Monday, July 5, 2021

7 Easy Tips for Natural Stress Relief

Even before there was a worldwide pandemic, you were probably stressed: According to the American Psychological Association’s 2017 “Stress in America” report, more than 60 percent of adults felt stress about money, work and the future of the nation.¹ With the COVID-19 pandemic, stress numbers have grown: The same report in 2020 found that 67 percent of Americans have felt an increase in stress over the course of the pandemic.²

A little stress—rushing to catch a bus, worrying how that job interview went—is unavoidable. But constant stress can increase your risk of mental health conditions like depression,³ as well as physical ones like heart disease.⁴ And it can take a toll on your relationships, too. In the 2020 “Stress in America” study, 20 percent of adults reported “snapping” or getting angry quickly, and 17 percent admitted to yelling or screaming at a loved one due to stress.²

It can also affect our weight loss success: Our ability to make healthy food choices is compromised when we’re stressed.⁵

All these risk factors of stress may be causing you more stress, so we’ll stop—and offer these seven easy and natural ways to relieve stress and reduce your risks, improve your relationships and stay on track to your weight loss goals.

1. Take a five-minute break to play a casual video game.

a woman and child playing video games together

With their constant access to current events updates and the FOMO of social media, our phones are usually a cause of stress. But used correctly, your miracle gadget can also help reduce stress. In a study of 66 undergraduate students suffering from computer-based “cognitive fatigue,” researchers had the groups take one of three types of five-minute breaks: One group sat in a room without phone or computer, doing nothing. Another group participated in a guided relaxation activity. And a third group played five minutes of a casual video game. The video game group saw similar reductions in distress as the guided relaxation group. However, they were also the only group to say they felt better after the break.⁶

What’s a “casual video game”? In the study, the authors describe them as “recreational games that are simple to play, easy to learn and designed to be played in short intervals.” The authors specifically mention Candy Crush and Angry Birds. But for a new one, try the game the study participants played: Sushi Cat 2, a simple game where players navigate a cat around to collect and eat sushi.⁶ Just the description of that game may provide some stress relief!

Feeling Stressed? 9 Foods That Make You Happy

2. Spend 10 minutes in nature.

a man going on a hike on a sunny day for stress relief

Scientists have long known that time in nature provides natural stress relief. However, in 2020, scientists found the minimum effective dose: Just 10 minutes spent away from the stresses of civilization was enough to improve mood and focus while reducing blood pressure and heart rate. And you don’t even have to do anything in nature: Those benefits occurred while sitting or walking.⁷

If you have 15 minutes and can sit in a forest, even better: “Forest bathing,” a Japanese pastime where people recharge by sitting among the trees, has been shown to improve your immune system and cancer prevention,⁸ as well as a reduction in cortisol, a hormone associated with stress.⁹

3. Get moving.

a woman exercising on a yoga mat in front of a laptop for stress relief

Sitting in the forest is great, but sometimes you’ve got to move your body to bust that stress. Scientists believe that one way exercise helps with natural stress relief is by increasing a brain protein called galanin.¹⁰ Whatever the reason, it works: Walking for 30 minutes at lunch has been found to make walkers feel more enthusiastic, less nervous and more relaxed at work.¹¹ And strength training has been shown to reduce overall fatigue, reduce depression symptoms in people diagnosed with clinical depression and reduce anxiety symptoms in healthy adults.¹²

Why not both? Combo your daily walk with one of these 10 workouts you can do right in your living room! >

4. Pet a dog or cat for 10 minutes:

a man embracing a golden retriever in a park for stress relief

Looking at pictures of cute animals might make you feel less stressed. However, it ain’t nothing like the real thing! When participants in one adorable study were given 10 minutes to pet cats or dogs, their levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, dropped significantly more than it did for participant groups who just viewed slideshows of animals.¹³

Don’t have a cuddly friend of your own? If you can safely visit a friend and social distance, pet their pet—or make plans to volunteer at your local shelter when you feel safe to do so.

8 Reasons Your Pet is Good for Your Health

5. Order a shrimp cocktail.

shrimp cocktail with lemon wedges and thyme

When you think of “stress eating,” luxurious, calorie-dense foods probably come to mind. This makes sense: As mentioned above, stress can compromise our ability to make healthy food choices.

But one seemingly decadent food is good for stress relief and is surprisingly good for your calorie control: Shellfish. Mussels, clams, oysters and shrimp are high in an amino acid called taurine,¹⁴ which has been shown to have antidepressant properties.¹⁵ They also contain zinc,¹⁶ a mineral found to boost mood.¹⁷

When prepared without buttery sauces, these crustaceans and bivalves can help you stay on plan, too: A three-ounce serving of shrimp (depending on the size, 8 or 9 shrimp) is just one PowerFuel on Nutrisystem! Looking for another delicious and easy way to prepare shrimp? Try this Cajun Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil Recipe! >

6. Drink (or eat) some matcha.

matcha cookies with white chocolate on a plate with milk

Among its many health benefits, green tea has long been shown to reduce stress. It’s no wonder then that its super-concentrated form, finely ground matcha powder, has been shown to do the same. And it works whether you drink this green powder¹⁸ or even if you eat it: In one study of 36 people, those who ate matcha-infused cookies for two weeks had lower levels of a stress marker compared to a group that were green-powder-free.¹⁹ What a delicious method for natural stress relief!

Get a packet of your own and try it in these Nutrisystem-approved Matcha Blueberry Muffins, in this surprisingly sweet Matcha Melon Smoothie or in your very own, homemade, Guilt-free Iced Matcha Latte.

7. Do a simple body scan meditation.

a woman resting on a gray couch with her headphones on for stress relief

You don’t have to be a master of mindfulness to get stress-busting benefits from meditation: Scientists have found that even one of the most basic meditation practices, a body scan, has natural stress-relieving effects.²⁰

In a body scan, meditators put intentional focus on each area of the body, one by one, trying to really experience that segment of the body—how your back is in contact with the chair you’re sitting in, for instance, and how the chair feels against your back. You can find short, guided body scans on YouTube or in your favorite podcast app.

*Always speak with your doctor if you’re feeling overly stressed, sad or anxious.

Go Green! The Health Benefits of Green Tea for Weight Loss

Sources:

The post 7 Easy Tips for Natural Stress Relief appeared first on The Leaf.

from The Leaf https://ift.tt/3g3CzEP

The number on the scale is constantly getting lower

Hey people! It's my first post in this sub, but I wanted to share my progress with ya'll!

I've gained a lot of weight during the last year due to depression and stress. 9 weeks ago, I started my weight loss journey beginning with about 98 kg (which is 210 lbs i guess? Idk). Today I've reached another lowest point on the scale: 91,6 kg! I sometimes feel like my weight loss is taking too long but I've already lost over 6 kg and this morning I woke up highly motivated and feeling so great about this number.

I know, weight is just a number on the scale and I should not fully count on it, but besides my body measurements (chest, arms, legs and stomach) it's a good point for checking my progress once a week.

As you can imagine I still have a long way to go and still I've got 25 kg to lose, but I am definitely on the right way and it makes me so proud to finally see some progress.

Last week my mother told me she already notices some small changes, for example my face and my stomach getting thinner. Of course I am doing this for me in the first place, but now I'm at the point where also my family notices how I am changing and them being this supportive feels so great.

I wish you a wonderful week! 🤗🌱

submitted by /u/SechsterGin
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2TAki9b

Renewing my weight loss goals (-40lb, day 100) Should I reach for 150 lb. body weight? (~130 loss)

I have been chubby my whole life, which may be cute for toddlers but my bad habits have persisted into my teen years. I really struggled with personal issues this year and had a ton of Cs and Ds on my report card, and my eating habits did not improve.

During a particularly rough night, I decided that if I was gonna fail in school and become a hobo, I'd wanna be a jacked hobo. I thank myself for making that shallow dry joke, because it's the small steps that count in a long endeavor of self-improvement. Being forced to sit for 8 hours a day on online classes for almost a whole year took its toll to an undisciplined chum like me.

Three and a half months have passed and I have lost 40 pounds. My final grades shot up to a comfortable 4.7 honors GPA and although I am behind a lot of my mom's friend's kids, I am proud of the improvement. A lot of people want to lose weight so that they'll be hotter, pull in more people, or just to validate themselves to their friends.. if those things exist. I just don't want my grandmother to worry about me though. I am not that confident I'll look much better post-weight loss and my social life is practically non-existent now anyways, so if you are in the same boat as me then realizing that you have people who love and care for you can help a lot. It really is mostly a mental battle. I wash the dishes and clean the house everyday of my own free will, weight loss works wonders.

I am 6ft tall and went from 285 to 245. Even though the scale would not budge for 2 weeks at one point and even gave me heart attacks with sudden gains, I have always been pumped about self-improvement and am finally starting to hit the gym. I originally wanted nothing to do with my family regarding weight loss because I wanted to run on the fuel of my own resolve rather than outside influences, but I am not old enough to work yet so I had to open up to them about needing to go to the gym and thankfully they understood. My diet consists primarily of 3 sets of meals with rice ranging from half a cup to a cup in volume, typically on 300s to 400s of calories. No, I am not giving up rice >:(

My goal was to hit 185 pounds, but after careful consideration I am wondering if I should change that goal to the 150s. My appearance has not changed much at first glance and I do not think another 60 lost would be much better. Not to mention a BMI of 25 is practically bordering overweight. I think a BMI of 21 (6ft 150-160lb) is perfect, especially for a 15 year old adolescent who tied with a dude half his weight in an arm wrestle back in middle school (alarming!) I do not want to sound like a certain Austrian man with a mustache, but races have subtle biological differences that can make a ton of the difference health-wise. Although most are skinny, obese Asians (Oriental) are apparently more at risk than other groups to diabetes even when on the same BMI as others. I just want to be healthy.

If you guys know a more effective way of burning more calories, I am all ears. I do not care about loose skin as long as it is still a healthy rate of weight loss. I go on a little faster than 2 pounds a week, maybe about 2.5 because I go by a daily calorie expenditure of 1600, assuming I live completely sedentery lifestyle (not too far from the truth tbh) and my only exercise is cleaning and doing bicep exercises with pathetic 10lb weights. I just want to be more athletic for sophomore and fully for junior year. Gotta have a backup just in case middle school remains my academic peak 🤣

*Apologize for the messy writing, i started writing at 4 am

submitted by /u/Reviver_Hunk
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2V3FXqx

I am a failure I am worthless I honestly suck

Hello lose it redditors. I am feeling very down about my weight loss journey. Lately my weight has felt like a moral failing for me. I am in one of those moods where your like “damn... I’m fucking fat...” and then you just want to go on a crash diet to see the fastest results and to feel better about yourself as well.

It sucks. I hate being fat. I hate having no self control I hate not being in control and I fucking hate food. I hate my brain and I hate myself. I feel dumb, I feel really dumb. And I feel fat, I AM fat actually... I look in the mirror and my belly is growing horizontally everyday that goes by. There is something seriously wrong with me. I feel like a failure, that me being fat is a failure, that there is something wrong with me and that I don’t deserve to be loved, if anything, I deserve to die.

Is there any quick fixes to this? Unfortunately, no. Only thing I can do is be patient and wait to get in contact with a therapist (something I should’ve done weeks ago before it got this bad) and maybe sleep. I hate myself.

And it sucks that I don’t care sometimes when I put that food in my mouth. Why don’t I ever learn!!!!

submitted by /u/Quickthrowaway4you2
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3dFsED5

Sunday, July 4, 2021

Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Monday, 05 July 2021? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel *awesome* and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!

* Lose It Compendium - Frame it out!

* FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

submitted by /u/AutoModerator
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3qPZLd4

Breakfast: to skip or not to skip?

Hi! I’m 20F and am currently on a weight loss/health journey. I eat around 1200 calories a day (short woman things) but generally prefer to eat larger meals instead of multiple small meals and snacks per day. I’ve found that frequent eating is an overeating trigger for me, so I stay out of the kitchen until it’s mealtime. However, it can be hard to fit three larger meals into 1200 calories, even if I stick to low caloric density foods.

So, my question is, would skipping breakfast be a good idea? This would allow me to have a larger lunch and dinner, and I’ve heard that intermittent fasting (which would be 8pm-12pm for me if I skipped breakfast) can help with weight management. But, I’ve also heard the opposite - that people who eat breakfast are more likely to lose weight and that it’s better to eat in the morning for energy and metabolism.

I plan to try it for a week and see how I feel, but I’m curious to hear others’ experience and which they prefer! :)

submitted by /u/whatsupyouguys
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2UlTWb8

20 more lbs to go!!!

I just weighed in at 240.8 lbs , my starting weight after the gyms opened back up was 320 lbs.

I went on vacation last month, so I haven't weighed myself for almost 2 months. I was 265 lbs when I last checked. I'm happy with my results. I'm hoping to join the century club in late August, but mid/late September feels more realistic.

I'm able to fit into an L shirt comfortably and I'm currently getting rid of my former obese clothes. I've been working out in my 2XL shirts, but no more!

My current frustrations is not being able to help more people with their weight loss journey, but I keep reminding myself that I still haven't reached my current goal. It took me years to get to this point, so I have to keep reminding myself that every failure brings a person closer to success if they keep trying. We are all operating on our time and I would like my thoughts and actions to respect that.

submitted by /u/shokaru
[link] [comments]

from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/3hB6pj6