These changes include the rate of blood flow and changes to our metabolism. If you are stressed out all the time and happen to notice you are putting on weight, even though your diet has not changed, it could be that your metabolism is slowing down.
If you are feeling stressed you may start to have some unusual cravings for the more unhealthy types of food. By unhealthy I mean foods with a high fat content, processed foods and foods full of sugar.
Chronic stress can cause our bodies to store fat in different places, usually the abdominal area, which is just where we don't want it. Unfortunately fat around the waist area has been linked with some other serious health problems.
Ongoing stress is known to change blood sugar levels which can then cause fatigue and mood swings. Furthermore, prolonged chronic stress can cause really nasty problems such as diabetes and heart attacks.
Are you stressed out , full of nervous energy? Well this could be why you are grabbing bits of junk food, even if you're not particularly hungry. When you are in this state it's not very likely that you are going to have the patience to spend hours in the kitchen preparing good healthy meals.
Of course the sedentary lifestyle a lot of us lead is of no help, and we can use the excuse that we are too busy to find time for exersise. Until I researched the subject of stress and weight gain I would never really have connected the two problems. I have never suffered from stress myself but I do have a slight weight problem. One out of two ain't bad.
Weight gain due to stress may be under conscious control when it is the result of increased eating. But in many cases stress-related weight gain is due to the effect of stress hormones and is not under conscious control.
In many cases, high stress levels, particularly over an extended period of time will lead to an increased level of the adrenal hormone, cortisol, in the blood. Cortisol has several effects, but in relation to weight issues, the primary effect is to promote the storage of fat in the lower abdomen. It is believed that this effect has a survival purpose in that if one were subjected to harsh conditions for a long period of time, the body would need to conserve energy and save it in the form of stored fat.
In many cases, the deposition of fat around the midsection will motivate people to severely restrict their diets and/or to begin working out harder than usual. This is often counterproductive when the underlying problem is high cortisol due to stress.
High intenstiy exercise and/or a very restricted calorie intake can produce additional physical stress on the body that may trigger even more cortisol production. The higher the cortisol level goes, the greater the tendency to gain fat in the middle of the body.
Because of this, if you are experiencing a lot of stress in your life and you are gaining weight in the belly, it is best to take a moderate approach to your exercise program and diet. For exercise, it is best to stick to moderate amounts of relatively low-intensity activities such as walking, bicycling, or swimming. It is a good idea to avoid intense or muscularly-demanding activities such as weight lifting, high-intensity aerobics, intense interval training, or anaerobic sports like basketball or soccer to avoid over-stressing the body. In addition, be sure to eat a reasonable amount of protein and do not overly restrict calorie intake.
Some may want to try to rush the burning of belly fat through strict dieting, but this often only further stresses the body and creates even more cortisol production. By eating a healthy diet with some protein, the body will begin to better handle stress and cortisol production will fall, allowing for a gradual reduction in the fat.
By combining healthy eating with meals containing protein, and nutrient-rich foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds with a moderate amount of low-intensity aerobic exercise, you can control your stress better. This will lead to lower levels of cortisol in your system, and a gradual burning off of stored belly fat.
Both James Hunaban & Dr. George Best are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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