Losing Weight? Try To Relax

There are many nutritional and medical experts alike who believe that having a stress-filled lifestyle will contribute as much to weight gain and health issues as that donut you shouldn’t have had just now. From home and workplace stress to general anxiety about life in general, our modern society is not exactly a bastion of peace and relaxation. Luckily there are ways for even the most anxious and stressed among us to calm their nerves and help kick start a diet or healthy lifestyle change. So what exactly are some good relaxation tips for weight watchers?

To start with, you will need to try and eliminate stress wherever and whenever you can. Even something as simple as cleaning your house or your desk at work can have a meditative effect and clear your mind in many ways. Try organizing to do lists but limit it to only essential tasks so you won’t forget them. Often times just the act of getting organized goes a long way in stress reduction. You might also want to consider turning off some of life’s constant reminders of stress. Turn your phone off before dinner and don’t check again until morning if you can.

There are some other great relaxation techniques you can even practice while at work. Try packing yourself a healthy lunch and make it a point to sit down and enjoy it. You should never eat at your desk unless you absolutely have to. Find a nearby park or even sit in your car and listen to the radio while you eat to help separate eating time and work time. Not only will you tend to take your time and enjoy your food, throughout the rest of the day you will feel refreshed and recharged.

While it may seem like a huge hassle to try and get out to a gym or setup one at your home, there are things that you can do to effectively exercise nearly every day. Whether you opt for the stairs instead of the escalator and elevator, or simply walking the dog for 20 minutes after dinner, you can do things to increase your activity levels, as well as reduce hormones that cause stress. Speaking of walking, one good idea, if you take public transportation or drive to work, is to find an area close to work, at least 4 blocks away, that will allow you to walk the little remaining distance. Not only will this give you fresh air, it will provide you with a little boost of energy that you may need in order to get your day started the right way.

Reading is an activity the requires no sweat or effort on your part and has many calming effects. Now you don’t necessarily have to dust off your library card or stock up at your local book store, you just have to be interested in what you are reading. Grab a newspaper or subscribe to a magazine that covers a hobby you are interested in and try to read at least one article a day. If you have a smartphone or tablet, try looking for news apps that are constantly updated throughout the day. Not only will you learn a thing or two while being entertained, you will forget about stress, even if it is just for a little while. And, as we have covered before, anytime you can reduce stress you increase your chance of maintaining weight loss.

Another great tip is to keep your work and personal life as separate as you possibly can. Unless you are a doctor or lawyer, there are very few instances where your employer needs to be able to contact you at home. Make sure you keep checking work email to a minimum or not at all—perhaps even institute a “Do Not Disturb After 5PM” policy, if your boss is understanding with such matters. In any case, it is always a good idea not to let all aspects of your life bleed into one another. By following just a few of these stress relieving tips, you will be well on your way to, not only losing stress, but losing weight, as well.