Okay, let's bring in some science about keto and stress.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced when the body perceives a stressful situation. It doesn't matter if that stress is a physical threat (somebody chasing you with a sharp knife) or a perceived threat (you’ve left your Christmas shopping to the last minute and cannot find a parking spot).
Cortisol is an important hormone and we cannot live without it.
However, sometimes it is produced in excess for a variety of reasons.
When it is produced in excess, it triggers a cascade of events.
Instead of the body using protein for repair and growth, in a state of excessive cortisol the body converts dietary protein to carbohydrate, which then provides an insulin response (we're trying to avoid too many of these on a ketogenic diet).
The insulin response stops the body from being able to access its own body fat for energy. This can all happen without much of a change in your blood glucose and is how so many people can be getting great blood glucose and ketone readings on a ketogenic diet but not get any traction with losing body fat.
Now most of you probably have the yawns about now and would like me to hurry up and get to the dang coaching tip! And here it is - change your response to stress. The way to do that is to improve the condition of the nervous system by employing stress reduction strategies.
I fully realise I just lost half of you who are thinking, ugh, I take time for myself, I pray, I get a regular massage, etcetera. When I say that we need to employ stress reduction techniques I’m not referring to ANY of those things. I’m referring to a scientifically researched strategy called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. It’s a form of meditation that is just one of the many powerful tools we can use to reduce our cortisol production. There's nothing woo-woo or religious about it. It's very much about learning how to spend some time in the present moment without judgment and without resentment.
There are a LOAD of great resources to help you get the gist of mindfulness (and i'll pop a link to one of them below - no affiliation at all, it's just good). But one important thing i want to point out is that this strategy will only cost you 10 minutes a day.
10 minutes.
We can all manage that no matter how busy we are.
Whether part of a limited time group or continuing month-to-month coaching, our coaching clients have great things to say about their coaching experiences!
For a person who has struggled all her life with yo-yo diets for the first time since finding keto and Ketogenic Lifestyle Coaching I can say I have officially committed to a lifestyle of eating. After 1.5 years of being strict keto I am still learning from the coaches. I stick with Ketovangelist because of the knowledge, support, and guidance they provide.
Jessyca is my “Metabolism Whisperer.” With her help, encouragement and wisdom, I have lost over 60 pounds since March, 2018. When I started this journey, it was all about losing weight, but let me tell you what I have GAINED through working with her...confidence in myself and my abilities to set and reach measurable goals. I am able to play with my daughter again. I can RUN again! When I started keto, I couldn’t even walk around the block without feeling defeated. I have gotten rid of depression and anxiety and addressed disordered patterns of eating and thinking that have haunted me since childhood. I have gotten off of two medications (for high blood pressure and an anti-epileptic that had become toxic to my liver). Jessyca has helped me weather so many changes in such a short time...selling my house, a cross country move, a career change, supporting a loved one with metastatic cancer, navigation of unhealthy relationships with people and with food. Jessyca has been an invaluable partner and inspiration to me on this journey. She holds me accountable. She helps me identify disordered behaviors and helps me find new ways of looking at things. I am fitting into clothes and sizes I haven’t worn in 20 years! When I think about my experience with keto & Jessyca, it’s with profound gratitude, because I really feel as if I gained my LIFE back. I am a happier person and mother. Jessyca is knowledgeable, resourceful, empathic and she will be in the trenches with you helping you reach your goals every day. You will definitely lose with keto, but you will gain so much more than you ever imagined with her coaching.
I would recommend coaching to anyone wanting to get Keto "down pat." I met with Linda via the computer once a week and she helped answer my questions; suggested resources such as websites, books and recipes; helped with macros; provided much needed support and so much more.
I knew that I personally needed accountability and by having once a week meetings, she held me to that while I adjusted to the changes in my life due to Keto.
I heard about Keto in September of 2016 from a friend. I’d never heard about it before then so I looked into it. I’ve tried many times to loose weight but had no success. I hit 220 pounds and said that something has to change. So started Keto lost 40 pounds within 9 months then stalled and went awhile before getting coach Mary Roberts. She helped me fine tune to start losing again. I have been stalled again for awhile but I am in no rush I’ve went from size 22 to 12 regular jeans. Now I’m in a petite 12 no weight loss but my body is changing and healing so slowly. I am Ketoing on knowing this lifestyle is healing me. I also forgot to say I have Hypothyroidism and Keto is helping with that as well. I love this group and all the help we give each other.
When I started this challenge I was so out of shape. I had gained back almost all the weight I had lost doing keto 2 years ago, and I was eating so much junk. I haven’t had sugar or junk of any kind in weeks! I’m still happy and proud of myself because I’m taking care of me again. I feel good, have more energy, I’m not needing a nap, I’m eating good healthy food, and exercising. Thank you so much Bronson for giving me this chance. Once we are done I’m going to keep eating this way and exercising.