Healthy Weight Week: Managing Stress, Managing Weight

Healthy Weight Week (January 19 to January 25) invites us to embrace small, meaningful steps toward a balanced lifestyle. Let’s dive into the connection between stress and weight management—an often overlooked but essential factor in achieving your health goals.

With an overwhelming number of tasks and expectations, stress is common in today’s fast-paced world. Chronic stress can have a significant impact on weight. When stressed, our bodies release hormones such as cortisol, which can increase appetite; promote fat storage, particularly around the abdomen; and disrupt sleep patterns. Additionally, stress often leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as emotional eating or skipping meals, both of which can derail weight management goals. To help counteract these effects, consider incorporating stress management strategies into your daily routine.    

Stress Management Strategies for Weight Management:

• Mindfulness: Practices like mindfulness can help calm the mind, reduce stress levels and improve emotional regulation.
• Embrace Glimmers and Micro-moments. 
• Yoga: Yoga combines physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation, offering a holistic approach to stress reduction. Chair yoga offers something for people with limited mobility. 
• Deep Breathing Exercises: Even short periods of deep-breathing exercises throughout the workday can help regulate cortisol and promote relaxation.
• Physical Activity: Regular physical activity, such as brisk walking, jogging or cycling, is an effective way to reduce stress and improve overall well-being.
• Prioritize Sleep: Aim for seven- to nine-hours of quality sleep per night. Create a relaxing bedtime routine and optimize your sleep environment.
• Connect with Others: Spend time with loved ones, engage in social activities and build strong social connections to reduce stress and improve emotional resilience. This article says that “Empathy is a valuable tool for reducing stress and strengthening our personal relationships.”

Remember, stress management is a journey, not a destination. Be kind to yourself, explore various techniques and discover what resonates with you. By incorporating stress management into your holistic approach to weight wellness, you honor the intricate connection between your mind and body. Successfully managing stress can enhance your overall well-being, lower the risk of chronic diseases and support you in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Additional Resources on Stress Management:

• Managing stress: Use these 5 quick videos based in science to center yourself
• I’m So Stressed Out!
• Managing Stress | Mental Health | CDC 
• Destress Monday. Nov. is American Diabetes Month: Stress Less to Prevent, Maintain Diabetes – Daily Flyer
• Walk Week Is Here, Just in Time for National Stress Awareness Month – Daily Flyer

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s final Healthy Weight Week tip, where we’ll explore setting SMART goals for sustainable weight management.

*As always, please consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice regarding your health journey. This information is intended for educational purposes only. 

Submitted By:
Faith Redd-Walker, Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu