The Importance of Relaxation

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

01 Feb 2008 04:41 AM

Stress can kill a diet. If you're a stress eater or a carboholic, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You may have the best of intentions but a bad day hits and, try as you might, there just are not enough Oreos in the world to eliminate the stress in your life. If you are serious about losing weight, you need to get serious about your relaxation.

Some activities that may help you relax:

Exercise

You may be thinking that knocking yourself out like a hamster on a treadmill is the furthest thing from relaxation but, believe it or not, exercise gets endorphins going and we all know that those babies do us a world of good. Exercise can also help you to get into a flow state where you're so busy concentrating on the task at hand that you forget about everything else in your life. That is a good thing.

Sauna

There is just something about sitting in a hot steam room that can be very relaxing. First of all, they are usually very well insulated and block out the noise of the world around you. The heat makes it easy for your body and your breathing to slow down. Visualizing the stresses of your life oozing out of your body with every bead of sweat can be a helpful thing too. Give it a try sometime.

Meditation

Meditation does not mean sitting cross-legged in an incense infused room surrounded by candles, chanting "ohm...ohm". Meditation is any sort of quiet time that allows you to completely clear your mind, relax your body and just be. If you have the time, energy, money and space in your home, you're more than welcome to try the aforementioned scenario but, if not, why not just take 10 minutes a day, alone in a quiet room to just focus on something as simple as breathing? Being able to quiet your mind and just relax, even for just a few minutes, can make a world of difference in your weight loss efforts.

If you're trying to lose weight, relaxation should always be a key part of your weight loss program. It is just as important as adequate sleep, good nutrition, and exercise.

Related Blogs:

Body-for-Life Workout, Day #4

Body-for-Life Supplement Review: Whey Protein Products

Body-for-Life, Day #4 The Importance of Relaxation

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Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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Tristi Pinkston (10839) 01 Feb 2008 09:52 AM

Can I also add tips like locking relatives in a closet? I'm joking, sort of. :) There has been no diet of any kind at all (except I'm still off chocolate -- over five months now!) for the last month and I've gained nine pounds. Yeah, stress will do that to a person.

Lisa P (24013) 01 Feb 2008 10:31 AM

Yes, getting as far away from other people as possible is a big key to being able to relax! I know that when I'm at home, any given hour will include a baby crying and needing to be either fed or changed, a toddler wanting me to play with him and a husband asking me "what's for breakfast/lunch/dinner?"

FYI I run away to the public library for quiet time on Saturday mornings. I get my time away and my DH gets a taste of what I live with while he's at work ;-) The library provides a quiet place where nobody will bother me, no cellphones will be ringing and I can sit in front of a sunny window and just be quiet if I want to.