This week is the last week of the stress series. We’ve looked at some science and I’ve shared with you some lifestyle solutions.
I would like to share a little bit on nutritional support.
I’ve already mentioned that I had lost my mojo a little earlier this week. This actually led me to doing an adrenal stress test (which measure stress hormones) myself.
I got the results on Saturday morning and I was quite surprise. Here they are:
I actually wasn’t expecting a high response. Typically we associate elevated cortisol with being wired. More of an energetic state of stress. I thought this result would have come back low due to the feelings of poor energy I was experiencing.
Interestingly, I have been seeing a lot of my clients coming back with a similar result.
The first step with any of this is to address lifestyle balance. If you read my previous email on mojo rehab, this is the stuff we are talking about.
There is also a lot of support that can be given by food choices, exercise choices and supplements as the cherry on top.
FOOD
It may not surprise you by now that the food choices help to balance stress are the SAME food choices, help with weight loss too.
To relieve stress induced by diet, balanced meals are a must.
It comes back to the simplicity of the food plate:
- Eat 3 meals a day
- Include lean protein with every meal
- Slow releasing carbohydrates
- Good fats (especially omega 3)
The following will NOT be supportive:
- Skipping meals
- Relying on coffee to fill you up
- Eating meals high in sugar or low in proteins and fats
- Under-eating or over-eating
All of the above have the ability to disrupt blood sugar and increase stress.
Calorie restriction can also be a stress on the body. This is why, when I work with women, I prefer to keep them in the sweet spot where their calories are as high as they can be and still lose weight. For most this is around 1700 to 2000 calories per day depending on size and exercise levels.
If you feel tired and stressed with low energy, checking your calorie intake may be a good place to start.
EXERCISE
Exercise has what we call a “hormetic effect” on the body.
Not exercising and moving your body won’t be good for health. However, too much exercise can actually be more damaging than too little.
In my coaching program I am working with women who are struggling just to get off the sofa, but also women who are chronically over-exercising in a (failed) attempt to shift excess weight.
We want a calorie “sweet spot” for weight loss and we also want an exercise “sweet spot”. Just enough to create the necessary physiological adaptations but not so much that the body is under undue stress.
If you are someone who is stressed but inactive. Adding in regular exercise should help you manage stress levels better.
If you are stress but already doing lots of exercise, stripping it back may have a beneficial effect.
Most women are afraid to drop back on exercise for fear of weight gain. I teach my clients how to balance their nutrition so that this doesn’t happen and the resultant effect is more than likely, weight loss!
SUPPLEMENTS
Before I talk about supplements I must say:
Please do not take this as medical advice, always check with your doctor or health care professional before starting a new supplement regime and supplements and medications can interact so if you are on any medications for stress and anxiety or depression, always work with someone who will check for any interactions.
When it comes to stress I am a major fan of herbal adaptogens. These are herbal products that can improve the connection between the brain and the adrenal glands or between stress hormones and the receptor.
When I work with my clients I prefer to run a test (as seen above) before making any recommendations.
If stress hormones are high, certain products may be more effective. If stress hormones are too low, often indicating burn out, other products may be beneficial.
Liquorice root and Holy Basil are my favourites for low cortisol
Ashwaganda, Rhodiola and Ginseng are my favourites for high cortisol
(please do not supplement without professional advice)
You can also up your intake of natural adaptogens by adding fresh herbs like Rosemary and Sage into your cooking.
You may also remember this diagram when we looked at stress, mood and comfort eating.
Other useful supplements in this case would be: (I’ve added food sources too)
- omega 3, found in oily fish
- vitamin D (as a side now, now is the best time of year to test your vitamin D, it should be at its highest after the summer. If it’s low or borderline low now, you definitely want to supplement over winter)
- curcumin (found in turmeric)
- vitamin E (found in high amounts in walnuts and walnut oil)
- 5HTP or Griffonia
- Magnesium
- Methylated B-Vitamins
More real food support can be found by eating cabbage family and onion family vegetables, green tea, chocolate (of course!) and red wine (in moderate amounts not the whole bottle!).
So in summary:
- Consume a balance diet eating 3 balanced meals a day with protein and fats in each one
- Eat enough calories, many women under-eat which is massively impacting health
- Moderate exercise, not too much or too little
- Lifestyle factors are more powerful than any pill but consider working with a practitioner that can recommend appropriate supplementation or include beneficial foods in your diet – who doesn’t love chocolate and red wine!?
I run a small Online Women’s Weight Loss Program that offer a personalised nutrition and exercise support to produce life changing and life-lasting results.
If you want to give up the guessing game and have someone just tell you what to do and hold you accountable to actually doing it then this is probably exactly what you have been waiting for.
Life doesn’t get better by chance, it gets better by choice. Now you have a moment where you can choose to take a step towards a very different future and join the community of like minded women who are not just losing weight, but transforming their lives, filling them with happiness and health.
To find out more about how my coaching program can help you, please fill out the application below to book a complimentary breakthrough call and find out out about working with me in more detail.
