Avoid Weight Gain From Stress
Are you stressed and gaining weight? The UK’s leading nutritionist and women’s health expert, Marilyn Glenville PhD shares her secrets to staying slim with her Stressed to Slim guide.
A new study found that women can gain up to a stone in weight in a year from modern day stressors such as worrying about work pressures, your spouse, children or friends. That could mean you will burn off 100 fewer calories a day!
The US study found that women who reported having one or more worries burned an average of 104 fewer calories in the seven hours after eating the same meal than those who had none.
The stressed women also had higher levels of insulin, which contributes to the storage of fat. To make matters worse, the authors say those who are stressed would be more likely to eat high-fat, comfort food.
Don’t worry, follow Marilyn’s top weight loss tips…
- What is important to know is that skipping meals can slow down your metabolism because your body thinks there is a shortage of food. It’s better to eat little and often, to keep your blood sugar levels (and your metabolism) steady.
- Cut out all sugar and artificial sweeteners. You will have to become a label reader because sugar can be added to almost anything, including savoury foods such as baked beans, tomato ketchup, and even bread. In order to make sugar content appear lower, manufacturers list all the different types of sugar separately (look for words ending in -ose, such as fructose, glucose and sucrose).
- A very simple tip to help with weight loss is to chew well and to take your time when eating. It takes your brain 20 minutes to register that you are full, so if you eat more slowly, you will actually want to eat less.
- B vitamins are often known as the ‘stress’ vitamins. Vitamins B3 and B6 are especially important because they help to supply fuel to cells, which are then able to burn energy. Vitamin B6 together with zinc is necessary for the production of pancreatic enzymes which help you to digest food. If your digestion is good, you will be much more likely to use your food efficiently, instead of storing it as fat.
- Chromium has been the most widely researched nutrient in relation to weight loss. Chromium is needed for the metabolism of sugar and without it insulin is less effective in controlling blood sugar levels. This means that it is harder to burn off your food as fuel and more may be stored as fat. It also helps to control levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood.
- Try Marilyn’s Tranquil Woman Support for those women who want extra support in managing a busy lifestyle in today’s stressful world. As well as B vitamins, minerals like magnesium are included for relaxation and sleep, chromium to help keep the blood sugar in balance and the other nutrients to help with hormone balance, digestion and immune support when you are under stress. Kosher and Vegetarian, Tranquil Woman Support by NHPis £22.97 from www.naturalhealthpractice.com.
