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!
Seriously getting a Ketogenic Lifestyle Coach was the best decision I ever made. The amazing Mary really helped me work out what worked for me. The time I had with her helped me to be able effectively tweak this WOE to really suit me. She gave me the confidence to experiment and continues to inspire me. All of the coaches here are truly wonderful and if you can afford it will be the absolute best investment in yourself.
Ketogenic Lifestyle Coaching has changed my life. This is not something I say lightly. I went from prediabetic, obese, and frustrated from 40 years of failed diets and “I will start on this new diet on Monday” to normal weight, perfect blood glucose, amazing energy, and some bonuses like my allergies are gone, my skin looks 15 years younger, and chronic digestive issues are a thing of the past. More importantly, with the support of my coach I have stopped dieting and started living!
I was about 1 month in and didn’t know what I was doing. I decided the only way I was going to be successful was to get a coach! Sabrina has brought great clarity to my understanding of the keto lifestyle and how it has not only helped me lose weight, but how it is healing my body. You’ve helped me remain accountable to myself and you always give me just the push I need to read, learn and understand how to navigate the keto lifestyle, to stay positive and “keto on”...getting a coach is the best thing you can do for yourself when you’re just starting out!! If you can fit it into your budget anyway possible, Just Do It!!! You won’t regret it!! Thanks so much Sabrina you rock!!!
I want to send a big THANK YOU to my coach Lisa Carroll! I have been working with Lisa for almost 3 weeks and WOW! I am absolutely amazed by the progress I have seen in this short time. I have lost 15.4 pounds, stopped taking medication for GERD, seen a significant reduction in hair loss and now fit in a pair of jeans I haven’t worn in 11 years. I started Keto last year about this time on my own and did great for the first few months, but then I got lazy and slacked off. I tried multiple times to start up again on my own without success and finally made the decision that I needed someone to help hold me accountable, that’s where Lisa comes in. She has been exactly what I needed to get myself back on track!
I want to give a shout out to my Ketogenic Lifestyle Coach, she has been amazing at helping me continue the journey and meet my goals. Thank you for all of your help and wisdom! Getting a coach to help me has been my favorite choice of self care so far!