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Checking Your Email Makes You Fat

Blog · Your Body · Your Work


We’re all guilty of spending a little too much time focusing on technology instead of the world around us, from computers to the cell phones we can’t pry out of our hands. How many times have you narrowly escaped a walk-tastrophe because you were more concentrated on your phone than on walking. While it’s cool to be current, our addiction to checking in online may be making our current state of health suffer. This week’s LWBA is urging you to step out of your in-box and check in on your life.

Are you the girl who grabs your phone to check your email as soon as your alarm goes off in the morning? Do you find yourself anxiously responding to emails on your way to the shower and while you’re stuffing your morning bagel down your throat?

Are you the girl who checks her email on the subway, in the cab, while waiting for your friend for dinner, while your peeing, eating, walking, talking, sitting or standing?

Are you ever NOT checking your email?

I know you think that you’ll feel calmer knowing that your mom didn’t get hit by a car or that your boss doesn’t need a surprise presentation on his desk in 20 minutes (If there’s an emergency, they’ll call). I know you think you feel more in control when your inbox is empty, but if you really check in with yourself, I’ll bet you’ll realize that checking your email is putting you in a constant state of stress.

Stress releases a hormone cortisol that lowers our metabolism and retains body fat. Stress also causes us to over eat, because let face it, ice cream makes us feel calmer. Also, when we’re stressed when we eat, our bodies can’t digest our food, shooting our cravings sky high for more calories.

I have a client who used to check her email all the time, and I gave her the assignment of only checking it twice a day. Yes, it took her an hour each time, but her life completely transformed.

She felt relaxed and centered for the first time in her life.
She had time to read, work out and call old friends.
Her productivity at work soared and she got a promotion.
She lost 30 pounds.

And one day as she was coming down in the elevator NOT checking her blackberry like she usually does, the man next to her started talking to her and there was an instant connection. She asked him why they hadn’t met before? He said that he’s ridden the elevator together a lot but she’s always on her phone.

They’re getting married in 6 months.


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