Laura Wright
Jacksonville
Let’s face it, we live in a fast paced, high tech, competitive and sometimes troubled society. Often the result is chronic stress. Too much stress can causes serious problems. Researchers have found that the people most likely to be stressed are two to three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease. Second, and related, stress can actually make you fat.
Fitness Together’s ‘Win and Get Thin’ Winner Laura Wright of Mandarin knew that fact all too well. The stress in Laura’s life was one of the major drivers for her unhealthy lifestyle. She explains it best.
“I think the biggest benefit coming from my Fitness Together workouts is STRESS RELIEF .... I have had so many stressful situations going on in my life for the last several years and I resorted to FOOD to find relief and/or comfort. Food comfort wasn't working for me - actually it made it so much worse, but it was hard to see beyond that moment…”
So why is exercise an antidote for stress? The fact is our bodies cannot tell the difference between stress caused by a physical threat, one we must physically fight or run away from, and the chronic, emotional stress we are most likely to face everyday. The body therefore releases the hormones adrenaline, cortisol, and insulin. The result is 5 – 10 minutes of quick energy due to the release of stored fuel in the body (fat and glucose). That’s great if you must fight or run away from a physical threat, but when was the last time you did that?
So what happens to all that fat and glucose in our blood stream that was supposed to give us quick energy? The job of insulin in the body is to get the fat and glucose out of the blood stream and store it for future use. The insulin often does this so well that we feel hungry. So the insulin stores the fat and glucose as fat, most of it saved in the middle section of the body. We eat more because we are hungry, and that gets stored too. If we face prolonged or chronic stress, this cycle is repeated over and over, storing more and more fat on our midriffs (and possibly leading to other physical problems)!
Exercise is the cure, plain and simple. Physically, exercise burns fat and glucose, reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, improves all cardiovascular functions, and keeps hormones balanced. It helps our bodies work efficiently and well. Mentally, exercise calms our negative emotions and actually stimulates positive biochemical changes that improve mood and relieve pain. A fit person can deal with stress much better than people who are sedentary. Ask Laura Wright!
