We all have “those days” when it just seems like nothing is going right and it’s probably just safer to stay home and stay in bed. Usually, we get overwhelmed by too many activities, or a looming deadline, or some sort of pressure to perform. Suddenly, it just all gets to be too much.
This is a great time to just slow it down a little and give yourself a much needed break. [pullquote]you’ve got a recipe for a meltdown[/pullquote]This time of year, with all the holidays, all the social gatherings, and the added stress of possibly meeting up with family members you are “forced” to hang out with, it can raise your stress levels dramatically.
Then, add an intense workout and diet program into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for a meltdown.
When you allow yourself to get too stressed out, your body has very real negative responses. It can release extra cortisol (a hormone) into your blood stream, preparing you for “fight or flight”. This is great when you’re actually being chased by a lion. However, in today’s society, we are rarely chased by lions. We may be chasing the kids, chasing the mail truck, but mostly, chasing our tails. The problem is that your body is continuously releasing hormones to deal with severe stressful situations, and now these “situations” are happening on a regular basis.
Elevated cortisol is not desireable when you’re trying to burn off body fat. It can make you retain water and make you resistant to the hormones that help regulate appetite and metabolism.
So, do yourself and your body a huge favor and take a break. Take some time to be calm. It may be helpful to meditate or do a yoga class, or take a nice walk. Personally, I like to hang out with my cat and pet her for a while. That really just calms me down and forces me to take a few minutes to “just be”.
Your body needs the break, and I’m sure your mind does as well. By taking some time to relax and breathe, you’re allowing yourself to recharge and have that much more energy for the next “lions” you see coming at you.
My favorite comment was “I like to hang out with my cat and pet her for a while.” While I laughed, there’s actually a lot of truth to that. Petting animals, watching fish… do something to us to relieve stress. Now if I could catch my cat to pet her I might try this. But she always gives me the eye like “Don’t even think about it!” I think she’s stressing me out.
Haha! You’re right – cats are born with ‘tudes! I’ve actually learned a lot from my cat … about eating small portions 5, 6, … 15 times a day; about the importance of lots of sleep, and plenty of exercise (aka “freakouts”)… even if you can’t catch her, the laughter alone is a stress-buster!! 🙂