The 4 Types of Stress You Need to Know

This may sound crazy, but I love talking about stress. Now, I don’t love stress itself (I’m not a masochist!), but I do enjoy conversations around this topic because stress plays a major role in our health and overall quality of life.

Don’t believe me, listen to this: 

• 75 - 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. 

• Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, anxiety, and more (source).

I’m going to guess that when you hear the word stress, feelings like overwhelm, fear, and frustrations come to mind. Or situations like a demanding job, an argument with your partner, or your car breaking down on the side of the road. 

But you may be surprised to learn that stress is more than our thoughts, feelings, and reactions to our circumstances. There are different types of stress that cause our body to activate its stress response (learn more about that here!). Many of which get completely overlooked in our conversations about stress. 

And these often unmentioned stressors may be affecting you without you even realizing it! Causing your stress levels to rise and your risk for illness to increase. We don’t want that!

This is why it’s important to understand stress in all its forms, so you can identify what’s stressing you out and putting undue strain on your body.  

Knowledge is power and once you know, you can take action toward creating your healthiest, happiest life. 

Read on to learn about the different forms of stress that throw our body out of balance and sabotage our wellness.  

What is stress? A new perspective

Most definitions of stress define it as an emotional response to an external stressor. In other words, our reaction to a threat, big or small. But there’s more to it than that. 

Stress is the body's reaction to ANY change that requires an adjustment or response and the body reacts with physical, mental, and emotional responses (source). These changes are not only triggered by our thoughts and feelings but can come from various sources which we’ll discuss in a moment. 

First, I want to touch on acute vs. chronic stress. 

These are the two major categories of stress that differentiate between “good” (unharmful) and bad stress. Keep in mind that our body is designed to handle stress, and it is quite good at it. But everything has its breaking point. 

Acute stress is momentary or short-term and usually triggered by something specific like a fast-approaching deadline. It has a beginning and an end. This is the type of stress we were built for.

On the other hand, chronic stress (the name alone sounds unpleasant!) is the long-term, dragging on-and-on kind of stress. It’s a problem because it keeps the body on high alert never giving it a chance to rest. Over time, chronic stress can have a major impact on your physical and mental health.

All stressors will fall into either of these two categories based on their duration and are important to keep in mind. Remember, not all stress is bad. A lot of stress is normal, but being able to recognize when it’s not is key.

4 Types of Stress

There are many many sources of stress that throw the body out of balance and activate its stress response. In this state the body is all fired up, ready to fight danger (perceived or real), and is working really hard to keep you safe. 

These sources of stress can be grouped into four different types: psychological, sociological, physical, and chemical. We talk a lot about the first two, but I want you to know that stress could be creeping in from these other sources as well. Let’s take a look.

Psychological 

• Emotional- anger, fear, depression, grief, poor self-esteem and confidence

• Cognitive- overwhelm, anxiety, frustration, worry, perfectionism, guilt, shame

• Spiritual- lack of purpose, meaning or joy; out of alignment with values and core beliefs

Sociological

• Poor/toxic relationships

• Lack of social connection and/or isolation

• Death of loved one

• Work environment

• Financial worries 

• Life changes like new job, marriage, or birth

• Daily hassles and to-do lists

Physical

• Injuries (acute or chronic)

• Repetitive motions such as during work

• Poor posture (text neck, slouching, etc)

• Excessive exercise or not enough exercise

• Major illness, surgery, infection

• Any health condition, autoimmune disease, allergies, hormone imbalance, etc. 

Chemical 

• Poor diet - processed foods, fake ingredients, GMO foods, sugars & highly processed oils, conventional meats, alcohol, caffeine

• Pesticides and herbicides from foods and cleaning supplies

• Conventional skincare, beauty and cleaning products

• Heavy metals (water supply, vaccines)

• Toxins through work exposure, air supply, pollution

That’s a lot, right? It’s crazy to think about how we are all bombarded with so many different stressors every day. 

Everything from the foods we eat, the products we put on our skin and use in our homes, to the air we breathe in our environments could be creating a stressful internal environment. Add that to the stressful thoughts and emotions that we experience and you may need to take a second look at how much stress your body is really under. 

What to do about it

The last thing I want to do is scare you! Yes, stressors, physical and mental, are all around us. But, the good news is our bodies are extremely resilient. Like I mentioned before, we were designed to handle stressors of all sorts. However, when stress becomes chronic, the body will eventually reach its breaking point. 

Think of each of these categories as a bucket. The more buckets are filled the more work the body has to do. If all the buckets start to overflow, the body is gonna snap! That’s when you start to experience stress-related symptoms and ultimately a full-blown illness

With stress coming at us from all of these different sources, it’s necessary to find a way to lighten the load and address the areas that are affecting us. 

First, it’s important to take stock of how much stress you’re actually under. Oftentimes we don’t feel particularly stressed emotionally, but could still be dealing with other types of stress that are affecting us in the same way. I have a quiz that allows you to see the bigger picture of how stress is impacting you. You can download my Assess Your Stress Quiz here.   

Once you have an understanding of the ways stress is impacting you, it’s time to take a good look at your lifestyle as it relates to the 4 types of stress. Which buckets are full for you? What could be throwing your body out of balance?

Consider your nutrition, any long-term illnesses, posture, products used on your body and in your home, stressful situations, or negative feelings. Dive in and start to consider these areas and the real impact they have on your health and wellness.

Don’t get overwhelmed! You might start to realize that your body is under a lot of stress, much more than you realized. The sad thing is that this is true for the vast majority of us. And many things are out of our immediate control like pollution, toxins in our food supply or even a demanding job that you can’t just up and quit.

But there is a lot that we can control, like our thoughts, diet, exercise habits, home environment, and self-care practices. Make small changes to the areas that are your biggest stressors. Small changes add up and the more you can take the burden off your body the better you will feel and the healthier you will stay.  

But sometimes it helps to get some support with making these changes and that’s exactly what I help my clients do - make targeted and impactful changes that help you feel unstoppable. That includes stress management, nutrition, movement, self-care, mindset changes, and more, according to your individual needs. 

The biggest takeaway that I want you to get from this post is that stress is not just in your head (though that is a major source for most of us). It’s also in our bodies and the environment around us. And all of these stressors add up! The result is physical, mental, and emotional symptoms and further down the line serious illness. With over 75% of illnesses being stress-related, it’s definitely an important topic to understand and explore its impact on you and your wellness. 

5 Reasons You Have Zero Energy

If I could wish for anything in the world, it would probably be more energy! Well, let’s be real, first I would wish for a billion dollars! But the second thing would be infinite energy. With it, I could be more productive, get more accomplished, have more time to do the things I love and spend with the people I care about. 

Maybe you can relate to feeling like you could do so much more and be so much further along on your goals if only you had the energy to do it.

For me, feeling constantly tired and sluggish has been an ongoing struggle. I first recognized it as an issue way back in high school and since then I’ve seen many doctors over the years trying to get to the bottom of my consistently low energy levels. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any definitive answers. According to them, nothing was medically wrong. 

So I pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it was something I’d have to live with (and compensate for with lots of coffee).

But after diving into the world of holistic health and experimenting on myself with various diet and lifestyle changes, I’ve found that there are many things that impact our energy levels that are within our control.  

Of course, check with your doctor first to rule out factors like vitamin deficiencies or other conditions that cause fatigue (e.g. anemia or hypothyroidism). 

But if everything checks out and you’re still feeling exhausted all of the time, then read on because one or more of the following could be the reason your energy levels aren’t where you think they should be. 

1. Your sleep is off

Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way. If you’re not getting enough quality sleep where your body can fully rest and repair itself, then it’s no surprise that you’re tired. If you’re not getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep, then that should be your #1 priority. 

I hear a lot of people online saying things like sleep is overrated and they’ll sleep when they’re dead. And I think that’s a really sad commentary on how much we as a society are obsessed with working and hustling at the expense of our health and wellbeing!

Sleep is extremely important. It’s essential not only for building the body back up so that it can perform physically and mentally every day. But a lack of sleep can lead to health issues like obesity, a weakened immune system, depression, and chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer (source).

But it’s not just about the amount. It’s also about the quality. For years I slept for well over 8 hours most nights, but would still wake up feeling exhausted and barely able to get out of bed. This was because my sleep wasn’t deep or restful. During deep sleep the body encodes new memories, detoxifies, and gets you ready for the next day. 

If you have trouble falling asleep when you go to bed and wake up multiple times throughout the night your sleep quality is suffering. Here are some things that affect sleep quality and keep you tired even when you’re getting the right amount of rest. 

• Screen time before bed (blue light from the screens of electronics like phones and laptops throw off the body’s natural circadian rhythm and keeps you feeling wide awake before bed) 
• Napping during the day
• Inconsistent sleep schedule
• Heavy meals before bed
• Caffeine in the latter part of the day
• Alcohol 

2. Your diet isn’t fueling you

Food is our main source of energy, so of course diet plays a major role in how energized we feel. We know the importance of having a balanced diet filled with whole grains, proteins, healthy fats, and lots of vegetables and fruits because it fuels us the most. 

There’s so much to discuss when it comes to diet and it varies from person to person. Some people feel great on a plant-based diet. Others swear by paleo. It takes a little experimentation to find out what types of foods make you feel your best. 

The goal is to stick with foods that fill you and give you sustained energy without weighing you down or making you feel sluggish. Start paying attention to what you eat currently and how you feel afterward.

You can’t go wrong with eating more real, whole foods that give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs to function and keep you alert. Iron is a particularly essential vitamin when it comes to energy and a lack of it will leave you feeling depleted. Include more iron-rich foods in your diet like beans, whole grains, nuts, leafy greens, and red meat. You could also consider taking an iron supplement (but check with your doctor first).

On the flip side, cut down on processed and sugary foods. Processed foods tend to contain high amounts of sugar as well as other chemicals (preservatives and artificial flavorings) that 1) don’t offer any nutritional value and 2) spike your blood sugar which, in the short term, will lead to an energy crash. In the long term, blood sugar spikes can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes, but that’s a whole nother issue! You want to keep your blood sugar stable because this will provide consistent energy instead of highs and lows throughout the day.  

3. You’re Dehydrated

Our bodies are over 50% water. Pretty much every organ, including our brains, need water to function properly. It helps regulate body temperature, flush out waste, lubricate joints, and keeps muscles energized. If you find yourself tired all the time, take note of how much water you drink on a daily basis. 

How much water is enough? It varies from person to person based on size, amount of physical activity, illness, and other factors. Some people go by the 8 cups a day rule. I have been following the half your body weight in ounces rule (eg. if you weigh 160 lbs, you would drink 80oz of water daily). And that’s been a game-changer for me. 

What’s helped me get into the habit of drinking enough water is having my water bottle with me at all times, setting a goal to drink at least 3 full bottles and tracking how much I drink (there are many apps that do this or you can write it down in a journal), and flavoring my water with lemon and other fruits and herbs. 

Wondering if you’re getting enough water? Aside from fatigue, these are some other signs of dehydration you might be experiencing:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Headaches
• Darker colored urine
• Dry mouth
• Extreme thirst

4. Your exercise routine isn’t working for you

There were times when I didn’t exercise at all and felt constantly tired. There were times when I was in the gym 5-6 days a week and felt constantly tired. It took some time for me to find the sweet spot where my exercise routine was energizing me rather than completely wiping me out. 

Many studies have shown the benefits of regular exercise for boosting mood, energy and sleep quality. But one, in particular, conducted by the University of Georgia found that students who did light, 20-minute exercises 3 times a week experienced major improvements in their daily energy levels and fatigue after 6 weeks. And this was even greater than the alternate group that did more intense workouts. 

This highlights the value of adding some kind of movement practice to your weekly routine. And the good news is it doesn’t have to be extremely intense. In fact, short bursts of exercise have been shown to be even more effective for waking up the body and mind than extended, rigorous workout sessions.  

5. You’re drinking too much caffeine 

In moderation caffeine does give you that boost you need in a pinch. It provides a short burst of energy by kicking the nervous system into overdrive and releasing feel-good hormones that improve mood, concentration, and productivity. But over time, caffeine can overstimulate your adrenals and lead to exhaustion.

I used to be a HUGE coffee drinker! I had multiple cups a day and pretty much relied on it to get through the day. I now know for sure that it was contributing to my ongoing fatigue.

The problem with caffeine is that it’s easy to build up a tolerance to it, needing more and more to have the same effects. Your body does start to rely on it and your natural energy levels are altered because your body no longer needs to produce its own energy.

And when you start having coffee later in the day (even up to 6 hours before bed) it impacts your sleep. It becomes harder for your body to relax and wind down before bed and can throw off your biological clock. You start to naturally fall asleep later and take longer to go into a deep sleep, which is the most reparative time for your body. 

Bonus! 6. You’re mentally and emotionally drained

Physical concerns like diet, hydration, movement, and sleep are an important first place to look to address low energy and fatigue. But sometimes there is a mental component to it as well. And I can definitely speak from experience on this. When you’re feeling unmotivated, unhappy, or generally unexcited by life, it affects how you feel physically--it’s draining.  

The mind-body connection is real! Your body takes cues from your thoughts and feelings and responds accordingly.

Have you ever noticed that it takes so much longer and requires so much more effort to do the things we don’t like? While the things we enjoy seem effortless and time just flies.  

In life, obviously you can’t always do what you want when you want. But constantly doing work you hate, feeling bored, or lacking inspiration eats away at your energy reserves. Having something to look forward to--whether that’s a promotion, a business, a hobby, or a trip--helps to perk you up. It also gives you the motivation to work on the physical causes of fatigue that we discussed above. 

Stress is another energy destroyer. When you're stressed, your body enters fight or flight mode. Your energy is literally taken and distributed to only the essential areas, leaving little left over for your day to day activities. Feelings of fear, worry, and anxiousness can all trigger this stress response and leave you feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

In today’s busy, constantly-on-the-go world, we need all the energy we can get! If you struggle with low energy, I know just how frustrating it can be. But there is a reason for it and there’s something you can do about it. When you find your energy levels shrinking, look to your sleep, diet and water, exercise, caffeine consumption, and mental/emotional state. Addressing these will do wonders for your energy and your overall health. 

Do you feel tired all the time? What has helped you the most to increase your energy levels? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

10 Tips for Starting a Workout Routine and Sticking to It

Raise your hand if you made a resolution to get fit this year? Raise your hand if you fell off the wagon a bit since January 1st?

Me too! It can be really challenging to start a new workout routine.  And once you start it’s even harder to stick with it and make it a long-term habit.

But once you get over the hump and really settle into a consistent workout routine, you’ll feel amazing!  Working out is truly a life changing practice that can positively affect every aspect of life--physical, mental, and emotional. Whenever I workout, my mood is instantly lifted and I feel ready to take on the world.  That’s a feeling everyone should experience!

Spring is upon us and it’s absolutely not too late to get back on the wagon and start working out.  If you’ve never really worked out before or have been on a little hiatus, now is the time to get your fitness journey started.  

Get back on track to achieving your fitness goals with these 10 tips for starting a workout routine and sticking to it.

1. Find Your Why

Working is as much mental as it is physical. That’s why it’s so important to identify your why. Why do you want to work out in the first place?  Is it to feel more confident? To feel stronger? To have more energy? To get healthier? To compete?

Once you’ve found your reason, dig deeper.  You want to be healthier...why? You want to lose weight...why?  Drill down as far as you can to find that driving force that will sustain you through tough workouts and on days when you don’t want to get up off the couch. Everyone’s why is going to be different, and it may change overtime.  Once you find yours write it down, post it where you can see it and use it as a daily motivator.

2. Love Yourself Now

When we start working out we usually have an end in mind. But don’t get so caught up on the end goal that you forget to be kind and gentle to yourself throughout the process. We say things like “I’ll be so much happier when I…” Lose the weight, have a six pack, can fit into my old jeans, fill in the blank.  

Change this mindset! Think of working out as an act of self-care, something you do for you. It’s prioritizing yourself, your health and your overall wellbeing.  Don’t make your self-love conditional, or based on you achieving that set goal you have in mind. This type of motivation doesn’t last especially when results aren’t coming as fast as you expected.  No matter where you’re starting, your size, your shape, or your ability, focus on loving yourself and enjoying the journey.

3. Set Short Term Goals

Sometimes getting to our ideal fitness level can seem like an impossible task.  Setting goals is extremely important for almost anything you want to accomplish in life.  But focusing on long term fitness goals like running a marathon or losing 50 lbs is overwhelming. Instead, set small, achievable goals that will keep you motivated and show off your progress. They should be measurable (something that you can track), relevant and attainable.

Here are a few examples:

• Work out 3 days a week for 30 minutes.
• Run a mile without stopping.
• Lose one inch from your waist.

Consider where you are currently in your fitness journey and where you want to be.  Achieving your smaller goals will encourage you to keeping going and get you closer to your bigger goals in a much more manageable way.

4. Start Slow

If you’re just starting out or getting back into the swing of things, please don’t try to push yourself to the limit on the first day.  Not only can this cause an injury, but you’ll burnout quickly. I’m guilty of starting out a little too ambitious, getting injured and having to recover for days or even weeks. It’s much harder to bounce back and you don’t want to get discouraged before you’ve even begun.  Slow and steady really does win the race!  

This goes hand in hand with setting attainable goals.  In the beginning your priority is to make your workouts sustainable so that it becomes a lifelong habit.  There’s nothing wrong with challenging yourself, but don’t over do it. Be gentle with yourself.  You know what you can manage. Start small and work your way up by gradually increasing intensity and time.

5. Set Your Own Schedule

One of the most important ways to make working out a habit is to create a manageable schedule and stay consistent. Most people are not able to devote 7 days a week to working out. (That’s really not healthy anyway!) Your schedule is going to depend on your lifestyle, how much time you have to devote, and when.  It also depends on your goals. If you’re looking to see major results, one day a week isn’t gonna cut it. The more time you spend exercising the faster you’ll start seeing results.

If you can only workout once or twice during the week, plan to go hard on the weekend. Spend extra time on the days you have it to spare. If you can only get a few moments of free time throughout the day, do shorter sessions but more of them. Create a schedule that you can commit to and make it a priority.

6. Choose a Workout You Love

If you want to make fitness a habit you have to find an activity you enjoy!  Something that gets you excited and makes you forget that you’re actually exercising. When it comes to working out there’s literally something for everyone:

Running, weight lifting, crossfit, yoga, swimming, kickboxing, pilates, cycling, dance, HIIT, bootcamp classes, sports teams, at- home workouts, hiking, and more.

Nowadays there’s so many options for you to choose from. Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Sites like Groupon and Living Social are great for exploring different types of workouts at a discount.  And many gyms and studios have introductory rates that allow you to get your feet wet without fully committing. And guess what...you don’t have to choose just one! Keep your workouts fresh by rotating different types of workouts. This will keep you going and prevent boredom and burnout. Right now I do a combination of weight lifting, yoga, and Body Combat classes. I love having different options to choose from depending on my mood.

7. Have a Few At-Home Workout Options

It's always nice to get out to the gym or yoga studio, but it’s also nice to have the option to get a quick workout in at home.  Let’s be honest, sometimes you just don’t feel like leaving the house. Am I right? Nothing wrong with that, but instead of letting this throw off your schedule, have some at home exercise options ready for these occasions.  No more excuses!

Investing in some small workout equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands or even a yoga mat will allow you to get a great workout from your living room.  Youtube has a huge selection of free workout videos that you can do from anywhere--at home, on a trip, etc. No matter what kind of workout you’re into, you’ll find it there.  You can check out my list of the best free yoga Youtube channels here!

8. Forget the Scale

I used to be obsessed with the scale, nervously weighing myself every morning hoping for a certain number.  Now I only step on the scale a few times a year. Why? Because a scale isn’t always the best way to measure your fitness progress.

One thing to keep in mind is that muscle weighs more than fat.  So as you start working out your body is both losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time.  Because of this your weight may not change drastically, especially over a short period of time. Seeing that may be discouraging.  But that doesn’t mean your body isn’t changing for the better. The scale doesn’t tell you things like body fat percentage, muscle mass, strength, stamina, and other important measures of physical fitness.

I know that losing weight is the goal for many.  Instead of weighing yourself everyday and seeing small fluctuations, try limiting to once a week or every two weeks.  Then you’ll have a better idea of the progress you’ve made. Another way to track your improvements is by taking measurements and monitoring your inches. Or take a full body picture once a months and see how your body is changing overtime.

9. Don’t Go It Alone

Share your goals and progress with the people around you. Or even better, find yourself a workout partner.  A recent study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that exercising with a partner improves weight-loss results.  Having someone else to workout with is a really effective way to stay motivated and hold yourself accountable.

Attending a group fitness class or going to a fitness-related Meetup is also a fun way to socialize with like-minded people. You can't help but feed off the energy and camaraderie of group classes and they’re great for making new friends.

10. Be Patient

We all love instant gratification. Unfortunately, it takes time to see the transformation.  But being healthy and feeling good is so worth the time and effort you put in. Enjoy the journey and celebrate the small wins along the way.  Focus more on physical changes than visual changes. Instead of looking for that six-pack in the mirror, acknowledge how much stronger your core is and how many more crunches you can do now compared to when you started.  Be patient and don’t give up. If you stay focused, consistent, and put in the work, you’ll see results.

Working out doesn’t have to be scary or hard or even boring.  Once you get started it can actually be, dear I say, fun! It’s a great way to relieve stress, get healthier, and feel amazing all at the same time.  I hope you found these tips helpful and are ready to get out there and start your workout routine.

What has helped you develop a consistent workout routine?