Biology of binge eating during difficult times.

Can Stress Cause Bloat, Belly Fat, and Weight Gain?

While we all know that stress can negatively affect our sleep, blood pressure, and skin, it may also be the reason for stubborn weight gain, belly fat, and bloat. Even if you’re doing everything right, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and living an active lifestyle, you may still have a layer of fat that doesn’t seem to go away.

A 2022 study by the American Institute of Stress found that 33% of people experience extreme stress levels, while 77% report that stress affects their physical health. When we’re stressed, our body releases the hormone cortisol, which can increase our appetite, especially for salty, crunchy, or comforting foods like chips, crackers, ice cream, or cakes.

Stress eating is a real thing, and it’s dangerous because cortisol also slows down our metabolism, making it harder for our body to burn calories and utilize the nutrients in the food we consume. This can lead to storing excess fat, especially around the belly area, which is the most dangerous type of fat associated with metabolic disorders and weight gain.

Moreover, stress is a significant contributor to sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality, which can further exacerbate weight gain and cravings for calorically dense foods. When we don’t get enough sleep, our hunger hormone, ghrelin, rises, making us feel hungrier, more irritable, and less capable of making good food choices.

However, there is good news. By finding ways to reduce and manage stress, we can improve our weight management and overall health. Here are a few tips to decrease stress quickly and efficiently:

– Keep a regular sleep and waking schedule, even on weekends, to help regulate your circadian rhythm, metabolism, and hormone signals.
– Plan and prepare your meals and outfits in advance, buy groceries in bulk, and keep a family calendar to avoid last-minute decisions and stress.
– Take three deep breaths whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed, as this can help calm your body and reduce cortisol levels.

Mara Casler, a certified nutritionist through Cornell University, emphasizes the importance of stress management and encourages people to prioritize their health by lowering stress levels. By adopting these simple and free habits, we can improve our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing and achieve our weight management goals.

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