Losing fat isn't rocket science. It comes down to your
eating habits, your exercise habits, and your ability to
handle stress.
Now, I'm sure you've heard of the first two ways to lose
weight (i.e. nutrition and exercise). However, do you know
your ability to handle stress also plays a major role in
your ability to burn fat?
The more stress in your life, the more fat your body hordes.
You see, your body fights stress by releasing "stress
hormones" into your system. These stress hormones allow
your body to function while stress is wearing you out.
These stress hormones also lock up your fat cells, so they
cannot burn any fat. I'm sure you've experienced this
before...
You are losing weight and all of a sudden you hit a
plateau. You stop losing the fat and you get frustrated.
After all, you didn't change your eating habits and God
knows you haven't changed your exercise routine. So what
gives?
Stress!
Our bodies are not meant to deal with the level of stress
in today's world. This just might be why we're seeing an
increase in obesity at epidemic proportions. It may also
be why we're seeing an upswing in dis-eases like Heart
Disease, Cancer, and Diabetes.
Again, when you're experiencing stress your body protects
itself by releasing those pesky stress hormones. Good for
your body, but bad for your weight loss efforts.
To help you relax (and lose that unwanted fat) here's a
mind de-stressing exercise that only takes 3-5 minutes:
1. Sit in a quiet place (i.e. ' your room, the basement,
your car, or even your bathroom if you must)
2. Close your eyes and take a deep breathe from your
diaphragm
3. Now, imagine you're on the beach (or another place you
enjoy) and having fun
4. Picture in your mind what you're doing to have fun. Are
you swimming in the ocean with your kids? Are you catching
some rays, while listening to your favorite music on your
iPod? Are you fishing off the pier kicking back a cold one
(ignore the fat loss goal if you're doing this)?
5. Breathe in that fun and SMILE, while you continue to
breathe deeply
6. Open your eyes and become aware of how you feel
So, take it easy today and let the stress in your life
slide off you like water off a duck's back. Trust
me...you'll enjoy the day more, get a lot more
accomplished, and even burn more fat.
----------------------------------------------------
Weston Lyon, KING of the Functional Fitness Jungle, is
widely recognized as a leading expert on functional
fitness. You can receive Weston's weekly tips and FREE
e-book at http://www.westonlyon.com
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