Losing weight can be a stressful experience. It doesn’t have to be, but often it is. For too long, we’ve been told by the media and pop culture that the only way to lose weight is to never eat anything and suffer. This isn’t the truth. This is actually the exact opposite of the truth. If your body is suffering, it’s under stress, and you’re flooded with the hormone cortisol. This changes how your body functions and negatively impacts your weight and every other area of your health.
The following will explore some of the more stress-free ways to lose weight. All of these tips can be followed at home in comfort and privacy and are suited to all paces. You can adopt these tricks as slowly as you like and still feel the benefits of them.
Mindset Work
This is the step that everyone likes to skip, but it is the most important one. You need to have a mental moment before you begin any of the other work. Get still and put all your other worries to one side. You can pick them up right after this step is done. We promise. Take a moment to think about weight and weight loss. Pay attention to the thoughts that arise within you. Each time an idea presents itself, ask whether or not it’s true. Question everything you believe about weight loss.
Again and again, studies have shown that our beliefs about ourselves shape every aspect of our lives. These beliefs determine how successful we are in everything that we attempt. Any type of lasting change involves a shift in perspective.
Likely these beliefs were implanted when you were very young. You might not remember the moment the programming happened, but you can be sure that it did. Self-limiting beliefs are false and harmful. If you don’t know what we mean, here are some examples of things that people can believe that aren’t true:
- I hate exercising
- No matter what I do, I’ll always be bigger
- I hate vegetables
- It doesn’t matter what I try
- If I do succeed, I’ll be miserable
- I don’t have control
- This time will be like all the others
Yes, this step might be uncomfortable, but it is crucial. If you don’t tackle these beliefs first, it doesn’t matter if you lose the weight; keeping it off will be a constant battle. That’s because our mind would rather be right than happy.
Yoga
Thanks to the internet, there are thousands upon thousands of free yoga classes you can follow along with. Yoga is fantastic for reducing stress, and we know that stress is one of the big contributors to weight gain. If your body thinks that you’re in danger or struggling, it’s going to hold onto weight, so you don’t have to worry about food as much. Beyond this, yoga can contribute to muscle growth and overall fitness, which plays a part in weight loss as well.
It takes only an internet connection and a yoga mat to get started. There are videos for any stage in your fitness journey with poses for all difficulty levels. There are eco friendly yoga mats that can also help reduce the damage to the environment that this activity results in if you’re worried about that. It’s important with yoga that you don’t skip over the breathing aspects of the activity. The magic of yoga happens in the breath. And make sure that you do the savasana pose at the end. Even though it feels like you’re doing nothing, you’re actually doing so many beneficial things for your mind and body.
Sleep
We all need more sleep. We know this. But what not enough people know is how interconnected sleep and weight are. Getting enough hours of high-quality sleep can help set your internal rhythms right. This influences your metabolism and hormone cycles. Extra sleep can also help boost your motivation and willpower and lead to making wiser, safer decisions. Getting more sleep has a way of improving every area of your life: your relationships, your work, your energy levels, your skin, your creativity, your joy… you name it. Sleep makes everything better.
The above tips are by no means the be-all and end-all of weight loss, but they can set you up to begin your weight loss journey healthily and without stress. The process is about finding what works for you in your daily life, not forcing yourself into a regime that feels like torture.
