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We all experience stress from time to time: Whether it’s from a challenging job, an overbooked schedule, our everyday worries or family responsibilities. However, when stress is experienced over a prolonged period of time it become a threat to your health and it can severely impact your weight too.
Chronic stress, such as anxiety, anguish or negative emotions, can contribute to what’s known as emotional weight gain. So, how can you stop this from happening?
Are you trying to lose belly fat and reach your ideal body weight?
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Why does stress make you gain weight?
Cortisol, the stress hormone that affects weight gain
When you’re faced with an intense short-term stress situation, your body will secrete several hormones to help you overcome the danger. The best-known hormone isadrenalin, which harnesses all your available energy and stimulates your senses. Cortisol, the other stress hormone, supplies the body with energy by converting fat reserves into sugars. It will direct this energy to where we need it, such as our leg muscles if we want to run fast to escape! Cortisol also maintains thebody’s energy balance throughout the day. As a rule, all these mechanisms stop once the stressful situation has passed.
But if you suffer from chronic stress, your body will switch into “stress, long-term danger” mode and produce too much cortisol. Cortisol goes into overdrive, increasing fat storage in the abdomen and reducing muscle mass. This is why chronic stress can lead to belly fat.
Comfort foods lead to weight gain
When under stress or experiencing intense emotions that are difficult to cope with, many people tend to compensate for their anxieties with food. Not because they’re hungry, but because they’re looking for comfort. This is known asemotional eating. The problem is that the food eaten during these stressful episodes is usually fatty and sweet.
Indeed, we’ve all done it: eating a pastry or a food we particularly like can temporarily alleviate the stress we feel, calm anxiety and produce a sense of well-being. Under the influence of sweetness, the body increases the secretion of serotonin, the happiness hormone, which has a calming effect. These treats bring us comfort.
Eating when you need comfort isn’t a problem in itself when it’s a one-off episode. It becomes more of a problem when it’s repetitive. In the long term, emotional eating will have an impact on your weight and your BMI (Body Mass Index). Chronic stress leads to emotional weight gain.
Does stress-related weight gain affect men and women differently?
In general, men are just as affected by periods of stress as women, but not in the same way.
Women, with a hormonal context (menstruation, pregnancy, menopause…) will have a greater tendency to gain weight, as they are subject to more stressful periods and are more sensitive to them. For women, sweet food compulsions are more prevalent.
As for men, they gain weight differently in times of stress. In the rush of everyday life, they more readily opt for the quick and easy rather than for a balanced diet. Meals are disorganized and menus are often very fatty.
How can you avoid putting on weight when you’re stressed?
Here are a few tips to help you avoid putting on weight when you’re stressed!
To avoid putting on weight due to stress, it’s essential tolearn how to manage your emotions. Several solutions are available to help you stop being a slave to food when you’re stressed.
Tip 1: Practice some relaxation techniques for stress relief
Methods such as sophrology and yoga can help you de-stress and improve your mood. Cardiac coherence exercises based on rhythmic breathing will also lower stress hormones and reduce your urge to eat.
Tip 2: Follow cognitive behavioural therapy
For those who are sensitive to stress and anxiety and want to change their deeply-rooted compulsive behavior, cognitive behavioral therapy helps you to better understand the vicious circle of stress through your physical, psychological and emotional feelings. It’s also a way to get rid of negative thoughts, and stop letting stress and food get in the way.
Tip 3: Practice sport regularly to avoid stress-induced weight gain
Taking part in a physical activity that you enjoy or that you find easiest to do will help you get rid of your negative emotions. What’s more, sport provides a sense of well-being thanks to the release of hormones and neurotransmitters secreted by the body after exercise. Practice it regularly in your free time, and if possible, at least once a week.
Tip 4: Improve your sleep habits
Lack of rest can leave you feeling very nervous. Stress-related fatigue can then accentuate compulsive eating and increase your appetite. To avoid this vicious circle, good sleep hygiene is essential:
- Get to bed at the first sign of sleep to overcome stress-related insomnia
- Replace screens with a good book to help you fall asleep
- Take a lukewarm bath thirty minutes before going to bed to de-stress
- Fall asleep with relaxing music and meditation exercises to banish negative thoughts
- Avoid sports late at night and eat a light dinner
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