26/03/2021
๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค
As Iโve been going through my bodybuilding prep I have been a lot more aware of what stress has been doing to my physique, strength and appetite.
๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐:
1๏ธโฃ my appetite skyrockets and I have extreme cravings for chocolaty, fatty and salty foods.
2๏ธโฃ my strength in the gym drops lower than normal.
3๏ธโฃ my weight the next morning will typically be 1-2lbs heavier than usual.
I know this is completely normal due to the stress response (increase cortisol), which when chronically elevated leads to stress eating (in some cases decreases appetite), water retention, and can negative impact on body composition and gym performance.
Stress is a part of daily life and there is no way of completely removing it. Having some stress is actually important for getting things done.
But itโs important to understand what it can do to us and stop it from being chronically high.
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ:
โ
Morning routine (meditation, gratefuls, reading, mobility)
โ
7-9hrs of sleep per night
โ
Daily walks in nature
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Spend time with family and friends
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Limit time spent on social media
When Iโm very stressed out and about to have a meal I take a couple of deep breaths and put my phone away and focus on the meal.
When eating, I chew slower and set down my utensils between bites.
๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ, ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ.
Who struggles with chronic stress?
๐ธ