If you're living a stressful life and wondering why those pounds keep creeping on, there is scientific evidence that has proven that stress can actually make you fat. The good news is that there are many ways you can combat stress and start getting healthy. But first, let's look at why stress can cause you to gain weight.
1. Stress releases hormones that allow us to store fat more efficiently.
Storing fat is a bad thing for many of us, and although it's necessary to some degree, stress causes our systems to go a little haywire and we start producing too much cortisol. This causes our bodies to retain fat around the middle, which is not only unsightly, but incredibly unhealthy. Since most of us live with stress on a daily basis, we're producing far too much cortisol and this is leading to weight gain.
2. Stress interferes with sleep - which causes more weight gain.
Recent studies have also shown that a lack of sleep can lead to weigh gain, once again thanks to hormones that run amok in our systems. Even if you're not feeling stressed, your body is and it's reacting by producing more hormones. When we are physically stressed, our whole body tightens up and our minds start racing. It's pretty hard to get enough sleep when you feel like this and we get trapped into a vicious cycle that is very hard to break. Stress piles on more stress and pretty soon, those pounds starting coming on.
3. Stress causes emotional eating.
While some people respond to stress with a reduced appetite, by far the majority end up eating to combat their stress levels. Whether it's increased snacking simply because we feel so edgy or emotional eating of comfort food, stress is a major reason that many of us overeat. When combined with the factors above, you've got a recipe for disaster.
But there is a way to change all of that and break the stress cycle. While you'll never be able to remove all stress from your life, there are ways that you can combat it and break free of that cycle.
First, you need to learn to realize when you're feeling stressed out. As soon as that feeling creeps up, you'll need to learn to take deep breaths to counteract what your body is telling your brain and vice versa. Practice deep inhalations and exhalations until they become second nature.
Next, you'll need to learn to start treating your body right instead of abusing it, which only makes stress worse. If you're having a rough time or a bad week, schedule a massage. It will do wonders for your mind and your body. If you're feeling overworked, take a personal day and do absolutely nothing. You'll be able to recharge and get back on track.
Little changes add up when it comes to beating stress in your life. While it is difficult to address what causes stress in our lives, we can change the way we respond to it.
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Originally posted 2008-09-15 05:34:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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4 comments ↓
Great article. I wrote a post that touched on very similar topics earlier today as well.
http://fastfoodconfessional.com/2008/09/15/the-cyclical-nature-of-fast-food-and-depression/
The emotional fast food eating is what does it for me. I tend to get stressed, run short on time (whether in actuality or in a stress related/time scarcity issue) and then I hit the drive through because I “don’t have time” to cook.
I know that it sounds very “oprah” of me, but daily meditation has worked wonders for my stress levels.
Meditation, deep breathing techniques, prayer, a quiet walk, etc… All are great for combating stress.
Damn skippy! Stress is not cool, ever! Stress can actually kill people, cause your body to hurt, and worse.
[...] Kevin at Weight Loss Journal asks, “Is stress making you fat?” [...]
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