I'm sadly here to say that as of this morning I am only down 23.4 pounds. I try not to get to down about it... however, I can't say that it doesn't put a damper on my days. I kept telling myself over and over again today that 20+ pounds is still REALLY good for less than a month... but it still sucks to see the scale move UP instead of down.
The Lorek household has been dealing with some things... not fun things... and it's been pretty difficult to stay on track where food is concerned. I am a full blown stress eater... I eat my emotions. Over the last couple of weeks I have been battling the stress as well as the urge to indulge. I have fought every step of the way and some days it takes everything I've got in me... there were days I went to bed early, days I had to chomp ice until my tongue went numb, many days I had to brush my teeth and find something - ANYTHING - to do with my time other than sit around wishing I could stuff my face.
I did a quick google search of the impact of stress on weight loss *really it's weight GAIN* ... I mean we all know one can influence the other and after that it's just a game of tug of war.
Boom... right away - top 5 ways stress impacts weight management.
1- Stress makes in harder to get good sleep. I don't know about you but I'm a holy terror when I don't my beauty sleep. I am cranky and annoyed and you might as well just throw my willpower right out the window. I am not a good person after a restless night, nor do I have the motivation to do anything positive for anyone... much less myself.
2- Stress increases cravings. Pasta, pizza, potatoes... check, check, check. All the doughy goodness? Double check. When I am stressed I want all the things and I have zero control of where my mind wonders. It's pretty much like a slide show of junk food.
3- Stress contributes to digestive disorders. Excuse me, what? So not only is my mind working against me but my body is also working against me in some stress-induced refusal to absorb nutrients and mix up my appetite hormones! Life is so not fair.
4- Stress makes it difficult to stay active. Of course it does. Stress makes you depressed, folks... well, at least that's what it does to me. I feel bloated and groggy and foggy and yuck. Pair that with zero motivation from lack of sleep and tummy troubles from the digestive disorders and who wants to go outside and enjoy the bright sunshiny day with a brisk walk... most likely not this girl. "Leaky gut syndrome" ... (barf)... no thanks... I'll just stay right here on my couch.
5- Stress can lead to brian-fog, moodiness and low willpower. Oh... here it is... the icing on the cake. The triple threat. Not only do you feel like you are going to poo your pants, but you're craving everything you've ever seen in life, you are running on fumes from the lack of sleep and can't move because stress makes it difficult to stay active and NOW... you can no longer think straight and you have no desire to carry on my wayward son.
... don't you cry no more...
basically we need to find a way to DE-stress pronto. No one needs all of that negativity in their life. I need my path clear and positive and moving FORWARD. Girl, wash your face!!!! For real though. Get right with the Lord. Call your Mama. Get rid of all the things that don't bring you joy. Visit your Gramma. Get messy with your kids. Leave your significant other an epic love note. Take a friend flowers. Donate all the clothes that make you feel bad about your body. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and take a drive. Go to your favorite place in the world and take a deep breath. Finish that book. Erase your "To Do List" and start fresh. Find a way to smile every day. Let go and let God.
I am going to continue to work hard at being better, getting better, de-stressing... or at least finding a much more appropriate way to handle stress. I need to find a way to give it all to God at night and wake up each more refreshed and ready to give it all I've got. I definitely need all the help I can get and I definitely do NOT need my mind and body working against me! So operation down-with-stress is a go.
"The day she let go of the things that were weighing her down, was the day she began to shine the brightest."
- Katrina Mayer
Info/Google Credit: https://www.runtastic.com/blog/en/effects-of-stress-on-weight-loss-and-hormones/
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I don't really have any crazy amazing recipes for you this week - it's a bit of a mash up of this and that. I do plan to make Skinny Lasagna Rolls and Mediterranean Potato Hash and just got done making Fiesta Chicken in the crockpot for dinner tonight and the next couple of nights - I do sub in Greek yogurt cream cheese and add wild rice and quinoa after cooking.
I have had a few people ask me about posting a menu and recipes prior to the week so they would have time to grocery shop and make the same recipes. I will plan to work on that and get something up this coming weekend... hopefully with a little more regularity than I have been.
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