What I've learned about stress and belly fat.....

I've been using my new Library card to do some research on the science of stress.  Here's a tidbit of information I would like to pass along.  I have learned why our bodies store belly fat when we're stressed.  It involves all kinds of technical jargon, scientific terms and many pages I had to read a few times to understand.  Here's my personal understanding.  The body stores fat in the belly area so it is close to our liver for quick access, so it can be turned into energy when needed for fight or flight.

I have also learned to burn that belly fat and fight the bodies urge to store it I need to do Yoga.  Last fall I started to do Yoga.  Then Santa brought me a complicated Yoga DVD and I got a bit discouraged.  As I've mentioned before I have also lost interest in exercising and I've gotten lazy during the cold winter months.  Not getting out for my lunch time walks has put a wrench in my routine.  But, after reading the benefits of Yoga, I am determined to start a new routine.  Starting this week and moving forward, I am going to do my Yoga every evening before bed.  I have no excuse not to.  It will relax me for sleep, ease my stress level and make my body feel better.  Last fall I noticed my belly getting smaller and actually had compliments on it, I had no idea it was due to Yoga!  And when my belly started getting bigger I blamed it on the Christmas treats - I had no idea it was because I had stopped doing Yoga.  Of course the Christmas treats didn't help.

I am a very slow reader, it is taking me a long time to get through the book about stress but I'm learning something and that's what counts.  :)

To muster the courage to keep a goal.....

Last year when I kicked my "healthier me" plan into higher gear I set a goal to run a 5k in June.  With winter I have turned into a hibernating bear.  Packing on pounds so I survive the storms.  With this change I fear I am letting myself down,  I will not be able to run the 5k as I had hoped.  Last fall I was walking 6k easily, it took me an hour with a distracted beagle so I was hopeful, now I am concerned.  Should I just forget about it?  Should I give up?  Am I just afraid of failing?  Am I sabotaging myself since I have a treadmill I could be using to keep up what I had accomplished last fall? These are all the questions racing through my mind right now.  Especially since registration is posted.  At this point I have a decision to make, to get back on track or give up.

Health Journal

I have been researching healthier eating and then forgetting what I found for years.  I am back to researching and wondering how I am going to remember this time.  I do not like "spinning my wheels" and redoing my research.  I don't mean things like eating a salad is better for you than french fries.  I mean research such as what affects does Soy have on our bodies, negative and positive.  What to eat to improve memory, curb hot flashes.  What foods to avoid to keep the hot flashes away for example.  I remembered a friend of mine mentioning she has been keeping a health journal.  In it she puts magazine clippings and other information she has found to inspire her to eat well and other healthy eating and healthier living advice.

So, I am going to start keeping a journal of all my findings so I can compare and figure out what information is good for me and which is not.  I am unsure if it will be an online journal or a physical book.  My Pinterest boards are similar to a journal but I find it tedious to go through all the information on the boards looking for what I need to know.  Perhaps in the end it will be my Pinterest boards I use for an online health journal and just create more boards to narrow the information search.  But then a physical book on my dresser or night stand might be more inspiring...... still some decisions to be made.