Women's Healthy Aging

How often do you actually take the time to relax? REALLY relax? It’s hard for most of us to forget about everything on our to-do list and give our minds and bodies the time they need to rejuvenate. It’s been said over and over again how much of an effect stress levels can have on our physical health, but the most noticeable effect stress has on our bodies is weight gain.

 
So, if you’ve been having trouble losing those last 5-10 pounds, or are just getting started on a weight loss goal, adding time for relaxation may help. Oprah.com has a great article on a relaxation technique by the author of the article, Martha Beck. Her suggestion to lower stress levels is her “So Far” Technique:
 

1. S is for Stop.

Whenever you’re anxious, when you hate your thighs and you’ve just eaten dinner for four and your canary is sick and the obvious next step is to inhale a pie—freeze. Stop doing anything. If you’re with other people, shout “Nature break!” and head to the bathroom. No one will ask why.

2. O is for Open.

The physiology of your fight-or-flight response is very tight: tight focus of the eyes, tightening of the muscles, short, tight breaths. Once you’re alone and still, toggle over to your R & R nervous system by opening up. Widen your visual field by softening your eyes. Open your muscles by stretching. Open your lungs with deep breaths. Open your mouth in a luxurious yawn (no one yawns while fighting or fleeing).

3. F is for Forgive.

This is the most important step. Since you can’t create a relaxation response while attacking and being attacked, you must forgive yourself, and your body, for all supposed imperfections. It helps to make lists of things you’ve done right (raising a healthy cat, posting on Facebook, not stealing many cars…) and ways your body has served you (letting you sing, laugh, hug, read…). Please, make such lists. Make them very long. You’ll eventually reach self-forgiveness—however grudgingly—and the “calm observer” part of your brain will then be online.

4. A is for Accept.

If you’ve gotten to the point where you’re able to forgive yourself, it’s time to drop all resistance to things as they are right now. You don’t have to love or sustain what’s happening, you simply have to allow it to be as it is. You can live with that. Want proof? You are living with it. Breathe that in.

5. R is for Renew.

From a place of stillness, openness, forgiveness, and acceptance, you can renew your commitment to any eating plan you like. Go ahead, stay on the Key lime enema program—though I doubt you’ll want to. Such diets are unnatural, like throwing that porpoise through a hoop. A relaxed porpoise often jumps for pure joy. A relaxed human eats healthy foods in healthy portions, and stays active because it’s more fun than lethargy. The result? Healthy weight, with little effort. It’s that simple.

For more information on weight loss and to read the entire article, “The Easier Way to Diet” by Martha Beck, click HERE.

Make this, or any other relaxation technique, a daily part of your lifestyle and you may see the scale start tipping in the right direction.
 

Related articles

• How stress causes weight gain (weightlossnutrition.org)