Stress

1. Stress

2. Stress and Weight Gain • Our bodies are geared for survival • What would our bodies do if there was no food? • Famine response • Stress hormone – Cortisol • Chronic stress – mimics famine response

3. Stress and Weight Gain • What happens if you body is not receiving the right nutrients • Whole body Stress • Biological systems in your body receive less nutrients • Other forms of stress • Physical, chemical or emotional stress • No physical threat, your body may interpret a situation as a physical threat

4. Example – The Perfect Day • Wake up early • Eat healthy breakfast • Leave for work early to beat traffic • Arrive to work early, organise day power through work all morning • Eat healthy lunch that I took to work, go for a stroll at lunch with friends • Churn through more work in the afternoon • Leave work on time after a super productive day, still full of energy • Go to the gym • Eat a healthy dinner • Relax and go to bed early feeling very proud of yourself

5. How it goes Wrong • Woke up, slept in, running late - stress • Breakfast - toast on jam with coffee - full of sugar and carbs • Stuck in traffic – late for work – Stress • Get to work – try to sort emails, phone ringing – Stress • Mid morning: energy crash - head to cafe, coffee and a muffin (muffin looked healthy as it had apple and date in it) - (muffin is actually full of butter, sugar, flour, gluten) • Take late lunch - blood sugar has crashed, go to cafe, only chicken and lettuce sandwich - full of energy dense carbs, high fat mayonnaise and butter. Miss out on walk with friends • Afternoon - another energy crash - have a coffee as need energy and going to gym tonight • Leave work late, fight traffic again – stress • Get home to late to go to gym • No food in the house - supermarket? have  to buy food come home, cook it, eat it, clean up...take away? - quick and easy, have tai noodles - huge amount energy dense carbs, msg, fat • Eat take away - feel bad about yourself as nothing went right for the day • Go to bed late,  - can't sleep due to all the caffeine

6. The Result • Constant stress all day – Elevated Cortisol Levels • Long periods between meals resulting in low blood sugar • Low blood sugar results in low energy levels, craving for energy dense, processed, high sugar food. • Reliance on caffeine due to low energy levels • High intake of processed carbohydrates results in sharp spikes of blood sugar and insulin • Low intake of quality protein, plant food and omega 3 fat

7. The Result • Excess energy consumed – stored as fat • Sedentary for the majority of the day, no opportunities to increase basal metabolic rate • Missed opportunity for constructive exercise • If this type of day becomes ingrained into a persons lifestyle i.e. High stress, poor eating habits, sedentary and no constructive exercise, this is the perfect recipe for weight gain.

8. Prevention • An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure • Wake up earlier if you need more time • Plan your day out in advance • Ensure adequate food is in the house, avoiding last minute trips to the supermarket • Prepare meals and healthy snacks in advance and take them to work • Schedule breaks into your day so you can move around. This will also help alleviate stress • Take a water bottle with you. If it’s in front of you, you will drink more water • Over time, these habits will become part of your lifestyle

9. Reducing Cortisol • Walking • Meditation • Yoga • Pilates • Concentrated deep breathing • Increased consumption of omega 3 • Green Tea or Green Tea Extract • Dark chocolate • BCAA • Vitamin C