FitSugar

Another Reason to Run in the Morning

FitSugar — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:02 PDT

I've been taking advantage of the early sunrise and running before my family wakes up. It takes a bit of discipline, but it's so nice to check something off the daily to-do list before 7:00 a.m. Aside from patting myself on the back while brewing my cup of Joe, early morning exercise can translate into a more productive workout. The hormone cortisol, which helps break down fat for fuel, is higher in the early morning - it rises with the sun. This boost in cortisol can add a bit of power to your morning run, helping you to run a bit further and with a bit more speed. When you're debating with yourself to run or not to run next time your alarm rings, hopefully this tidbit will get you up and running.

Life + Stress = Weight Gain

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:00:00 PDT

A stress-free life is unfortunately just a fairy tale. Also unfortunate is the fact that chronic stress can lead to weight gain. This happens for a variety of reasons, one being that stress makes you hungry.

As we evolved, stressful situations required great physical energy, like running from a saber-toothed tiger. Then and now, a stressful situation triggers a shot of adrenaline followed by a surge of cortisol, which signals your body to replenish the calories you used. However, editing the last few PowerPoint slides before your big presentation doesn't burn nearly as many calories as sprinting away from a dangerous man-eating animal. In stressful moments, we often tend to reach for foods high in sugar and fat that prompt the brain to release pleasure chemicals. If your stress is chronic, this high-calorie food response can become habitual, leading to pounds gained.

For the second and more physical reason stress causes weight gain,

read more. The production of cortisol interferes with the production of testosterone, the hormone responsible for building and maintaining muscle mass. A decrease in muscle mass leads to a slower metabolism, since a pound of muscle requires more energy (read: calories) to maintain than a pound of body fat. The good news is that exercise combats stress. Movement tricks your body into believing that you're really running away from that scary tiger. Exercise gets the blood flowing, which helps flush the cortisol from your body. Studies have shown that walking just under 20 minutes, three times a week can lower cortisol levels by 13 percent. Now doesn't a lunchtime stroll sound appealing? Source

5 Easy Ways to Manage Cortisol, the Stress Hormone

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:00:00 PST

Cortisol is a hormone that's recruited to regulate blood pressure and the immune system when the body is experiencing physical or emotional stress. Constant stress can cause our bodies to overproduce the hormone, and instead of helping to balance our bodies, cortisol can cause sleep problems, leave us vulnerable to infection, induce blood sugar abnormalities, and lead to abdominal weight gain.

In its February issue, Prevention magazine describes solutions for managing cortisol, and these options are all doable with little effort (so you don't become even more stressed about having time to manage your stress hormone!).

Sip some black tea: "When volunteers were given a stressful task, the cortisol levels of those who were regular black-tea drinkers fell by 47 percent within an hour of completing the assignment, while others who drank fake tea experienced only a 27 percent drop."
Hang out with a funny friend: "Simply anticipating laughter is enough to reduce cortisol levels by nearly half." Prevention notes that a funny DVD could do the trick, too.
Make a great iPod mix: "Music can have a calming effect on the brain, especially while you're facing a major stressor." Prevention suggests playing background music when hosting a stressful dinner for your in-laws and listening to something soothing at bedtime.

To see two more ways to manage cortisol,

Kissing Reduces Stress

DearSugar — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 10:00:00 PST

It was great news when we learned that sex can reduce stress, but it turns out there's no need to get naked in order to ease your mind or your troubles - recent research shows that kissing is also a stress-reliever. When couples were asked to smooch for 15 minutes, there was a decrease in levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Other couples who were asked to just hold hands, also had a decrease in cortisol, but kissing was much more effective.

The study also discovered that guys prefer sloppier kisses, which allows testosterone in his saliva to transfer to his partner as testosterone increases the sex drive in both men and women. So if you're having issues with your job, your sister, your roommate, or your finances, a little make-out or love-making session may be just the thing you need!

Source

Wake Up and Drink OJ: Vitamin C Fights Stress

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:45:00 PST

Let's face it, the holiday season is stressful. Couple that with all the runny noses that surround you and it becomes clear – vitamin C is your ally. Aside from helping shorten the duration of a cold, fighting wrinkles, and helping absorb iron, vitamin C is a stress buster. Boosting your system with extra C before stressful events can help bring your blood pressure back to normal more quickly. Plus it can help even out your cortisol levels after a taxing situation. Cortisol is a brain chemical that is part of our response to stress, and while it is good to have around in the short term, you really don't want it lingering in your system. Hence the importance of Vitamin C since it helps brings cortisol levels back to normal.

Fit's Tips: Winter is citrus season, so it easy to get vitamin C from food sources. If citrus isn't your thing, check out this list of citrus alternatives.

Source

Stress Can Affect Your Smile Too

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 03:30:00 PDT

Stress generally interferes with your desire to smile, but new research indicates that stress may actually have a detrimental impact on your gums. And that is definitely not worth smiling about.

Researchers found 57% of recent studies reviewed showed a relationship between gum disease and stress as well as related psychological symptoms like distress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. While researchers have not been able to pinpoint the connection, they do have 2 strong theories.

First, elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol may be the major culprit. In addition, stress may make people more lax about their oral health habits. When stressed, people tend to take up or increase bad habits involving use of nicotine, alcohol, or drugs.

Fit's Tip: Next time you are stressed try flossing your teeth for a little pick me up. I swear it helps your mood and your gums.

Source

Relaxing Ways to Stay Healthy and De-Stress

Leta Shy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:38:17 PST

Exercise is a proven way to beat stress, but if you're more in the mode for relaxation, here are some ways to ensure you stay healthy and stress-free without a bead of sweat.

Eat fresh: Greasy, fried foods may be endorphin-boosting since they're addictive, but in the end, they'll only make you feel bloated and tired. Instead of eating processed foods, reach for feel-good foods that will not only help you get the nutrition you need but will also boost your happiness, like these five foods that fight stress.

Think low-intensity, not no-intensity: On those lazy days when you don't want to sweat it out, there's ways to still burn calories and boost endorphins. Whether you're walking or practicing restorative yoga, make sure you stay moving when you're feeling especially overwhelmed.

Read on for more tips after the break.

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

Health — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:03:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Does your metabolism grind to a halt after 35? Can certain foods rev it up? Answers ahead — and they're good.
By Paige Greenfield

Here's something to feel good about: your body is a calorie-burning machine. You'll even torch a few while reading this article. The point is, every single thing you do — from breathing to eating to sleeping — uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate. And just like your curly hair or warm personality, yours is unique.

"There are so many factors that determine your metabolic rate," says Janet Rankin, PhD, professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech. Among them: your height and weight (bigger people burn more calories), your gender (women have slower metabolisms than men), your age (your metabolic rate declines as you get older), how much muscle or fat you have (muscle burns more calories than fat does), and your DNA.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Although you can't rewire your double helix or switch back the clock, there's still plenty you can do to be a fast burner, Rankin says. All you need to do is remember these four research-backed truths.

Cardio Revs Your Metabolism For Hours Afterward
Resistance training often hogs the metab-boosting spotlight. It's no wonder, since a pound of muscle at rest fries three times as many calories as a pound of fat. However, cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism humming.

New research explains why: In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, people pedaled a stationary bike as hard as they could for 47 minutes.
The finding: They slashed 190 calories above their resting metabolic rate for 14 hours after their workout. Add that to the 519 calories, on average, the cyclists scorched from the workout itself, and that's one heck of a sweat session.

"If you do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward," says study author David Nieman, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Appalachian State University.

So how can you tell if you're pushing hard enough? Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

More useful tips after the break.

The No-Diet Trick to Reducing Belly Fat

Shape — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:07:27 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

In a new study published in the Journal of Obesity, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that mastering mindful eating and reducing stress effectively prevented weight gain, even without dieting, and that the women who experienced the greatest reduction in stress lost the most belly fat. In a nutshell, mindful eating is about being aware of your eating patterns and thoughts rather than acting on autopilot.

In this study, 24 of the 47 stressed, overweight or obese women were randomly assigned to practice mindfulness, while the other 23 served as a control group. The mindful group participated in weekly sessions for nine weeks, which included an intense meditation retreat, stress reduction, learning to recognize hunger and fullness, and become more aware of taste. They were asked to spend 30 minutes a day meditating and practicing mindful eating. These women experienced significant reductions in cortisol, a stress hormone linked to an increased appetite and more belly fat, and were able to maintain their body weight while reducing belly fat. In contrast, the women in the control group continued to put on pounds and saw no reduction in cortisol.

If you're like a lot of my one-on-one clients you may be thinking, "I don't have 30 minutes a day to meditate!" I hear you. But in my private practice I have found that a little mindfulness goes a long way. Check out my previous post about how practicing eating slowly, even just once in a while, can help raise your eating antennae. You can even practice by eating chocolate!

Learn more about how chocolate helps with losing weight after the break!