Are you addicted to stress?

Signs that you are addicted to stress:

·      Cannot wake up without coffee

·      Have to have an afternoon coffee

·      Wired but tired at the end of the day

·      Or falling asleep on the couch at 8pm

·      Cannot sit still

·      Mediation or yoga is boring

·      Feel guilty if you’re not doing something

·      Always multi-tasking

·      Eating on the go

·      Skipping meals

·      Never ending to do list ;)

Here is why it is so hard to believe that you could be stuck in a “fight or flight” state: Running on adrenaline feels GOOD. In my opinion, it’s similar to the runner’s high. It gives you a burst of “energy”, it allows you to think quicker and you don’t feel very hungry (who has time to eat?!). You put alllll of that together and you get.shi*t.done. You get so much done!

And that feel so dang good.

By the way, I put energy in quotes because you’re actually running on fumes. You’re running on adrenaline and not real energy that your cells need.

I felt this a lot in my 20s. I absolutely loved the energy kick I would get for several hours after waking up and running on just caffeine. I felt so good that I thought THIS is the secret to health and success. If I could feel this good (remember, I was stuck in a fight for flight state), it must be good for you, right? I know that’s silly because there are a lot of things that feel good that aren’t good for you, but let’s just go with it.

I would crush my workout, crush so many things off my to do list, get ready for the day, make a few social media posts, check emails etc etc. I would rarely take a rest day (was that even possible??). I found meditation and breathing exercises a waste of time (just not for me!!). I think my morning routine just consisted of moving as fast as I could. Maybeeee I took 5 minutes to sit on the couch at the end of the day before opening my laptop again…?

I ALWAYS had to be doing something.

Well, this felt good until it didn’t. Overtime I slowly lost the ability to sustain that “energy” level. My workouts started to decline. I lost motivation to work and dance. I was bloating. Impatient. Losing creativity. I was waking up exhausted. Oh, and I had adult acne and irregular periods. Super fun!

I share this to let you know that even as a dietitian, I’ve been there. I have been stuck in the adrenaline state, and totally hooked on stress. I didn’t realize it was so bad until I hit total burnout.

A lot of the burnout state did correlate with thyroid, minerals and what I ate… but it also had a lot to do with my to do list. There was always SO much to do and so much hurry. Never a moment to just be. Not a chance that I ever took a sabbath. I was stuck on this hamster wheel.

While we have seen a shift from extreme “hustle culture” in the last few years, I think we still have the tendency to be stuck in the hurry (because it feels good) and the high from always needing to do something. I say this from my own experience and what I see from clients. It does tie in to so many symptoms I work with.

 That need can create a constant stress states that leads to things like:

·      Poor digestion

·      Nutrient deficiencies

·      Pain cycles

·      Infertility issues

·      Difficult transition to menopause

·      Early menopause

·      Skin rashes and acne

·      Chronic stomach pain

·      Chronic fatigue (so you feel like you can’t enjoy anything)

And while it can feel like it’s IMPOSSIBLE to adjust your to do list and decrease the hurry, I promise you there are ways to create positive change (even if it’s just for a season!). The thing is if you do allow yourself to downsize your to do list and come out of the hurry, you will be able to be more present, be more creative, be more productive and dare I say… be happier? Again, I’ve seen it in myself (my business started to be more successful when I cut back hours) and in my clients.

OK, so where do you start?

I like to start with the morning routine. Start to ask yourself, where can I decrease the rush? The stress? The things that you feel like you have to do before the sun (or baby) rises, but it doesn’t really have to be done.

Of course, I still DO things in the morning. It just looks a lot different. Instead of rushing to a workout, rushing home to shower and change, rushing to eat something for breakfast…Now I wake when the baby does, or maybe a few minutes before, go outside, sit in the sun while I eat & drink my minerals and then go for a walk. If I remember I’ll splash water on my face, do a face ice bath and/or oral health (that’s a fancy way of saying cleaning my mouth  #guthealth).

I have found ways to be productive that don’t create hurry. Everyone’s routine will look different, and it will take time to figure out what works for you in this season. Don’t put pressure on yourself to completely change everything right now. However, if you do feel that nudge that your routine is just too much… consider changing it up a bit :) Every season calls for something different!

Below are some tips/tricks for changing up your morning routine, but please just use it as an idea and not pressure to do it all. The goal is to eliminate stress and hurry, not just replace a full to-do list with another very full to-do list.

This is something I customize based on clients goals, but everyone starts with these 3 in the morning:

1)    See sunlight

2)    Drink your mineral mocktail

3)    Get enough Protein

Things to consider with each:

Sunlight

Try to keep the house lights dim until the sun comes up

Avoid screens until the sun comes up

Drink your mineral mocktail

This one is very customizable based on needs. Some people add certain nutrients for different therapies were focusing on like thyroid or different herbs to support gut repair. This baby can be magical when you know what you need!

Get enough Protein

This can be a skill. Many clients I work with are not hungry in the morning so we have to work on hunger cue signaling before adding in a ton of protein. We will go slow and work our way up so they eventually are hungry for a full breakfast within an hour of waking up

The reason I love starting with the morning routine is because it’s a positive way to start the day without going into fight or flight. It helps fuel your body, regulate hormones and gives you energy for the rest of your day!

 Xoxo Kels

P.S. If you’re looking for even more support and a customized strategy, apply to work with me 1:1 ! I have limited spots each month so I can really dive in with each client. I’d love to connect and start this journey with you!