There is a lot happening in the world. 2020 has been a whirlwind. Living through a pandemic and continued racial injustices is very stressful. The anxiety and stress can get really overwhelming at times. So let's talk about stress.
Stress isn’t just something you feel. It’s not just that anxious feeling and tightness in your chest. When you’re stressed your body releases stress hormones. Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. It's important for helping your body deal with stressful situations. As your brain triggers, it releases in response to many different kinds of stress. When cortisol levels are too high for too long, this hormone and hurt you more than help.
It's not just life, work, and relationship type stress that releases cortisol. Cutting your calories with extreme diets can trigger the release of stress hormones too. So what's the big deal if you've got stress hormones kicking about your body 24/7? The stress hormone cortisol can actually increase your body fat storage and if you’re stressed out all day long that’s not a good thing. Chronic stress can also contribute to long term problems and affect your overall physical/mental health.
So even if you’re training and got your diet dialed in and not seeing results, stress could be holding you back. It’s well worth thinking about. So what can you do about it? Well, it's time to find ways to destress. Try simple things, a walk, a bath, listening to calm music, or spending quality time with your mate can give you an escape from the stress in your life.
Relax & stay safe!!
TBL