How to destress and lose weight 1260x542
1 Nov 2013

How to de-stress and lose weight

2 mins to read
To be successful at weight loss and the prevention of weight gain, it's vital you find ways to manage stress. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to some of the negative effects of stress. This includes comfort eating, loss of sleep, fatigue, and reduced motivation to exercise, which can all have a negative effect on your health and body shape.


To be successful at weight loss and the prevention of weight gain, it's vital you find ways to manage stress. Otherwise, you leave yourself open to some of the negative effects of stress. This includes comfort eating, loss of sleep, fatigue, and reduced motivation to exercise, which can all have a negative effect on your health and body shape.

When looking at ways to relax, why not look for strategies that also contribute to better health?

Here's 6 stress-busting tips that can help you to both unwind and lose weight at the same time:

  1. Catch up with a friend by going for a walk instead of coffee and cake. Physical activity Australia even has a website to help you find a training partner.
  2. Plan your meals in advance. This can help to reduce impulse purchases, and takes the stress out of meal choices on those nights when you're busy and tired.
  3. Borrow a book about Tai Chi from your local library, and teach yourself a basic 10 minute routine. You can also check out this clip on YouTube on Tai Chi for beginners 
  4. Cook double batches of meals and portion them out, freezing the extra servings for an easy heat-up meal when you don't feel like cooking
  5. Swim some gentle laps in a heated pool, focusing on your breathing throughout
  6. Practice some yoga postures by downloading a free instructional app on your smart phone. Daily yoga can be found on iTunes and Google Play, and includes a library of yoga poses with different difficulty levels.

Your challenge
Here's a challenge for you. Right now (and there's no time like the present), write down three things that help you to unwind. Ideally, these three strategies or activities should help you to relax, but also contribute to weight loss at the same time. You can choose three items from my list above, or come up with your own. Writing things down helps transform ideas and intentions into action. A US study found that participants who wrote down their goals were 33% more successful in achieving their intended outcome, especially when they shared their goals with a friend. It helps to motivate you towards doing, instead of just thinking. It paints a clearer picture of what you want, which ultimately can lead to a calmer, leaner you.

Why not share your three tips to unwind with the Blackmores community. We'd love to see your comments below.



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