Want to take my yoga class videos?

I have many workout videos on my new support group site at keto-adapted.com

 

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

 

HOW STRESS IMPACTS YOUR HEALTH

Do you notice you get indigestion or diarrhea after a stressful situation? While under stress, your heart rate goes up, your blood pressure rises, and blood is forced away from your digestive system, and moved to your legs, arms and head for quick thinking. There can be as much as 4 times less blood flow to your digestive system, which means your body cannot burn those calories as effectively and causes a sluggish metabolism.

In that state, proper digestion entirely shuts down. The issue with eating while your body is under stress is that you could be eating the most nutritious food in the world, however you won’t be able to properly digest and absorb those nutrients because there is a decreased enzymatic output in your intestines which can be as much as 20,000-fold.

During stressful situations, triglycerides and cholesterol also increase, while your healthy gut bacteria decreases. So you’re more susceptible to indigestion, acid reflux, or heartburn.

Also when your body is under the stress, cortisol as well as insulin levels rise. Weight loss and health are all about hormone manipulation. When cortisol is consistently raised , you often have difficulty losing weight or building muscle.

If cortisol is frequently elevated, belly fat is a common external sign. What is scary about the belly fat is that this is known as visceral fat (the fat that collects around your internal organs and midsection) and we now know that this is a main contributing factor for increasing diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

HOW TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE!

1.  Don’t sign up for too much.

I have many opportunities to speak at events, companies and cruises but more money doesn’t make me happy. I want to focus on helping the people in my community and my clients as best I can while balance my stress reducing times (ride bike, play with my boys, kayak). A few years ago I often did presentations on television, but it kept me inside on a beautiful sunny days. I craved being outside and it didn’t fulfill me. I would rather spend time helping people that really wanted to be helped and give them the attention they deserve.

There is a fantastic book about Nature Deficit Deprived Children (Nature Deficit Disorder) called the “Last Child in the Woods”. We often feel pressure to sign our children up with a million activities. I feel it too! I often hear relatives say how talented my son Micah is with sports and we should sign him up for baseball, football, soccer, hockey… and you know what, yes, he is amazingly talented at all of those, but I refuse to live a life of running him here and there, and spend weekends at tournaments… he is 7 years old! My favorite memories as a child was exploring outside at my grandparents’ cabin not being in organized activities. Plus, those things cost a fortune. It is free to play outside. I think that is why I love camping in a tent so much…no television, no external “noise”, and usually no cell service so I am forced to unplug. Kids need UNSTRUCTURED activities. When their whole life (and summer) is about structured activities (sports) then they don’t get that valuable time to spend dreaming and playing in their own minds.  Exploring their imaginations. I think this is a crucial part of growing up.

I will never forget Micah and Kai’s face the first time they jumped off the end of the dock into the deep water and swam back to show without a life jacket.  That look of accomplishment. Or the big bass they caught and couldn’t top talking about. Or the look on their face that we were going to sleep in the woods the first time we went camping. Those are memories that will last a lifetime.

Even my children’s birthday parties aren’t crazy, Micah’s birthday was a few weeks ago and we celebrated with keto cake and treats at the local beach with friends. I asked for no presents, unless something simple/homemade. It was all about Micah playing and swimming with his friends which he loves.

2. I keep my house simple.

Honestly, I find there is less stuff to clean! More time to plan ahead with meals.

I don’t keep copious amounts of gadgets in my kitchen. I keep what I use and donate the things wasting space in my drawers.

Someone even messaged me on Facebook if I practiced Feng Shui since my house was so empty in the photos she saw. I laughed and said no, I just despise shopping and haven’t found the time to find the perfect living room furniture yet. But even if I did, we are always in the kitchen when we are in the house. Craig teases me that I wouldn’t sit on that furniture anyway, which is probably true. 🙂

3. Get rid of clutter!

A cluttered life = a cluttered mind.

My closet is simple closet; I don’t like wasting time thinking about what to wear and shopping under fluorescent lights anyway. That is why I love Amazon.com! Everything gets shipped to my door! 

Even in yoga and weight lifting I’m a minimalist. I’m not one to have a million pieces of equipment that I am never going to use. I like hand weights, an ab roller and a bar with free weights; that is all I need. The more stuff you have the more stuff you have to worry about.

4. Make everyday special!

Treat yourself with honor! Stop wasting time doing what society says you should be doing and start doing what makes you happy!

Get outside in the morning and get some sun (sync your circadian rhythm, get vitamin D, relax among many benefits). Take 20 minutes for yourself to reflect on the day ahead and soak up that suns energy. It doesn’t have to cost money or be an all day event, but I promise you that I make everyday a little special. Even if it is just going down to the river and catching a few fish on a Monday night with my boys. 🙂

I just wanted to let you know how thankful I am for all the great help and information you provide here on your Keto-Adapted.com site!

I decided to join your program seriously, and signed up for your platinum membership.

I love having access to your webinars, and although I live in Europe and cannot join the live webinars, it is really informative and motivating to be able to watch one every week!

I am a great fan of cooking, and love trying out all your recipes from the website and your books (I have them all!!!). They really help make this way of eating into a lifestyle.

In the last 6 weeks I have lost over 15 pounds! And not one single day of feeling unwell, deprived or hungry.

With your help I also realized I had been overeating protein in my previous keto attempts. By reducing protein and keeping an eye on the macros, it has certainly helped to keep my losses consistent each weak.

I have learned so much from you guys, I thought I’d let you know and send a thank you!

Keep up the great work, you are helping so many!

Thanks again and kind regards,