subject: Exercise to Relieve Stress and Lose Weight [print this page] Exercise to Relieve Stress and Lose Weight
If you have been paying attention to the news lately, you've probably noticed two things: people are getting heavier, and facing more stress. In fact, many of the complications of obesity and stress are the same. The good news is that there may be a single solution to both problems, and that is exercise. Exercise can help you lose weight by burning calories, and can also help relieve the pressure with the release of feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. Let's look at two of these benefits of exercise in a little more detail.
The more you weigh, the more physical stress you put in your body. The question is whether or not that translates physical stress, psychological stress. Unfortunately, there is no fixed answer to this question yet. However, there is ample evidence that weight loss is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health. And you can only lose weight by burning more calories than you take in one way to achieve this is through exercise. You do not even make that much of it. As little as 30 minutes a day most days of the week can start to add up. What you do for exercise is so important. What matters is that you get active and burn some of those extra calories.
Exercise can also reduce the level of stress by releasing endorphins. It is a chemical that makes you feel good, and is responsible for what is known as "high street". Endorphins are somewhat similar to morphine, and help relieve stress.
You can increase the intensity of exercise each week to increase the rate of energy burn. Walking up and down the stairs instead of using the elevator or lift is a good idea. Walking up a gentle slope can help weight loss. Wear a small backpack with a lightweight like a small book. This should help you exercise more intensely.
Make sure you drink about 8 glasses of water each day. This can help supress your appetite. Eat a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and protein. Avoid processed foods such as cakes, cookies and candy. After practice you can eat a small snack of fruit like an apple or a banana to help you recover.
When you exercise part of your normal routine, the endorphins will be released more often, and you'll get the relaxing benefits more often, too. This good feeling is not only there during the workout, but can last for several hours after you finish exercising. There is something therapeutic about exercise, as it helps to blow of steam. All those little frustrations faced every day suddenly start to disappear. This beats the alternative of letting all the frustration of creating up to explode in an uncontrolled (and potentially dangerous) fit of rage.
Getting rid of the frustration in a healthy way is so much better than doing other things. Exercise is a natural way to handle the pressure, so there is no need to take questionable drugs or engage in risky behaviors to forget about your problems. If you have a lot of pressure to get rid of it has been more intense workout. On the other hand, if I would just like to have a lower level of stress on the whole, then regular exercise is a smart choice. It can help you lose weight, relieve stress and be healthier, too.
