Stress is FAT!!

For my life, I have battled my weight but have I really stopped to understand it, and I don't mean from the learned way i.e. environment. What I mean is the way I deal with everything and the way my body responds to it. So my newest theory is I am fat because either I thrive in stress or I create stress and in turn it causes weight gain or maybe even loss.

Don't get me wrong here, my weight is based on choices, the way I was brought up, possibly genetics, and my level of physical activity. BUT, many times I have almost conquered these other elements in my life. Twice in my life I have gone from morbid obese to slightly overweight (based on BMI). So if it was everything that I discussed above then I should have it figured out? Right? That would be a big NO!!

So what I am saying is I know the formula to get there and maybe even stay at the ideal weight but this has not been the case. Why? Really I still do not know because I have not got to goal yet but last week I spoke about a light bulb moment, and its impact. It made me turn a corner and I realized its in regards to stress. This is my failure...stress...time after time...stress.

I had plateaued with weight loss on or about December 12, and then the holidays came and I gained somewhere between 8-10 pounds. Now a lot of this was water but still that is a big number and what bothered me the most was that I was not being a complete gluten over the holidays. I certainly did not go without but my past indulgences where much greater.

So why the crazy gain when we all know it takes 3500 calories in excess of our resting metabolic rate to gain weight and I continued to exercise throughout the holidays?

Then January 3rd came and I began to work harder and harder with little weight loss. Then I was working so hard that injuries were building and getting worse, and it did not feel like my fitness was increasing/changing. So what was going on.....light bulb!! Its was stress.

What is Guenther saying here?

I am saying I was working too hard, and putting too much focus in certain things (not enough in others). Running on an injury--stress!! Trying to run faster--stress. Trying to run with better form...stress. Trying to run further...stress. Just like work, fitness and health has to be fun (limits apply) and enjoyable. If its not, we have a physical response which we call stress and it makes it harder to do the things we want to or are expected to do (IE deadlines, targets). My body was not changing because I was asking too much of it without the appropriate amount of rest, nutrition and healing.

So what has less stress done? Since Jan 23, I have lost eight pounds and surpassed my Dec 12, 2011 plateau by 3 pounds, which I am very pleased about.

Everyone talks about listening to your body, listen to the signs,  and find the balance but do we? I say listen closely, make small adjustments, keep it intense, change it up, do what you like, and most importantly have fun because if its a chore, likely it is starting to cause physical stress and you may not even notice it! LISTEN and progress will happen!!