Hone These Mental Health Habits to Help Shed Your 'Pandemic Pounds'
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These last few months in the midst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have been chaotic and unpredictable, to say the least. With all of the uncertainty around schedules, routines, illness prevention, and trying to figure out what's right and what's wrong in the unprecedented landscape of a global pandemic, many of us have been left with little time to focus on healthy daily habits. If this endless cycle of stress has led you down the path toward weight gain, anxiety, and a general lack of productivity this year, just know that you're not alone.
So how do you break out of this stressful, unproductive rut as the world begins to adjust to a new normal? We reached out to Elizabeth Raynor, Senior Coaching Manager with Noom to find out just how important it is to create habits that support your mental health in additiontothosethat support your physical health. (And how focusing on eliminating stress can actually help you shed some of those "pandemic pounds" you may have gained, too.)
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Even if you had developed some healthy eating and exercise routines before the pandemic, it may have become incredibly difficult to access fresh grocery items, keep up with fitness regimens, and remain motivated to stay on track once the world essentially shut down.
"When life gets stressful, we tend to fall back on our solidified habits for better or for worse," says Raynor. "If we havent established strong, maintainable, healthy habits by the first speed bump, we are likely to default right back to old habits like mindlessly munching in front of the fridge when we are stressed or staying up late watching TV to relax."
The stress of the pandemic ultimately jolted many people back to square one with their unhealthiest of habits reemerging to the surface, when in actuality, eating healthier, whole foods, and kicking up your cardio are far more efficient stress-busters. These unhealthy patterns of eating and lack of exercise, however, just add to the cycle of stress and make it more overwhelming to build (or re-build) healthy habits. So, if stress leads to bad habits and bad habits lead to stress, where does one even begin to break out of the cycle?
Raynor suggests creating a stress management toolbox that you can lean into when stressors build up and unhealthy habits emerge. As you become aware of negative feelings bubbling up, try turning to meditation or a regular sleep schedule to help you cope. Calming the mind lowers your body's natural response to stress, and staying well-rested allows both the body and mind to remain resilient even when the unpredictable comes our way. Best of all, neither one costs a dime!
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Just like you'd take small, specific steps to get your body into better shape, you can do the same for your mind, too. We have naturally occurring chemicals in our brains that help shape our current mood and emotions, namely dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin. In order to build better habits, we must first be in control of our own emotions and the way we react to stressors and stimuli that are often out of our control. By boosting those brain chemicals, we can learn to cope with things like unhealthy cravings that bust our diet and anxiety that stifles our productivity. Fortunately, there are so many ways to boost those feel-good brain chemicals, including exercise, checking off to-dos, laughing with friends, and even just taking in some fresh air and sunshine. Developing small stress-busting habits like taking a walk around the neighborhood after lunch or checking in with a friend every evening are just a few more things you can add to your stress management toolbox.
If you're spending extra time at home these days, Raynor also suggests keeping your surroundings organized. A disorganized space can cause a lot of stress, but rearranging what you have and adding visual cues to remind yourself to partake in healthy habits can make your day that much more streamlined.
Speaking of healthy habits, they should become much easier to develop once your stress levels are more regulated. Ideally, a calmer mind should free up mental space to focus on what's important and what's healthy, and this is precisely where Noom can help with identifying your patterns of thinking and how they are associated with your current habits.
"People are often surprised to discover the underlying thought processes that have made it difficult to make the changes theyre looking for," she says. "The good news is, behavior thats been learned can be unlearned, and Noom gives you the skills and guidance to practice new behaviors, little by little, that promote a healthy lifestyle."
Raynor reminds us that no change is too small or insignificant. In fact, starting with small habits will help build confidence and lay the groundwork for adding in other healthy habits down the road. She suggests picking something relatively easy and doable to start, such as drinking a glass of water each morning. To help make the habit stick, pair the new habit with one that you have already established, such as brushing your teeth. Now when you partake in the habit that you always do, you'll also be reminded to do the new habit until both are ingrained in your daily routine.
Just remember that perfection is not the goal. "If you miss a day, dont beat yourself up; just pick things back up and keep rolling," Raynor encourages.
As you find new ways to lower your stress levels and build a framework of small, but healthy habits, the intersection between stress management and weight management (or even loss) becomes abundantly clear. It then becomes easier to develop bigger habits focused on your outward physical health, such as planning your weekly meals and kickstarting a new exercise routine.
Ultimately, developing a series of healthy habits creates a calm foundation from which you can tackle any stressors that come your way. Once formed and solidified (with a little help from Noom), you'll be able to fall back on strong, healthy habits to get you through whatever the future may have in store.
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Why Stress Management May Be More Important Than Weight Loss During the Pandemic - AskMen
