Getting Thin In 2010: Stress and Relaxation

Last week I told you that I would be sharing about the biggest obstacle I face when trying to lose weight. So here it is, as promised. S-T-R-E-S-S.

What stresses you out? For me, it's just life in general. I don't know if it's my personality type, my circumstances, or if it's just normal...but life is stressful. And you know what? I don't think that will ever change. There will always be another bill to be paid, a job to wake up to in the morning, a car transmission that goes out, a messy house, a pile of laundry, sickness and death to face, depression to beat, and much more.

I'm pretty sure the only thing we can do about that is to change our attitudes and outlooks on life, and effectively handle stress.

So how does this affect my weight loss? It just does - in many ways. The stress of life is more than enough for me to handle by itself. I can't pile on one more thing to worry about - losing weight. Weight loss requires attention, dedication, and a positive attitude. I tend to lose my focus and motivation when I'm stressed out about life, and that just leads to a really negative attitude. This is one of the biggest reasons I tend to just give up on losing weight. It's up, down, up, down, up, down. The cycle never ends. I'm sure you've experienced this as well, if you've ever had to battle with weight loss.

So what to do? RELAX. Simple enough to say, not so easy to actually DO. Relaxation is not something to be taken lightly. It's something all of us need as human beings. It helps us recharge and refocus. It gives us that escape from day-to-day life that we need, so that we're ready to face reality again with a positive attitude!

How do you relax? I think it differs from person to person. Some people enjoy staying at home, watching a movie, reading a good book, cooking, or doing crafts. Others might enjoy going out on a date with their husband, having a family day out, going to the park, or chatting with a loved one over coffee. You might even find exercise to be your favorite way to "relax" and get away from it all.

For me, it's 6 things. God, quality time with my husband, being in the middle of nature, reading, playing or listening to music, and cooking. Those are the 6 things that make me the most happy in life. They help me relax. They are my escape. They put things in perspective for me.

This past weekend, my husband and I spent almost the entire 2 days together...and it wasn't me on the computer and him on the guitar, while we ignored each other for the most part. It was quality time together. We spent almost an entire day out in the middle of nature, which is our favorite thing to do together.

And you know what? I didn't dread Monday morning nearly as much as I usually do. I feel good. I'm not overwhelmed by life like I usually am. And as a result, I'm not being tempted to give up on my weight loss journey.

Mental and emotional health is just as important as physical health, anyways...

Progress To My Goal: 6 pounds lost, 24% of the 25 pounds I'd like to lose. I only lost 1 pound last week, but I'm happy about it. Oh - and I'm on Day 6 of 30 Day Shred! Feeling great!

What About You: What causes you stress and how do you deal with it? Do you think relaxation is important in your weight loss journey?

*Photo Credit: Ken on Flickr