Stress can be caused through a variety of factors and can affect people in different ways depending on their lifestyles and how they have learnt to deal with stressful situations.  There are a few processes you need to understand if you want to understand stress.  When you feel stressed you need to think about what it is that is making you feel stressed, how are you reacting to the stress and how can you change the situation as well as how you feel.  Apart for changing your perception of an event when it happens certain permanent lifestyles changes can not only decrease the amount of stress that you have but help you to relieve the stress which you built up over time.

Diet can help

Your diet can have one of the greatest effects on how you feel and how you deal with stress.  Many foods which are high in fats and sugar and low in nutrients can contribute to increasing stress in your life as your body and mind needs quality nutrients to function properly.  Poor diet can also cause weight gain which is one problem which causes stress and anguish for millions around the world.  On the other hand if you miss meals this can make you feel very stressed and irritable so make sure you eat regularly and carry healthy snacks with you if you know you are going to regularly skip meals due to time restraints. 

Enough sleep?

Adequate sleep can also help you function better and deal with stressful situations clearly and quickly.  If you don’t get enough sleep you don’t think clearly which can cause stressful situations to arise as well as decreasing your ability to deal with them.  The average sleep requirements are eight hours a night so make sure you that you get as close to this as often as possible. We have some excellent products in our health store than can help you go to sleep and improve the quality of that sleep, look in the insomnia section.

Get off the couch!

Exercise is an important addition to anyone who suffers from stress on a regular basis.  Exercise allows us to release tension and stress which can be stored in tight muscles.  Team sports or competitive sports can also allow you to release aggression in a positive and controlled way rather than in a negative way which can harm others or yourself.  Sport can also help you to stop focusing on a certain problem as it lets you think about other things which allow you to look with fresh eyes at your problems later.  Exercise can also do wonders for your self esteem as you can feel like you are doing something which can make you feel better about yourself. Exercise releases endorphins that will improve your mood and make you more positive and happier.

Making simple changes to your lifestyle can have benefits on how you view stress in your life as well as helping you to deal with it in a positive way.  This does not mean that you have to radically change your life but make a little effort to improve in a few areas.

Name:  Grant King 

Current Sporting Activities:  Bodybuilding 

Greatest Sporting Achievement:  Winning New South Wales Bodybuilding Title in 1999 and coming 3rd in Nationals in 2001 and 2003 despite training for a relatively shorter period of time compared to other competitors (Only started training in May 1996).

What type of training do you do each week and for how long? 

Weight training:  6 times a week for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Cardiovascular Exercise:  3 times a week for 30 minute sessions. 

What type of diet do you use and why? 

Off season, I use a high protein, moderate carbohydrate, low fat diet where I take advantage of a wide a range of food as possible.  Protein sources include chicken, beef, fish, pork, eggs and nuts.  The carbohydrates are mainly sourced through basmati rice, pasta and potatoes.  A wide range of vegetables and fruits are a vital component to a balanced diet. This allows my body access to a full range of foods which is essential for muscle growth, tissue repair and general good health.

When preparing for a competition, I generally eat similar to off season, except I focus more on a high protein, low carbohydrate and low fat diet. Food preparation is more vigilant by grilling meats and steaming vegetables.

What do you think is the key to personal success? 

Positive attitude - and surrounding yourself with positive friends and people. 

Do you take any supplements if so which ones and why? 

Vital Strength Hydroxy Ripped (Protein Powder):  An essential protein source to allow muscle growth and repair.

Vital Strength Creatine-HMB:  Help increase muscle size and power during work outs.

Vital Strength Glutamine:  Essential for all bodybuilders due to its muscle gaining ability’s.

Vital Strength Cartilage Repair:  There are times when I use this product if I encounter any joint pains.

Vital Strength Total protein bars:  I use these as meal replacements if the need arises or as an extra source of protein.

In addition to this, I generally take an assortment of vitamins to ensure that all bases are covered and that my body has all that it requires. 

(Serves 6 / One serve: 91.5cal/1gm fat)

• 1kg button mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• ¼ cup tamari
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with three tablespoons of water
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a baking dish, except sesame seed and cornflour.
2. Bake in a preheated oven approximately 220^oC for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Drain liquid from mushrooms into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Thicken with cornflour and water mix.
4. Bring back to the boil, then add mushrooms. Ensure mushrooms are well coated.
5. Arrange on serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds.