The Carousel recently published an extract from our book “Stress Less”:
What We Eat Can Help Or Hinder Us
StressLess is a brilliant new book by illustrator Matthew Johnstone and clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Player. Using their own experience, they help you recognise stress in your day-to-day life and manage symptoms. Here is a book extract focusing on reducing stress by better managing your weight.
Because our weight is killing us like nothing else, we’re going to start our better health journey with tips on weight loss. This might be the last thing you want to read about right now – I promise I’ll be gentle.
Let’s begin with a quick healthy-weight summary direct from WHO:
➊ Eat fewer kilojoules/calories*
➋ Limit your intake of foods high in unhealthy fats and sugars.
➌ Eat more fruit, vegetables, legumes,whole grains and nuts.
➍ Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
*Kilojoules and calories are units for the energy in food and drinks that powers all our essential ‘being alive’ needs.
But here’s some things we’d like you to add to your diet: good fats such as avocados, ethically raised- and-caught sources of proteins, and a variety of seeds like chia and linseeds.
My favourite saying is, ‘Change is the brother of acceptance, but it’s the younger brother,’ meaning we have to accept where we are before we can make meaningful change. Acceptance doesn’t mean liking or wanting the thing to stay, just that we’re aware of, and accept, the now. This will stop the shame, denial and bingeing behaviours that keep us stuck.