“Stress and sleep matter a lot,” says Diulus. We know how important stress and sleep are for our holistic well-being, so it makes sense that the two have such a significant role in weight loss itself.
In terms of sleep, Diulus notes that her insulin requirement will actually increase if she is underslept, no matter what she eats. That said, getting some shut-eye is essential for healthy weight loss—if you have poor sleep, even the healthiest diet in the world won’t be as effective, according to Diulus.
On the other hand, Diulus notes that stress can lead to issues like emotional eating, which makes it more difficult for you to maintain weight loss. “For me, losing weight was probably easier than keeping it off. And stress had a huge role,” she says.
However, Diulus encourages you to acknowledge when you feel stressed rather than attempting to eliminate your anxiety entirely. “When we try to de-stress our lives and try to live in this blissful state, it actually increases our overall stress and anxiety because it’s artificial,” she says.
Rather, we should embrace stressful experiences for what they are and try to grow from them as best we can. It’s not a proven science, she notes, but it’s something she feels works best for her.
Before you start dieting, you might want to reflect on Diulus’ three tips before jumping right in. While these tips do center around eating and weight loss, they’re actually quite crucial when it comes to our general health—don’t we all want to have a strong support system, a personalized health regimen, and optimal sleep and stress levels? If this holistic approach can help us maintain a weight loss and optimize our overall well-being, consider us on board faster than you can say functional medicine.
