Stress vs Weight Loss

It's often under-reported that in order to lose weight you have to reduce the stress in your life. This is part and parcel of the whole 'change your lifestyle ethos', and of course, eating better, and changing one's habits are also ways to reduce the burden on our bodies. But one of the most important areas to pay attention to is stress. In particular - stress at work. Most of our time is spent at work, and work has a huge influence in our well-being (including what we get up to when we are away from work).

Work habits also have a way of intruding into leisure time, and here discipline is important. Boundaries need to be set in terms of work vs leisure. In sport rest is as important as exercise. In life, exercise is as important as work. Sometimes there are deadlines, sure, but prioritise workouts too. Make sure you get up in the morning, because at the end of the day, that is probably the best thing you did that day (for your body, mind and spirit).

Exercise is also a good de-stressor as it asks the mind to shut down so that energy can be dedicated to moving the body. But exercise alone is not enough. Be conscious of the ways to reduce stress at work. Here are a few suggestions:
1) Find ways to minimise your commute
2) Work effectively
3) Have a list of prioritised tasks for a day, do them, then get out there and move your body around
4) When stressed at work, go for a walk, have a drink of water, take a deep breath. Remember you (your identity and your ego) are not your job, it's just part of who you are.
5) Think smart. If you're being stressed out by something or someone, doing do the fly against the wall thing. Think strategically. Either defeat the problem, or if you can't, move yourself into another environment. The third option is to try to develop a different psychology or attitude towards the problem. Accept it, and work with it rather thank kicking against it each day.

Finally, remember these words of wisdom:
"It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it". - Albert Einstein

Every time you go out of the world, not with money, but with open eyes, breathing it in, feeling the wind on your face, you begin the process of giving a gift to the world. That gift can be a better, stronger, healthier you. Please give it ;-)