How to Stop Stressing About Weight

A common conversation that I have with clients is about what their weight means...

I know that for so many "diet" is deeply entwined with a desire to lose weight. But I believe that obsessing and stressing about our weight is actually counter productive.

Here's the thing about stress... to your body, the source of the stress is irrelevant. Stress is stress. And when we stress about our weight and/or body image it can activate our "fight or flight" response. This normal biological response is great for helping us fight or flee literal danger, but it is when we live in this state of stress that it can become an issue. More and more people are finding themselves in this state of stress as a result of negative thoughts about their body and weight. While, ironically elevated levels of cortisol leads to more weight gain ( not weight loss as you may have hoped for).

During "fight or flight", digestion also shuts down by decreasing the blood flow to the abdomen and secretions needed for proper digestion. As a result, food may not be entirely broken down and may nutrients from the food that you do consume may not be properly absorbed as the food moves through your digestive system too quickly. So, while you might think that fixating your thoughts on your weight and trying to control every ounce of food you consume, is helping you, it's may be doing the exact opposite to digestion and overall health.

To stop stressing about your weight, I suggest:

1. To stop weighing yourself. This may sound obvious to some but trust me its not. As someone who used to weigh themselves religiously everyday and sometimes twice a day, I understand the battle with the scale. If you find the number staring back at you triggering to the point of you stressing out and binge eating on chocolate covered almonds, then is weighing yourself really helpful? I would argue no.

2. To reflect on what your weight means to you. Are you letting your weight define you? Are you letting your weight determine your worth? What beliefs/stories do you have tied to that number on the scale?

3. To offer your body gratitude as it is right now. When we offer gratitude our perception of our body shifts. My pro tip is to focus on what your body does for you and less on how your body looks.

4. To focus on a feeling. Ultimately when it comes to weight loss, what we are truly desiring is the feeling that we believe weight loss will bring. How do you want to feel in your body? What can you do that allows you to feel that way, right now?

5. To use the Emotional Freedom Technique. It is tapping on specific meridian points on the body to lower stress levels. One Harvard study demonstrated how EFT tapping was able to reduce cortisol levels by 24 percent! Want to try it out? I have an instructional video in my [FREE] 5-Day Food Freedom Challenge!

What to do next...

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