Stress?  Everybody knows what it is.  It’s part of life.  The way we handle stress translates into how we treat our bodies.

Among many faith and fitness platforms there’s this concept of Temple vs Trash Can.  It’s not my original idea.  But the idea here is how do we treat our bodies?  Do we treat them like the temple that they are?  Or do we treat them like a trash can?  

Are you treating your body like a temple or a trash can? #mybodyisatemple Click To Tweet

Let’s talk about food intake for a minute.  And more importantly how we use food to deal with stress.  I find that in those times when we are stressed and need our bodies to function even better is when we treat them the worst.  

To be sure, stress happens.  

We have deadlines to meet.  School and work have specific start times that we need to abide by.  We lift weights or run marathons.  These things, and countless others, cause stress in some form or another.  It doesn’t necessarily indicate something bad.   You can’t live life and make decisions without some stress.  

When we let it take over is when it becomes a negative thing.  And it seems that more times than not, the way we deal with stress is food.  

Stressed? I have some simple solutions. #tips Click To Tweet

3 responses to stress and simple solutions

• We get in a hurry.  Stress makes us feel rushed.  And one of the first things that suffers is our mealtimes and the quality of food we consume.      

Solution:  Plan ahead.  Make meals you can freeze.  Have protein bars available.  Drink a shake.  (Amazon affiliate links)

• We wear ourselves out.  Always feeling tired?  Do you get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep a night?  We grab something like sugar or extra caffeine to give us a jolt of energy.

Solution:  Make rest a priority.  Stick with a bedtime and wake up routine.  Consume foods like nuts and lean protein that will give energy that sustains.  

• We lose our focus.  We become mindless when it comes to what we put into our bodies.  Fast food is our go to meal plan.  

Solution:  Take time to breathe.  Take five minutes in the morning to focus your day and pray and meditate.  Take another five in the evening to count your blessings or read a devotion.  

In summary……

When we rush and grab or load up on sugar and energy supplements, we trash our bodies.  And when we trash our bodies, the stress on them only becomes worse.  Not only are we dealing with stressors outside but now our bodies are fatigued and low on energy, our mindset is negative and we lose confidence in the task at hand.   

But when we take some time to plan, get some rest, get our focus, we treat our bodies like the temples they were meant to be.  We honor them by filling them with good things.  We honor them with rest and time to breathe.  And when we do this, then those things that are demanding our time and our attention…..our schedules, projects, family, sporting events, etc…..we can show up for them healthy and present and ready to give our best and face the challenge before us.  

Be sure you’re signed up for my weekly emails.  I go more in depth with tips and personal experiences on how to live fit and free!  Also jump into my Faith and Fitness Facebook Group.  We’ll talk more about how stress impacts our daily living and what to do about it.

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