When you relax your body and mind, you trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, the system in your body that tells your brain to relax, unwind, and stop stressing. The more you relax, the less cortisol (stress hormone) you secrete, therefore the faster your metabolism works, promoting fat loss. Here are 5 simple way to help your body and mind relax and stop stressing.

1.    End your day with a Gratitude List. You cannot continue to be stress when you shift your mind into positive thinking, thinking with love. Writing down 5-10 things each night that you are grateful for from the day helps you shift your mind into thinking more positively and relaxing.

2.    Walk in the sunshine for at least 10-15 minutes per day. The UV rays from the sun helps synthesize the serotonin hormone, which is your happy hormone. The more serotonin you produce, the less cortisol you produce, the happier you feel and the less stressed you feel. This also then has a domino effect on the synthesis of the melatonin hormone, your sleep hormone. That means you will then be able to fall asleep faster and have higher quality sleep. The better you sleep, the less stressed your body feels, the better your fat loss results.

3.    Meditate for at least 10 minutes per day. Taking time out to just breath and shut everything out of your mind, and be still in the moment, is extremely powerful in helping your mind settle, your body to function more efficiently and so help you improve your overall health and fitness goals. Gone are the days when meditation was perceived as ‘airy fairy’ stuff. It actually works and has been proven by science to have incredible results for your body and mind.

4.    One of the easiest ways to help your body stress less is to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Insufficient hydration is a major contributor to increasing the stress response in your body. Help your fat loss goals by simply drinking more water.

5.    Be active for at least 30 minutes every day. This could be participating in prescribed exercise, going for a walk, stretching, gardening, anything that will help you move. Movement improves blood flow, which improves nutrient, oxygen, and hydration distribution throughout your body; all of which promote fat loss.

– Coach Terri