Bikini competition update: 2 and a half weeks to go

<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Wow!! What a ride these last few weeks have been! I am a competitor by nature! I love to win! I have got so caught up in winning and worrying about the competition that I have not enjoyed the journey. </span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My cortisol levels are through the roof and I have not been pleased with anything I do. </span><br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2 days ago I had a reality check with myself....</span><br /> <br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Was I doing my cardio✅</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Training ✅</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Meal plan ✅</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">If i am doing everything then what is my problem here?? Reality check✔ </span><br /> <br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Was I doing this for me or for the win???? And that is when I realized I was doing this all wrong!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was going for the WIN forgetting about the journey. I have pushed myself harder then I have ever pushed before. I have grown and learned so much about my body in the process. But, not for me! For a win!!! {wrong way to approach this situation}</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thankfully I had a wake up call and am stepping back to smell the roses. I may not win the competition but, when I get on that stage it is a win for me! </span><br /> <br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I finally have relaxed a bit..., if you know me I never relax. Always going 120%... And look what popped out this morning! </span><br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVmtkzZ0RkQ6hQFUscPc6sX_3plQxwwEUZLRBgjyJdc97ScOWC92ZG9wfqnE9Xeo6uCe448fEPddiZtrMCZYL2cnwh8yoT_UVyBo5SiMXaAdtiHOFfTOLucH8N_unY_AxbxMBtf9T_eO0/s1600/bikini+comp+2.5+weeks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVmtkzZ0RkQ6hQFUscPc6sX_3plQxwwEUZLRBgjyJdc97ScOWC92ZG9wfqnE9Xeo6uCe448fEPddiZtrMCZYL2cnwh8yoT_UVyBo5SiMXaAdtiHOFfTOLucH8N_unY_AxbxMBtf9T_eO0/s1600/bikini+comp+2.5+weeks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">My lesson from this experience is you must enjoy the journey. It has to be you Vs. you and nobody else.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> Running around with your head cut of worrying about the process is only going to raise your cortisol levels and drive yourself and everyone else around you insane. </span><br /> <br /> <br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thankful today for the garden I have planted and the roses in full bloom. </span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Nurturing the seeds in life and blooming where I am planted.</span>

bikini competition, competitor, cortisol, journey, win

Bikini competition update: 2 and a half weeks to go

Wow!! What a ride these last few weeks have been! I am a competitor by nature! I love to win! I have got so caught up in winning and worryin...

How does stress affect weight loss

<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was chatting with one of my challengers last week and we were discussing being stressed out and whether or not that would affect her results.  I sorta knew the answer but I wanted to make sure I gave the right information. After doing some research it definitely supported how I felt.  </span><br /> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Stress does play an important role in your weight loss results.  Now that doesn't mean that if you are under stress you can't lose weight or if you are stressed that you should use that as an excuse to not try!  There are ways to work around it and still reach your own goals.</span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLYGMyqJkOrDjxVG8ndBNh45nv-nf-sJkwtOq-gg6QF_vd_zeLDw" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLYGMyqJkOrDjxVG8ndBNh45nv-nf-sJkwtOq-gg6QF_vd_zeLDw" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <br /> <br /> <h2 class="subHeader" style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Response to Stress</span></h2> <div> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Under events of stress, adrenal responses in the body are triggered. This response is known as the fight or flight response. Glycogen in the liver and muscle tissue are activated for use as a quick energy source. This uptake of energy was highly efficient in caveman days, while under attack from a tiger for example. Cavemen simply used this surge of energy to either run away or fight. Modern man is wired in the same fashion; however the difference is stress sources that plague modern life generally do not require running away or fighting. <u><span style="font-size: medium;">According to a 2005 article from the University of New Mexico, this stress response can lead to loss of muscle mass, increased fat storage and impulses to overeat.</span></u></span></div> <span style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span> <br /> <br /> <br /> <section class="section" style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 class="subHeader" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Increased Cortisol Release</span></h2> <div style="line-height: 13px;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Cortisol release under chronic stress can make weight loss difficult for a couple of reasons. High levels of the hormone attack muscle mass, slowing metabolism due to the fact that muscle burns calories to simply exist. Additionally, unwanted cortisol release results in the storage of fat mostly in the abdominal area for later energy use. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, other signs of elevated cortisol levels are high blood glucose levels, high blood pressure and fatigue.</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">I have heard this so many times that stress can cause increase in abdominal fat!  EEEKKK!!!! This is enough for me to find a few way to decrease my stress level.  Belly fat is something that I find as my problem area regardless.  So what can I do!?!</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">When I feel stressed out there are a few things that I do:</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <ol> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Go for a run and download Craig Holiday's 90 Days to Excellence on my Ipod and get my personal development and release some stress by running.</span></span></li> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Take  a bubble bath and indulge in a good book.</span></span></li> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">SHOPPING- I'm a huge proponent of retail therapy! It's always my go to!  Nothing feels better than some new Victorias Secret Underwear and comfy clothes!!! :)</span></span></li> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chat with a good friend- you know them!  You know those friends that you can call day or night and they will just instantly make you smile and feel better about yourself!!   </span></span></li> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wine- Now I'm not saying go out and get drunk.  But a glass of wine and a warm cozy blanket can make anyone just melt away the stress.  </span></span></li> <li><span style="line-height: 17.27px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sleep- for me when I'm having a bad day, hitting the hay a little earlier and doing some deep breathing before bed really settles me down for the night.  I always wake up refreshed and ready to hit the ground running the next day!!!</span></span></li> </ol> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2011/03/29/0330-more-healthy-sleep_vg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Get sleep to relieve stress" border="0" height="213" src="http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2011/03/29/0330-more-healthy-sleep_vg.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> </section><section class="section" style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 class="subHeader" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Metabolism and Stress</span></h2> <div> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">A March 2006 article in the "British Medical Journal" stated that employees with chronic work stress have more than double the odds of metabolic syndrome than those without work stress. Metabolic syndrome is defined as a group of risk factors that occur together and increase the risk for stroke and Type II diabetes. The study also provided evidence for the likelihood of links to stress from everyday life with heart disease as well.</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">As we age our metabolism slows down so this is like a double whammy!  So refer back to the strategies above and decrease your stress!  Or do what I do, find a job that doesn't feel like you ever work a day in your life!!!  </span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Yup that was a plug for Beachbody Coaching!!  Ahhh my passion in life!</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> </section><section class="section" style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 class="subHeader" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Food Cravings</span></h2> <div> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Often thought of as an excuse to eat, food cravings and overeating actually have a factual basis behind this effect of stress. Experiencing stressful situations cause the body to undergo a variety of hormonal changes, including the release of adrenaline and cortisol. When a tense situation is over, the release of cortisol results in an increase of appetite. Under chronic stress, these cravings can lead to unwanted weight gain due to high level of cortisol release in the body.</span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">I swear when we are stressed all ability to make good food choices goes out the window and we just grab whatever we think is going to be the most comforting first.  That can lead to sweets for me!!!  There are trigger foods that I can't even keep in the house anymore. For example, Food Should Taste Good brand Tortilla chips. While they are full of healthier ingredients when you eat half the bag yourself that nutritional value totally cancels itself out.  Or you make the cookie dough greek yogurt as a snack but you double the portion size.  That cancels out the healthy benefits as well.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcdubQWBhKMOXX5XXVJ0cipXV-tUALh7rgjr-Iz5G3rpTll76KahoR5YT6rcQx_ZzAqym7HU_RxqRMP56uV88MRb81ZUZmOO11z2OaRITu0a_hshicjagmyhBFUuoBx3OT3DIfEAbFhj7/s1600/emotional+eating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Stress Relief" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCcdubQWBhKMOXX5XXVJ0cipXV-tUALh7rgjr-Iz5G3rpTll76KahoR5YT6rcQx_ZzAqym7HU_RxqRMP56uV88MRb81ZUZmOO11z2OaRITu0a_hshicjagmyhBFUuoBx3OT3DIfEAbFhj7/s400/emotional+eating.jpg" title="" width="378" /></a></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">So stress and emotional eating even on clean foods can still be detrimental to your progress.  I would do your best to really focus on replacing your emotional eating with other activities.  Like the list above.  I also think to myself, in times of stress is this food really going to make me feel better?  <span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;">NO.</span></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Instead it's going to make me feel guilty, bloated, and mad at myself and the stress will still be there!  In my opinion not worth it!  Imagine that STOP sign as you are walking to the pantry and remember food will not make you feel better or solve your problems.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MQIHtJ0y0SVziclmgvW4IPNDVAgsQU2WrUZi-9jHJACmy7bO80CsoQ8gzgMeH7GqB8tILwA_ctAcg9ePnqncpLAwb7W3p_r0tnts81X6vFw-B1NL8P3OvX_pA2lW462XifHLtPDIxCe1/s1600/empowered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Emotional Eating" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3MQIHtJ0y0SVziclmgvW4IPNDVAgsQU2WrUZi-9jHJACmy7bO80CsoQ8gzgMeH7GqB8tILwA_ctAcg9ePnqncpLAwb7W3p_r0tnts81X6vFw-B1NL8P3OvX_pA2lW462XifHLtPDIxCe1/s400/empowered.jpg" title="" width="365" /></a></div> <div class="description " style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> </section><section class="section" style="border: 0px currentColor; line-height: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 class="subHeader" style="border: 0px currentColor; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">The Key to keeping stress at bay is preventing it as best as possible. Ha, I was half joking!!!</span></span></h2> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know that all stress cannot be avoided but I do my best to remove myself from situations that would cause undo stress.  For example, distancing myself from negative people, surrounding myself with like minded people, regular exercise is my stress relief, and teaching myself that worrying is not going to change the outcome of the situation.  But embracing the changes, dealing with what comes at me in the moment and doing my best to plan the future has kept my stress levels in check.  </span></span></div> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While yes there are life situations that we cannot control like the loss of a job, death in the family, ect.... We just deal with that the best we can and remember that we cannot control everything in life but we can live our life with integrity, trust and health!!!  </span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://i0.wp.com/www.pinkchocolatebreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/monday-quotes-surround-yourself-with-positive-people2.jpg?resize=406%2C406" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Surround yourself with positive people" border="0" height="320" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.pinkchocolatebreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/monday-quotes-surround-yourself-with-positive-people2.jpg?resize=406%2C406" title="" width="320" /></a></div> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div> <div> <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>What areas of your life can you relieve stress to improve your over all well being?</b></span></div> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div> <div> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div> <div> Article was originally from http://www.livestrong.com/article/255134-how-stress-affects-weight-loss/.</div> <div> </div> </section>

adrenal, cortisol, food cravings, glycogen, metabolism, stress, Weight loss

How does stress affect weight loss

I was chatting with one of my challengers last week and we were discussing being stressed out and whether or not that would affect her resul...