That's Fit

Every Monday, That's Fit's very own "charged up" wellness guru Laura Lewis presents The Passion Principle, a weekly guide that will help you achieve your greatest potential through words of inspiration, cutting-edge ideas and action tips you can use in your every day life!

Chronic stress can slow down your ability to lose weight and get rid of stubborn stored fat. Practicing a few unique stress-reduction strategies can help you lose those jiggly arms and way-too-ample bellies and booties!

I am quite familiar with stress -- raising kids as a single mother has given me an intimate relationship with it. As a person who writes, coaches and speaks about health on an almost-daily basis, I know implicitly that experiencing chronic stress may result in weight gain, and I'm not talking about an increase in muscle! And after recently spending more than $100 on a pair of cool, "beautiful booty" jeans, I am highly motivated to keep my stress in check, or I'll have to shell out even more cash for bigger clothes. And that is something I do not care to do. Like you, I have plenty of other things I should be buying with my hard-earned cash.

Storing more calories as body fat, specifically around your middle, occurs under times of stress. Even slim women who eat healthfully and work out on a regular basis are likely to have more belly fat if they are constantly stressed out. Researchers call it "visceral" fat -- the kind that sticks close to your internal organs and interferes with liver function, hampers the processing of cholesterol and insulin and compromises the function of other tissues and systems. Yikes. So what do we do? Develop our own stress-reduction strategies, that's what. Here are a few.

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, the holiday season is in full swing. All the hustle and bustle of the season can start to feel quite stressful. To help keep your stress level in check, try dedicating some time each day to meditate. There's no need to say "oohhmm" and sit in the lotus position. You can lower your stress level with a few easy steps:

• Quiet place. Find a spot in your home or outside that's quiet and removed from other distractions.
  
• Music. Play some quiet, mellow music that helps you relax.
• Deep, full breathing. Breathe deeply and concentrate on your breathing.
• Focus. Your mind may wander, but as it does just refocus on your breathing -- this isn't a time to sort through your thoughts, this is a time to recenter yourself and clear your mind of the daily stressors.

Take 10 minutes each day to meditate and you'll see your stress levels reduce. Remember, exercising, eating healthfully, and getting proper amounts of sleep will also help you manage stress.

Tomorrow is the deadline for my book, The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook. I'm thrilled with Adams Media for hiring me to write it but on occasion, my body has been very angry at them for giving me such a tight deadline. This uber short deadline has caused little Miss Fitzness Trainer to sit for 12 hours at a time with my head buried in my laptop quite often. My brain is thrilled, but my back has been bummed.

The only reason I've survived is because I'm already really good at taking care of my body. I've never had to sit down for such long periods of time as a requirement of my job, but when the side effects of doing so set in ... I knew how to respond.

I imagine a lot of you are stuck at a desk for hours on a daily basis. I feel for you. I also have some ideas to help you survive it without all of the stiff, achy and strained body parts.

Poor posture not only causes you to look 10 pounds heavier and feel less confident ... it also hurts! Check out this video from Stacy McCarthy, the yoga expert from She's Active Health Network. Stacy offers up a few simple stretches you can do anywhere at anytime to get you standing as tall as you should.

For more fun, quick, tips and recipes from degreed experts ...

Yoga doesn't have enough fitness clout. Over the years, I've heard many say 'no thanks' to yoga before they've even tried it. All sorts of yoga myths are spun -- I'm not flexible enough, meditation is not for me, where's the cardio? They couldn't be more wrong.

In this thoughtful Huffington Post article, Lauren Cahn debunks the yoga bunk. Cahn is an active yogi, and from the pics of her in pose, she's quite accomplished. Here's my take on what she has to say:

• You don't have to be flexible to do yoga: Cahn points out a lack of flexibility not only implies existing muscular strength (necessary for yoga), it is beneficial to the beginner to prevent over-stretching/injury. Everything in moderation, right? Yoga will increase your flexibility the perfect way -- slowly over time.
• Where's the cardio?: Trust me, it's there. Many forms of yoga provide cardiovascular challenge. Cahn suggests trying Vinyasa, Flow, Power Yoga or Ashtanga.
• My monkey mind is incapable of meditating: Yoga will chase those monkeys away. It's essentially calming as you're forced to focus on the pose at hand. Do enough yoga and you might keep those monkeys away in the real world, it's that powerful.
• Spirituality is not my thing: There's no rule that says you must meditate at the end of a yoga class. You won't be bopped on the head if you don't say namaste either. A woman fell asleep near my mat a few weeks ago. Close your eyes, nap, rest, whatever. Leave early for the treadmill, but don't let meditation or spirituality frighten you away.
  
  

The older I get, the more I seek yoga. A recent injury has sidelined me from running, so I'm regularly Bodyflowing myself instead. I just wish I had to elbow my way in.

I have been sleeping in ecstasy for the past few weeks. Yes. I have a Sleep Number Bed. Not only do I have a Sleep Number Bed, but I have the new kind with Memory Foam on top. Mmmmmm. It's amazing. In fact, I didn't realize how poorly I was sleeping until I got this bed.

I value sleep. I'm a fitness trainer, fitness enthusiast, mother of two and writer of far too many things. I need to sleep, and I need to sleep well in order to accomplish the ridiculous amount of tasks that fill my days. Are you familiar with this insane style of living? I bet many of you are.

Sleep is such a powerful tool. In fact, it's a requirement for professionals and parents and growing children too. Think of it this way. Exhausted people don't work out. Those running on fumes struggle to achieve the bare minimums of each day and then toss and turn at night, unable to get to sleep quickly. Sleepless people tend to eat poorly and gain weight as a result as well. The bottom line? Quality sleep is a crucial component for vitality, fitness and success.

Who's afraid of big, bad spiders, bears, lightning, heights, getting lost, tight spaces and being alone in the dark? Many people are so irrationally frightened of one or more of these, they'll never plan a fitness vacation into the backcountry. We allow these fears to minimize our exposure to the wonders of nature, even though we're more likely to be crushed by a vending machine than killed by a bear in Glacier National Park.

Enter cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The cognitive part teaches you the truth about the fear, while the behavioral aspect involves gradual exposure therapy to conquer the phobia. Backpacker Magazine has a terrific article explaining the real truth behind these seven common backcountry phobias, as well as do-it-yourself exposure techniques to beat each one.

I confess to being irrationally frightened of bears, especially grizzlies. I've never slept well in grizzly-land. I even picked black bear over grizzly country for a trip last July, yet still had a devastatingly real dream a grizzly was poised to attack my husband before I could reach for the bear spray. House spiders make me scream. What a bunch of hooey, I'm in need of CBT. Any phobias you're ready to conquer to open nature's door to burning thousands of calories per day hiking or backpacking?

My grandmother used to say that the more important word in "hard lesson" is the second one. Life sends tough -- sometimes seemingly insurmountable -- obstacles our way. It's our responsibility to pull whatever good can come out of those difficulties.

Sheryl Crow faced one of the biggest obstacles anyone can encounter when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two and a half years ago she underwent a lumpectomy and radiation to treat her illness. Today, she remains cancer free.

Crow walked away from her battle with cancer with an important life lesson in hand. She says that breast cancer helped her put herself first in her life. That's an example we all can learn from. Many of us put our health on the back burner in favor of more pressing commitments. But what could be more important than your well-being?

Picture yourself paddling your way past rocky shores and through a morning mist that hovers above a placid lake. Or, picture yourself paddling down class IV rapids in a raging whitewater river. OR, picture yourself paddling across the wake left behind by a passing ship as you take in the sights and sounds of the bay.

Whichever setting you feel is the best fit for you, recreational kayaking is a great way to exercise your body and set a stressful mind at ease. And, perhaps best of all, it's very easy to master.

Kayaking can help you boost endurance levels, tone your upper body, and improve your posture. In addition, it can provide you with the serenity that so many lives are missing these days. For for information on kayak rental facilities near you, paddling tips and safety instructions, visit the American Canoe Association at www.acanet.org.

If stress, tension and anxiety have been bugging you, yoga pro Stacy McCarthy will teach you a quick and simple technique for instant stress relief. Check out more great mini fitness videos at The Active Health Network.

In the book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, social capital expert Robert D. Putnam -- I'm a big fan of his work -- says we are bowling alone. While more of us are aiming for the pins than ever before, we're not bowling in leagues.

Social capital's central premise is that social networks have tremendous value for individuals, communities and even society, and while they are one of the best elixirs for social isolation -- a condition which is as bad for your health as lack of exercise -- the fabric of civic trust among Americans and their communities is thin and frayed.

When is the last time you had a neighbor over for dinner or worked out with a friend? Do you regularly confide with someone other than a family member? Is your computer your regular hangout? You don't have to join a frontier barn-raising to raise social capital. After reading this interesting article on the topic, I'm thinking personal fitness is a great way start. Here's a quick brainstorm:

• Learn the names of the front desk staff at your gym and chat with them upon entering or leaving. They're not membership card collectors, they're typically friendly, informed staff capable of steering you toward all sorts of social networks.
• Leave cardio theatre and head over to the group exercise room. A roomful of inspired workout fiends is a powerful, friendly community. Mix and mingle before and after class. Roll out your yoga mat and say hello to your neighbor. Exchange fitness tips, ask questions, get to know each other.
  
• Sign-up and/or volunteer in your local community's run/walk race.
• Accept an invitation, read the fitness flyers. The walleyball players at my gym are super-friendly. Next time I observe them and they invariably wave me down, I'm going.
• Build in some down time to stop by the smoothie bar.
  

How do you build social capital at your gym?

Normally I wouldn't work a book review into Fit Beauty, but this is just too perfect. I recently read Nina Garcia's The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, and just like watching an inspirational sports movie makes me want to hit the gym, this book made me want to shop. But with a purpose.

It seems like each season, I look in my closet and think, "Holy crap, I have nothing to wear." I know that's completely untrue, but I also know I'm not alone. And while that might not seem like a big deal, it really can take a toll on you emotionally when you can't find anything to wear, and you know you spent a bit of cash on clothes just a year ago.

With some help from this book, I now feel confident that I can shop in a way that will be productive and stay relevant from season to season, year after year. Let me explain.

Stress can certainly take a toll on our health; Jennie Garth is no exception. The actress is back on 90210, showing us what her popular character, Kelly Taylor, is like as an adult. But earlier in the year things weren't exactly sunny in Garth's life.

Within a span of six months, her daughter became ill (and was later diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) and her father passed away. Garth said "I didn't think about my looks or my weight or my body or anything." She goes on to say that she didn't exercise, eat healthfully, and that she gained weight and inches as a result.

As much as we all hope our lives stay stable and uncomplicated, everyone is bound to hit a rough patch now and then. And, unfortunately, many of us will encounter periods of extreme stress, like Jennie Garth did. It's definitely hard to continue focusing on your health when everything else seems to be falling apart. But that is the most important time to take care of yourself.

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz, I'm 26 years old and have never been happy with my upper body. My arms are lanky and my chest is soft. I have a demanding job as an attorney, and simply don't have the time nor the know how to get involved in a complicated training regiment. I know I have to "earn" a good body, so I was hoping you could dumb things down for me. A simple routine I can do in a hurry. P.S. I love your fit tip videos! Thanks. Tim

A. Hello Mr. Tim! Training for a guy with "no time" huh? That' my specialty! Glad you asked. Look pal, I wish I could pull off the persona as a rocket scientist, because I'm on top of this stuff ... but I can't. Fitness is painfully simple, and you can achieve your goals without much complexity.

You exercise, you eat right, you get a good night's sleep, and you try to stay organized; you're doing everything you can to manage your own stress. But what if you work with someone who isn't managing stress well?

Regardless of where you might work, there are a lot of reasons for stress in today's workplace -- threats of layoff, increased workload due to reduced staffing, and so on. When you add in all the non-work-related causes of stress, it's no wonder some people aren't managing the pressure well. And, no matter how well you handle stress, when a co-worker is stressing you'll be affected by it.

So what can you do to help a stressed out co-worker? As long as you don't take on the reasons for their stress (e.g. taking their workload), it's a good thing to help out. And, if you happen to be the boss, it's imperative that you do so in order to maintain a positive workplace and to prevent productivity from slipping. Some ideas: