In little doses, this can actually be good. However, in large doses or in cases where it exists over an extended period of time, it can make it nearly impossible for you to lose weight healthy and fast. And worse, it may actually kill you. Do you want to know what it is? Or, would you rather stay frustrated in your weight loss efforts and continue to place your time and energy into fad diet after fad diet without the benefit of long term results?

Hans Selye, one of the founding researchers in this field once said, “Without stress, there would be no life.”

But how can this be possible when stress is known as the silent killer and primary enemy for those who want to lose weight healthy and fast? The answer lies not in the stress itself, but in how you manage that stress and how long it affects your body.

Your body goes through a series of reactions when it’s exposed to a stressful situation. This is normal and allows you to handle the situation, survive, and thrive. Normal stress, handled effectively can actually help you lose weight healthy and fast, such as with regular exercise.

However, mismanagement or non-management of stress which results in chronic stress can actually harm your body.

This is a little harder to recognize because we are used to living in a fast-paced world. We experience psychological stress (like work-related or relationship-related) rather than physical stress (like jumping out of the way of an oncoming bus). Our stress is often chronic, lasting for days, months, and even years rather than acute where it happens, is dealt with, and then done with.

It’s this chronic stress that gets in the way when we try to lose weight healthy and fast.

The more you study the negative effects of stress and add the very foods, supplements and lifestyle changes needed to handle your own stress, the easier it will be for you to lose weight healthy and fast.

Why? Because the very foods and lifestyle choices that help manage stress, also support healthy weight loss.

While the full story of stress and weight loss cannot be adequately covered in a single article, the following list includes some of the vitamins and minerals your body craves to adequately handle stress.

B Complex Vitamins– These provide adrenal gland support, regulate glucose metabolism, and support immune and nervous systems.

Amino Acids such as Taurine, GABA and Tyrosine – Amino acids are the building blocks of life and these three have been found to be beneficial to control and manage stress.

Zinc and Magnesium– These minerals promote your immune system, energize and calm you during stressful situations.

Vitamin C – This could be considered the King (or queen) of the vitamin world. It’s water soluble so your body cannot store it. Enjoying food sources such as grapefruit, broccoli, blueberries and tomatoes gives you a diet rich with foods that help lose weight healthy and fast.

Selenium – This protects cells, supports the immune system, and could possibly help you respond better to the stress of exercise. Exercise, of course, is a great way to lose weight. By giving your body the means to respond well to this healthy form of stress is beneficial. Food sources include Brazil nuts and brown rice, also great for healthy weight loss.

This is just a partial list to add to your education about healthy weight loss.

You are unique. And because of that your methods to lose weight healthy and fast will be unique to you and your current overall health. Working with your doctor, expanding your education about how foods and supplements work with your body, and having the sort of lifestyle that supports lifetime health will allow you to manage stress and enjoy healthy eating for easy weight loss maintenance.