Stress And Weight Gain – The Untold Story.

Stress And Its Effects On Physical Health.

Stress and weight loss/weight gain is something we all go through every day but how much do we understand and cope with it’s negative effect? Many studies have been done that corroborate the link between stress and physical health, and they all confirm that it affects the body in a negative way.

Cortisol is a hormone produced in our body, which rises in response to stressful or threatening situations. Cortisol influences, regulates or modulates many of the changes that occur in the body in response to stressful situations, these include but not limited to: Increase in the availability of blood sugar (glucose) in the blood stream as part of our inherent fight or flight survival response. It is also responsible for curbing certain bodily functions that are deemed non-essential in these situations. Thus, our immune system is suppressed, along with digestion, important growth process and the reproductive systems. While this response is essential, chronic stress could be problematic.

What is the link between stress and weight gain?

Now let’s connect the dots between stress and weight gain. It is no secret that constant stress could pose a hindrance to weight loss. This is due to the fact that fat loss is one of the ‘’non-essential’’ functions during a stressful situation. So your body will seek to conserve energy to ensure there is enough to deal with the stressful situation, and your body is more likely to store extra fat due to the increase in circulating glucose and the resultant insulin response. So, if your goal is fat loss then you have to find ways to relax and minimize tension because your body will not focus on shredding fat when it is ‘’fighting’’ for its life, so to speak.

Everyone reacts to stressful situations differently. Some stop eating properly while others start eating more in an attempt to sooth themselves. It is important that you become aware of and plan on how to cope with stress as part of your weight loss plan.

In summary, all factors including stress, diet and exercise should be put into consideration when seeking weight loss. Some holistic exercise programs like ANGEL Workout, Yoga , Pilates etc. could be particularly helpful.