Stress?

Another question..... i'm just so happy to be in a forum where i can compare notes with a lot of other people

The last time i was able to easily lose weight was when i was holiday and not stressed. A lot of the info says stress causes you to gain weight or not lose it because you eat more then. What if you don't eat more then? Anyone else got some experience with stress/ the adrenal glands and cortisol and it therefore being hormones that don't allow you burn calories the way you should?

Hope someone has got some input on this!

I have had no issues with stress causing problems.... Only not eating properly which is easily avoidable in any stressful situation.

Stress has proven to make you carry more fat around your stomach and thigh areas.  That is why they made those "pills" to help you reduce stress while at the same time losing belly fat.  Plus when you are stressed you don't really care about eating healthy and then you just kind of binge and then you feel bad for doing that and etc etc...It's a vicious cycle sometimes!  LOL

I like to do my workout after work before I go home so that whatever has made me mad or pissed me off during the day I can go run and get rid of it and then go home and enjoy my family without taking my frustrations out on them. 

Original Post by laura-ns:

Another question..... i'm just so happy to be in a forum where i can compare notes with a lot of other people

The last time i was able to easily lose weight was when i was holiday and not stressed. A lot of the info says stress causes you to gain weight or not lose it because you eat more then. What if you don't eat more then? Anyone else got some experience with stress/ the adrenal glands and cortisol and it therefore being hormones that don't allow you burn calories the way you should?

Hope someone has got some input on this!

I'm a very tense person and tend to stress out about things.  I am still able to lose weight.  I find yoga helps me relax (I think it's the deep breathing, actually) but other than that I'm very tense.  In fact, my eye has started twitching because of stress.  I'm sure if I were more relaxed, it might be easier to lose weight or at least enjoy it more...but it's not really hindering me at the moment.

when i'm very relaxed and unstressed i'm usually probably a bit at a loss as to what to do with myself so i will eat out of boredom.  when i'm anxious about something i'll feel a bit sick and be rushing about so will tend to eat less. but i think my worst combination is when i'm stressed about not doing/resolving whatever it is i'm stressed about - then i eat out of frustration! dear me. at the moment i'm pretty stressed during my working day so will eat my lunch and snacks at the allotted times and not think too much about it but once i get home and relax and maybe get a bit bored with whatever is on tv i start prowling the kitchen looking for 'something sweet'. must fill my evenings with something other than food! lol.

Stress causes all kinds of problems. It definitely *changes* the way you burn calories but I'm not sure how exactly.

Definitely work on ways to reduce the stress in your life, because it can cause other problems. Exercise is an excellent method of stress reduction, and it burns calories at the same time. Consider yoga, tai-chi, martial arts, or meditation for stress reduction, too.

Importantly, don't let the process of trying to lose weight become a stressful one.  Find a way to enjoy the journey, because it will be a long one.  Eat foods you like, take part in fun activities, and do it in a way that works for you and your lifestyle.  You're smart, resourceful, and creative - you wouldn't be an adult with a job if you weren't those things to a certain extent - so you CAN find a way.

Well that's a good point.

My naturopath tells me i'm stressing out about it too much and i can feel it, but it's hard not to when you're doing everything you can think of to succeed.  I'm so stressed because my weight loss has stopped no matter what i do. My doctor didn't even have any more suggestions for me when i talked to her yesterday. I almost feel if i could stop being so upset about the situation it would help. If i could see a couple of pounds come off, i'd calm down - lol. What i really really need is 3 weeks away from everything!

Have a great day......it's Friday. Yippeeee!!!!

jlgonzales1 - "Stress has proven to make you carry more fat around your stomach and thigh areas." Do you have any supporting evidence for this other than something yuo heard once? All I can find is stress affects your mental attitude to weightloss which can be altered.

  Stress & Weight Loss Stress is one of the most overlooked risks to our health in our daily life. Stress is so hazardous to our health that it can actually kill us. When our body is under stress it releases a higher level of adrenalin to help your body cope with the stressful situation. When the adrenal glands produce more adrenalin your metabolism increases as well, to prepare your body for stress. Another substance released into your blood stream when your body is under stress is Cortisone. Cortisone is also being released by the adrenal glands adjacent to the kidneys.

http://www.teamflex.com/weight_loss_lifestyle /stress.asp

cortisol works on a different timetable. Its job is to help us replenish our body after the stress has passed, and it hangs around a lot longer. "It can remain elevated, increasing your appetite and ultimately driving you to eat more," says Epel.

http://www.weightlossmd.com/can_stress_cause_ weight_gain.asp

roj47 yes I do thanks for asking.  I don't know if you took what I said out of context however I did not say what I said based on watching some info-mercial.  So I would be glad to elaborate.  Feel free to click on the following sites for more information. 

http://weightloss.about.com/od/emotionsmotiva tion/a/aa052907a.htm

Some health studies show that abdominal fat can develop as a result of stress. This is because the hormone cortisol is released during stress, and a high level of cortisol in the body appears to stimulate the storage of fat around the belly and abdomen. Researchers at Yale University studied 60 women and found that the more stress they were under, the more fat they stored around their stomachs.

http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder /stresscortisol.html

I hope this answers your question.   Stress is not the sole reason for belly fat however it is a contributing factor.  

This was also taken out of the 2nd link you sent.  Have a read!

Following those stress signals can lead not only to weight gain, but also the tendency to store what is called "visceral fat" around the midsection. These fat cells that lie deep within the abdomen have been linked to an increase in both diabetes and heart disease.

jlgonzales>>

Cheers for the links which I shall digest when I have sufficient time.

I am aware you have not stated this, but in case others are reading.... I am not challenging you, other than to learn myself. The only way when at my knowkedge level is to quote others and look for a challenge in return.

I work in the financial aspect of construction and easily travel 4000 miles a month just getting to and from work before doing my 9-5 (inevitably becomes 8-6 though), and although stressed at many times, have never considered it detrimental to my weightloss program.

Thank you and hope to come with a counter arguement or a thank you for aiding in my learning :)

stress can and will affect your weight loss. I went to the Dr just yesterday because I have only lost 4lbs in almost 3 months. I took him the print out of my diet, we went over my blood work, how much water I drink etc....

The only conclusion he came up with is that the stress of my parents being sick and then mom dying May 28th, has made my cortisol level rise. They can check it when they do your blood work.

He measured different parts of my body and my arms and lower legs have lost 1/2" but my tummy and hips have gained 1".

He advises I try yoga and maybe talk to a therapist about my depression.

Roj47, No I didn't take your post as a negative one.

I think it depends on the amount and consistancy of stress you are under.  Also the body type that you have.  What your articles and some of the others I have read state that Cortisol increases that "I need to eat" flight or fight urge in some people.  Which means stress eating although not bad depending on what you eat can cause fat to be stored around the abdominal area. 

pgm...Sorry to hear about your mother.  I lost my Dad in Jan this year.  I hope you are able to find some closure and I wish you joy and happiness in the days to come! 

Yes it is proven that stress will hinder your weight loss. Stress also interferes with sleep and getting a good night sleep is also very important when trying to lose weight. So I would try and deal with any stress in your life (yoga, walks, doing activities you love)...

Sarah g.

PS I just saw your post about your Mom after I sent this.  I'm sorry...that type of stress would be very hard to deal with...take care of yourself...

Try doing some yoga.  The meditative aspect of it is wonderful for stress.  It's also good for your stress level to conciously force your body to relax and to breathe proprerly.  That alone can help lower your stress level.  I find that when I'm upset, I need an activity to fling myself into.  I'd rather vent my frustrations by weeding my garden than stuffing my face.  Stress eating isn't any good either.  Plus I find that I tend to make worse food choices when I'm stressed out.