THE FOUR S's

Sometimes weight loss seems effortless, and sometimes the process feels more like free soloing Mt. Everest. If your forward motion has stalled, or if you’re just starting out on your weight loss journey, consider taking my assessment to track 4 critical realms of wellness. I call this assessment “The FOUR S’s,” which refers to:

SLEEP, STRESS, SUGAR, & SWEAT

SLEEP: Lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep is associated with:

• higher stress levels

• greater risk of heart disease and diabetes

• depression

• lowered immune function

• decreased ability to focus, think, or learn and you guessed it...

• ….and yep….WEIGHT GAIN, obesity, and a higher body mass index

While quality sleep is a complex issue, the good news is that poor sleep can be improved, and I have a large treasure chest full of tools to set my clients up for successful slumber.

STRESS: Stress wreaks havoc on our nutrition and fitness goals.  When we are stressed, we often eat from emotional needs, not true hunger.  We are more inclined to reach for high calorie, or sugary snacks. Additionally, when we are under stressful events, our bodies release the hormone cortisol. Cortisol increases our blood sugar levels and the extra glucose circulating in our bodies gets stored as fat.  To make things more frustrating, research indicates that the hormone can actually direct fat stores to the abdominal area. Enough said. Stress management, trauma recovery, and emotional fitness are crucial parts of wellness & weight loss. As part of a 360 degree view of health, I encourage my clients to explore & embrace the correlation between emotional & physical well-being. 

SUGAR: I’m not just talking about ditching the white stuff here, but thumbs up to that notion, for sure! I’m talking about balancing blood sugar as a means of initiating and sustaining weight loss. The effects of unbalanced blood sugar cannot be minimized.  If we think of our blood sugar as a line, we want that line to remain mostly horizontal; with slow rises and descents, not erratic spikes and crashes like a roller coaster. Unstable blood sugar inhibits weight loss by creating hormonal imbalances, inciting chronic inflammation, and causing the body to store fat rather than burn it. Learning how to stay balanced in the blood sugar department is a necessary part of weight loss, so I take my clients on a deep dive into nutrition, food timing, and hydration.

SWEAT: Breaking a good sweat provides detoxification, improved skin tone, endorphins that lift mood and act as natural painkillers, joint and muscle pain relief, stress relief, improved circulation, and can also help to kill bacteria and viruses. 

In terms of weight loss, when you work your body hard enough to begin sweating, you not only burn calories, but you elevate your resting metabolism, balance your blood sugar, balance your hormone levels, and burn more calories for up to 72 hours after an intense workout session. My training clients regularly experience the sweat-inducing intensity of our sessions, and testify to the unbelievable feeling of completing a workout that brings out that inner she-beast! 

Are you noticing how all of the S’s are interwoven and relate to each other?? You can see that the ability to lose weight hinges on much more than “calories in vs. calories out.” Sometimes we have to put our detective hats on and find the not-so-usual suspects. I hope these tips serve you well, and as always, reach out if you need help conquering the 4 S’s…..

In Good Health,

Lori Z.