Tap Into Nature For Stress And Weight Management

Do you often feel stressed, anxious, burned-out or fatigued?

Would you like to know a strategy that will help you to reduce your stress levels, feel more energised and help you to control your weight after WLS?

We’ve been coaching people who’ve had WLS for many years and during that time we’ve also seen how many of our clients are suffering from stress, anxiety and fatigue. It’s no surprise to us therefore to see more and more research published each year that links stress and weight management.  

Chronic stress and weight gain go hand in hand - not only do stress hormones increase our appetite, they also encourage our bodies to store energy as fat and they can decrease muscle mass, lowering our metabolism. Chronic stress can also lead to emotional eating - where eating is used as an emotional coping strategy for dealing with stress and anxiety. Chronic stress also impacts willpower - lowering our ability to make the right lifestyle choices. Even though we know what we ‘should’ be doing, we just don’t feel like doing it! 

So how do we effectively manage our stress levels? 

There are many different strategies available and today we’d like to share a powerful one that will not only help you feel calmer and more relaxed but will also help you manage your weight and leave you feeling rejuvenated. 

What is this strategy? It’s to regularly spend short periods of time simply connecting with nature. 

Why connection with nature is so important 

For practically all of human history, we’ve lived in rural environments and have spent the majority of our time outside, in nature. It’s only in the last 200 years or so (a blip in the length of human existence) that we’ve become primarily urban dwellers. Unfortunately, the human species hasn't adapted quickly enough to keep up with these rapid changes, and for many people, living in cities puts them in a constant state of stress.

The ongoing barrage of stimuli in the urban environment, from artificial lighting, to sitting in traffic, to working or studying long hours, to experiencing "technostress" and more, can trigger what is called the ‘fight or flight’ response (the sympathetic branch of our autonomic nervous system). Even though these pressures are not potentially life-threatening, the body frequently responds as if they are. Activating hormones such as Cortisol are released which increase our breathing rate, heart rate and blood pressure, dilate our pupils and move blood away from our digestive system and towards our muscles.

Our bodies are being prepared to literally fight or runaway from a threat.

This 'fight or flight' system worked well for our ancestors and can certainly help us survive in dangerous situations, but it doesn't work well when it's overused with our modern stresses. Chronic stress has a huge impact on our health - it suppresses our immune systems and can cause a host of health problems including weight gain, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. 

Regularly engaging in activities that connect us with nature can however really help to mitigate some of the negative effects of modern life and reduce the ‘fight or flight response’. The body's immune response is boosted, mood is improved, focus and short-term memory are improved, feelings of social isolation are lessened, and a deeper degree of relaxation is promoted by increased natural connection. 

‘Sit Spot’ - the simple way to regularly connect with nature

There are many different ways to connect with nature - from hiking and ocean swimming to gardening and photography. A very easy way to connect regularly with nature and get all the health benefits however is to start a simple ‘Sit Spot’ practice. 

A 'Sit Spot' is a place in nature, or on the edge of nature, that you can visit as often as you like. It’s a place where you feel comfortable to just sit down, go quiet, be still and simply start observing what's going on around you. This practice promotes mindfulness, presence, happiness, vitality, focus, empathy and aliveness and, importantly, it can really lower your stress levels. 

3 Considerations for choosing your Sit Spot

1. Find somewhere quiet away from people and distraction that you feel safe in.

2. There should be some elements of nature present and ideally it should be outside - however if this is not an option then you can sit at a window with a view of nature (preferably with the window open). 

3. Make sure that the spot is convenient to access. Ideally it should be within 5 minutes of your home or work. It could be a bench in the park, a chair in your garden or on your balcony or even the step outside your front door. The more convenient it is, the more likely you will actually get there!

What do you do at a 'Sit Spot'? 

Start by taking a few slow, deep breaths, and then focus on each sense separately. Take note of everything you can perceive, including everything you can see, hear, smell, feel, and taste.

For example, you could be watching a leaf blowing in the wind, listening to the sounds of birds chirping, smelling freshly cut grass or feeling the wind in your face. When thoughts start to creep in, gradually return your attention back to your surroundings and to the sounds, images, smells, and feelings they bring up. Take note of the unique characteristics of the environment you are in and your position within it. 

How much does it take to get the benefit?

According to research from Exeter University, Uppsala University, and the University of Michigan Medical School that was published in the journal 'Nature', people who spend at least 120 minutes outside each week are significantly more likely to report feeling happier than people who spend no time outside at all on a typical week. As with any new healthy lifestyle habit though, it's best to start small and work up from there.

Any time in nature is better than none!

Ideally 'Sit Spot' should be practised for 20 to 30 minutes at a time and 2-3 times per week and combined with other activities outside such as walking, bike-riding or gardening. It's probably more realistic though to start with 10-15 minutes of 'Sit Spot' a couple of times per week.  

Sit Spot can be done anywhere and anytime, but if you have a regular spot you can visit a few times each week, you'll get a deeper understanding of and greater appreciation for the changes that take place over time as the seasons change.

It's incredible the power that nature can have to bring us back into a more-centred, calmer state, especially if we connect with it regularly.

If you have a pattern of eating when you're stressed, then swapping your emotional eating habit for this new behaviour can potentially really impact your results. Not only will it help you to reduce excess eating and manage your weight level but it will also help you to live a happier, healthier, more vital life!