Are you looking for ways to support a healthy weight? Maybe you have tried to support a healthy lifestyle in the past and are looking for new ways to support healthy habits?
What you eat dramatically impacts how your healthy weight is maintained. When considering your goals to maintain a healthy weight, you may consider the following factors that can come into play.
1. Hormones
Women may find that their bodies respond differently to many different things during menopause. Around the forties and fifties, the menstrual cycle begins to wane, producing less estrogen and progesterone. These fluctuations could affect women’s metabolism. Many females report that during menopause, they struggle to focus on healthy goals.
In addition, these shifts may impact how ladies feel. It’s common for people to report a rise in hot flashes, difficulty sleeping and irritability. These are rough symptoms that make it harder to focus on eating well and focusing on your healthy goals. The body requires support. Menopause supplements may reduce severe and frequent menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes/flushes and/or night sweats). In addition, strive to eat well and get regular exercise.
2. Sleep
According to WebMD, poor sleep significantly impacts your weight. When you close your eyes at night, your body starts to reboot, healing from the day. It’s a mental and physical reset. Poor slumber, such as a restless night without much deep sleep, short changes the body, leaving the brain strained the next day. The frontal lobe doesn’t have the proper focus, so you’re more likely to make poor choices throughout the day. Hence, the donut gets grabbed rather than the cup of low-fat yogurt.
Your sleep-deprived state helps you crave food and burn fewer calories. In addition, sleep allows the body to produce cortisol, an essential hormone in regulating stress and metabolic function. If you are not getting a good six to eight solid hours each night, you could be setting yourself up for weight loss failure.
Create a bedtime routine. Go to sleep at the same time each night. Shut off your electronics an hour before bed, and do something soothing. Listen to a meditation tape. Complete some yoga exercises, or read a good book. Get into bed when you’re ready to end the day. Turn down the temperature, making it nice and cold and shut those eyes.
3. Stress
Did you know that stress hormones make you crave sugar? There’s a reason that people want to devour cookies, chocolate and ice cream when upset. According to Orlando Health, the body craves it. When your body enters a state of anxiety or tension, it produces additional cortisol. This hormone creates extra energy, helping you through a complex situation.
Cortisol is also involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates. However, too much of it is a significant problem for weight. When it’s up, the body wants more. You’re likely to grab sweets and processed foods to satisfy your body’s desires. Fight this state by learning to release your frustrations. Take a walk. Practice mindfulness, or do something to distract your mind.
4. Mental Health
Studies indicate a correlation between weight gain and mental health issues. Studies suggest that people who struggle with weight are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and other mood disorders. The American Psychological Association explains the connection, stating that people may develop eating habits to cope with feelings and then struggle to break those mental fixes when they support a healthy weight or correct their dining habits.
Working through any trauma or negative food connections is essential to support a healthy lifestyle. Did you grow up in a family that celebrated special occasions with decadent food? You may fill voids with eating or allow yourself to indulge, so you feel happier. These situations influence your weight. Break the cycle by talking with professional psychologists about your emotions and past eating history.
Many people find it hard to maintain their healthy goals, and it’s because more than diet impacts your health and weight. Assess your mental health, sleep and hormones. They could be factors you could focus on supporting as well.