Does This Stress Make Me Look Fat?

Do you often feel like you are being pulled in a hundred different directions?  Or that life is throwing you a few too many curve balls?  Stress can be the one key in your life that is keeping you fat.  If you're eating right (whole foods), exercising enough, getting adequate rest and the scale still isn't moving, it may be stress.  Stress hormones in our body make us hold on to fat because our body thinks a famine may be coming so we better hold on for dear life or there won't be any energy to keep this body going.  So what can you do?  Make it a point every day to do something that relieves stress.  Yes, exercise helps, but something you enjoy doing helps even more.  Like reading a novel, listening to music, taking a nap, playing a musical instrument, calling a friend, emailing gratitude letters to people, making yourself a yummy nutritious treat and then eating it slowly and enjoying every bite, watching old re-runs of your favorite TV show growing up, etc etc.  Just find a little bit of time each day to relax, laugh, and enjoy life.  You will feel re-energized and ready to concur the world (well maybe).

For some relaxation do one of the things I've suggested for 15-20 minutes and feel the difference it can make in your life as you make relaxing a part of your every day life.

Heidi's Trail Mix

Small handful of pretzels
1 T dark chocolate chips
1 T raw almonds
1 T peanuts
1 T craisins
Mix together in a baggie and enjoy the yummy flavors of salty and sweet!  MMM MMM Good!