Introduction
Hi everyone. This is Dr. Vivek Gupta, the CEO and founder of Mindful Wellness. Today, I want to talk about stress and weight and wellness.
I actually shot this video before and I sent it out and I posted it on YouTube, but the sound did not work. So this is redoing that video I hope I can capture what I said.
Weight Is More Than Just Nutrition and Exercise
But in general, this topic is very important because often we think about weight in terms of nutrition and physical activity. But really, you know, at Mindful Wellness, we really seek to think about everything a lot more holistically.
The Impact of Our Food Environment
With this food environment and all of these energy-dense and addictive foods around us, with bodies that were meant to eat it’s kind of much more than just the number of calories or the type of calories or how much you move, right?
The Red Button Analogy
Because, you know, I use the red button analogy often, and I think some of you who are our patients and stuff have heard of this. But basically, you can imagine all of these foods around us as these red buttons, right? And every time you press a red button, you get a dopamine hit.
So how do we deal with this? We practice not having as many red buttons around us. We have some healthy blue buttons, but we also work on decreasing the causes of our suffering to less incentivize us to press a red button in the first place. So this is very important.
Our Holistic Approach at Mindful Wellness
I say, you know, with our work, nothing’s off the table. And I think the aim of these videos is to go out to more than just our patients just to try to help many of us struggling with all of this.
But really, in addition to dealing with what we’re putting into our bodies and how much we’re moving, it’s also about kind of thinking, like, what are the reasons for all of this stuff, right? Is it stress, anxiety, depression, boredom? Or is it just there?
A Real Example of Wellness in Practice
I had a patient who we worked with, who, you know, was working nights and she was actually getting compensated for it. So we did some career coaching and instructed her to email her boss and then she was not working nights anymore, and she could sleep.
Obviously, that’s not an option for everybody. But I think just thinking really rigorously about our lives how do we increase our overall wellness is the key to this. And it’s an important, imperative part of this.
Our Mission Moving Forward
So really, that’s the work we do at Mindful Wellness. To anyone who is our patient if you know anyone else who can benefit from our services, please definitely send them our way.
But also, you know, the goal is I’m going to send these weekly videos out from all the learning points that we’ve had now, doing this for several years, and also posting them on our YouTube page and our social media.
Final Thoughts
So I apologize for our prior videos. I’m new to this, trying to work out all the kinks. But I really appreciate you listening and please reach out to us if there are any questions or anything like that.
Really, it’s mindfulwellness.com—that’s our website, and all the information is over there. So really appreciate it, and have an excellent week. Thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How does stress affect weight?
Stress can trigger overeating, poor sleep, and hormonal changes that impact weight.
2. What is the “red button” analogy?
It represents tempting foods that give quick pleasure but contribute to unhealthy habits.
3. Can emotional health impact physical wellness?
Yes, emotional struggles often drive behaviors that affect physical health.
4. What makes Mindful Wellness different?
We address weight holistically—considering lifestyle, mindset, and root causes.
5. Do I have to give up all unhealthy foods?
No, the focus is on balance and reducing triggers, not strict restriction.
6. Can career or lifestyle coaching really help with weight?
Yes, reducing life stressors can support better health decisions.
7. Is this approach suitable for everyone?
Yes, it’s designed for anyone seeking lasting, whole-person wellness.
