How to de-stress to lose weight

You might think that de-stressing to lose weight sounds like a weird concept, but if you’ve been on the weight loss bandwagon for a while now and are still struggling to lose those extra pounds, the truth is that there could be a direct connection between your stress levels and your weight.

In other words, if you lose the stress, you could lose the weight.

How? The answer is your adrenal glands.

Over the past few years the term “adrenal fatigue” has been used a lot, but you may not fully understand what your adrenal glands are and how they affect you.

Your adrenals are little glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They’re responsible for producing a number of hormones your body needs, like adrenaline, testosterone and cortisol.

Cortisol is the one we’re going to focus on… it’s your body’s stress hormone.

When you experience stress, your adrenals pump it out like crazy, flooding your body so that you can deal with the situation. Then, when the stress fades, the adrenal glands pump out less cortisol and you go back to baseline.

But what happens if you’re chronically under stress? If the cortisol never stops and is always being pumped out at high levels in your body, that’s where the connection with your weight comes in.

You see, when you have high cortisol levels, it causes your insulin levels to go up. Your blood sugar drops, you crave sugary, salty, no-good for you foods, and you pack on pounds around your middle — the dreaded stomach, hips and thighs fat.

And the longer you’re cortisol stays up, the more taxing it is on your adrenals which are having to pump it out.

One study found that high cortisol levels were linked to a higher body mass index (BMI), being overweight and having a higher waist circumference.

And a second study of over 1,300 men and women in the U.S. over nine years found the same association — increased stress equals increased weight.

So, how do you overcome it? How do you lower your cortisol levels so that you can finally lose those extra pounds?

Well, this might be easier said than done, but the first step is to de-stress.

Ways to do this include journaling, getting more exercise, practicing meditation, using deep breathing exercises, getting a massage or taking a hot bath.

Next, you need to address your adrenal glands head on and the best way to do that is through adrenal-supporting supplements.

The ones I recommend are:

• Ashwagandha root — This herb helps you manage stress while supporting healthy cortisol production, energy levels and strengthening your adrenals.

• Rhodiola rosea extract — An adaptogen, rhodiola contains an active compound called rosavin that’s been shown to help burn belly fat and manage food cravings as well as increase energy and lower cortisol — all things you need when you’re working to lose weight.

• Holy basil powder — Another adaptogen herb, holy basil helps support healthy cortisol levels in your body while reducing anxiety and boosting your mood and brain health.

• L-theanine — Found in tea L-theanine is an amino acid that can help you sleep better and relax more fully so that your cortisol levels are able to level out.

To get all four of these supplements in order to optimize your adrenal function and lower your cortisol, I recommend Peak Ultimate Vitality.

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