So many women struggle to lose weight, and there are plenty of reasons behind that struggle…
Are you one of those women who drinks plenty of water, but your body still feels dry and dehydrated?!
Today we're talking about something a lot of people overlook: chronic dehydration, or a fluid imbalance in the body, often caused by drinking too much coffee or tea, or by stress…
And yes, stress is directly linked to dehydration. Stress depletes fluids from the body, which then sends signals to the brain to release even more stress hormones… and so the body stays dehydrated…!!
Okay, before we get to the solutions, let's dig a little deeper into how dehydration can hold back weight loss.
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It lowers your metabolism, which makes it harder for your body to burn calories efficiently. (Is this you asking, "But I work out, I hit my steps, I'm following the diet exactly, and my weight still isn't moving?!" That's exactly what's happening — your metabolism is slowing down because everything you're doing is putting your body under huge stress 🤯.) Shocking, I know. And I don't just know it, I've lived it 😅😂
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Dehydration gets in the way of fat burning itself (lipolysis). Water is a key part of how your body breaks down fat, so when your body is well hydrated, this process works better ✅
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Dehydration makes your body signal thirst so you drink water, but sometimes those signals get crossed and give you a false sense of hunger instead — which leads to eating extra, unnecessary calories.
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It lowers your athletic performance. A dehydrated body feels exhausted and worn out, which affects your fitness negatively and, in turn, affects how well you perform when you work out.
Now that you know how dehydration can hold back your weight loss, let's move on to the solutions… 😃👇🏻
First, and the biggest solution: reduce your stress!!
So how do you reduce stress? There are soooo many ways, and here are a few:
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Strengthen your relationship with God. This matters a lot, and it really is number one, because it affects every part of life — work, health, relationships, and more.
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Make sure that what you're doing to get the body you want isn't draining you! Don't put too much pressure on yourself with intense workouts, a harsh diet, or chasing step counts obsessively… instead, try to keep things more balanced and be gentle with yourself. Consistency will always matter more than perfection.
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Practice hobbies you actually enjoy — a fun type of movement like dancing or padel, drawing, knitting, reading, writing… all of these help you feel calmer.
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Breathing exercises and stretching help ease stress and keep you present in the moment.
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Sleeping at night, for enough hours.
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Following a healthy, balanced diet and drinking enough water.
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Stepping away from any environment that brings out competitiveness or negative feelings.
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Cutting down on social media.
In short: Life isn't a race, so chillax. Especially as a woman — by nature, we're built to lean toward calm, and we're just not made to carry a ton of stress and pressure. So go easy on yourself, and you'll be amazed by the results — not just for your health, but in other areas of your life too 😉✅