Weight Loss Tips...#4

Reduce Stress!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I feel ridiculous for even mentioning reducing stress because I know that stress basically goes hand in hand with breathing. Trust me, I understand that your immediate reaction is, "I would love to reduce my stress. So are you going to go to work for me, pay my bills, spend hours pulling gum from my daughter's hair, make my grown husband's doctor's appointments and shave my legs for me?" Seriously people, I get it. I am not advocating you join a yoga class and attempt to fit another hour long "to do" into your schedule, but there are some no brainer stress reducing activities that I think you could fit into the busiest of schedules.

• GO OUTSIDE!!!!!!! Breathe some fresh air. It doesn't take long. Just stop typing, folding laundry, texting, whatever and walk outside and just take a few deep breaths. Then go back and finish whatever it was that you left. You will find that you may have a better attitude and clearer head and may even be able to perform your task better.


• Do something for you. This is big people...especially for you moms out there. I don't care what it is, running, scrapbooking, fishing, hiking, napping, reading, facebook, anything. Just make it a priority to fit it in during your week. And if possible get away from everyone else when doing your special activity. This is for you and you only. It is okay to not share sometimes.

• Eat chocolate. That's right. I am now officially everyone's favorite person. But it is proven that DARK chocolate stimulates endorphins which gives pleasure feelings, contains serotonin that works as an antidepressant, and even lowers blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). Don't go crazy with the chocolate though. Limit yourself to one or two squares a day.

• Take something. There are so many options for natural and safe stress lowering supplements. L-theanine, GABA, Kava Kava, SAMe, B-Complex are all just some examples. It is also important to note that stress reduces a body's immune function and a multivitamin would be useful to counteract the depletion.