VeraVia Fitness Releases Nutrition Tips for Handling Stress
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) November 25, 2013 -- A recently published study in the Journal of the Association for Psychological Science found that participants’ appetites were affected when placed under stressful conditions and that wild fluctuations can be compensated for later. Understanding how one responds to stress can help decision-making to support wellbeing during difficult times. “General stress can take a toll on your overall health, which is why it is important to make sure that you deliver the best kinds of fuel to your body during stressful periods in your life,” says Wyatt Chapman, CEO of San Diego-based health retreat VeraVia Fitness.
Below is a list of suggestions released by VeraVia Fitness to help individuals make better nutrition choices during stress at home, at work, or in daily life.
Do
• Know your habits. “Since eating is something we do so often, it is easy to overlook how, when, and why we eat,” says Chapman. By keeping a daily journal of food intake, one can begin to uncover patterns and bad habits. A thorough review of one’s eating style can reveal circumstances that influence dietary choices.
• Make a commitment—and follow through. “While this seems like common sense, many people ignore this vital step when times get tough,” continues Chapman. “Many of us put work and family first, but by neglecting ourselves, we aren’t able to give our best to those around us.” Individuals should renew their daily promise to make healthier nutrition choices—no matter what.
• Get all your vitamins. Individuals should choose high B-vitamin foods like avocados or tuna, or multi-vitamin powerhouse foods like blueberries to keep the body in balance.
• Start small. Radically revolutionizing one’s eating habits can add more stress to an already stressful situation. “Set reasonable goals like eating a new food every week, substituting a healthier breakfast option, or choosing fresh fruit instead of sweets for dessert,” says Chapman. “Once you have assimilated a few new habits into your lifestyle, it will become easier to accommodate additional changes.”
Don’t
• Don’t think you must go it alone. Work with a nutritionist who can custom tailor food choices that fit easily with your lifestyle. A nutritionist can provide you with creative options for new food choices beyond what you might be familiar with.
• Don’t get extreme. Fad diets or extreme cleanses might have short-term results for others but could stress the body even more, depending on the circumstances. All changes in diet should be approached with a sense of balance. Individuals should check with their doctor or a reputable nutritionist for additional recommendations about how to balance healthy eating with one’s personal nutrition needs.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Punishing thoughts can beget more stress. Realize that you’re doing the best that you can and if you slip up and make an unhealthy nutrition choice, it’s not the end of the world.
• Don’t ‘cheat’ for more than one day in a row. Chapman explains, “While it’s okay to cut yourself a little slack, don’t allow yourself to fall easily back into habits that you are trying to break.” Tomorrow is a chance to make a better choice.
Wyatt Chapman, VeraVia Fitness, http://www.veraviafit.com, +1 (800) 527-1936, [email protected]
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