohydrates, and the reason that carbohydrates have always been known as a comfort food is not just because you associate it with your mother baking cakes, but because when you eat those foods it makes a chemical that comforts you and that chemical is serotonin.” Before you reach for that double fudge brownie or second helping of mashed potatoes, keep in mind those complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread and oatmeal, are digested more slowly and will keep you feeling calm for longer. I recommend including complex carbs like brown rice and sweet potatoes with you meal that follows your training session. Brown rice is high in complex B vitamins, selenium, manganese and iron, which are important vitamins and minerals that may help to relieve stress.
Certain herbal teas, most notably, chamomile, are believed to help relieve stress.
Chamomile is believed to promote sleep, which in turn, may help combat stress if your worries are keeping you up at night. Recent research also suggests that lack of sleep can disrupt appetite regulating hormones and cause people to eat an additional 300 calories per day (that is an extra spin class a day)!!!
Too much caffeine will leave you jittery or staring at the clock at 3 a.m., but skipping it altogether may make you feel worse. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages provide a temporary lift by raising adrenaline and dopamine levels, but can leave you feeling depressed later. Caffeine also increases cortisol, otherwise known as the “stress hormone.” Increased levels of cortisol are associated with abdominal fat storage and increased cravings for fat and carbohydrates. But caffeine can also speed up metabolism, suppress appetite, and help power you through a tough workout. Bottom line: If you’re already a coffee drinker, no need to cut it out altogether, but you may want to limit yourself to one cup per day and try not to drink it after 2 p.m.
Studies have found that consuming about one and a half ounces of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in highly stressed cases. Keep in mind that chocolate is high in calories and fat, so be mindful of portion size (one and a half ounces has 13 grams of fat).
A glass of wine can be a relaxing way to unwind at the end of the day, but make sure to stick to just one. While small amounts of alcohol may provide a temporary boost, alcohol is a depressant and excessive drinking can lead to more stress. In addition to relaxing your mind, wine also leads to relaxed inhibitions, which may encourage emotional eating and weight gain.
Protein-rich meals boost production of dopamine and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters that regulate mood and behaviour. Start the day off with a plate of scrambled eggs to keep hunger and anxiety at bay.
In conjunction to the above all you have to do is add 30 minutes of exercise throughout the day to boost endorphins that contribute to a better night’s sleep, and help keep weight in check.
Next time you feel to lethargic to stopover to the gym think of what you have consumed and then what your body actually requires to function for a happy mind and soul!