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Whether it comes from sitting in traffic all morning or fighting with your significant other about some longstanding issue, stress can come in many shapes and sizes. Most people have at least one stressor; whether it is a job, kids or money … chances are it’s doing a number on your body. From celebrity Brooke Burke to your average Joe or Jane, through different processes stress can manifest itself as weight gain.
Stress can actually cause weight gain in a number of ways. Probably the most popular theory is increased cortisol production. Cortisol is a hormone that when released, tells the body to get back to normal after a stressful situation. Because of this, your body stores excess carbohydrates and sugars, particularly around the midsection. Also, because this hormone is getting your body back to normal after that anxiety, its levels tend to stay elevated for a while, actually increasing appetite.
Another way stress can cause weight gain comes from your head. Some people claim that eating is unavoidable when it comes to stress. There is however; another train of thought, which focuses on learned habits. When people feel stressed, many turn to food in an effort to make themselves feel better. After doing this for many years, those people have earned the habit of finding comfort in food whenever they feel stressed. Think about how much extra weight you’d gain, or have gained, because of eating every time a stressful situation arose.
The key to getting a handle on stress is finding a non-food stress reducer that works for you. One of the more basic ways to decrease stress is by exercising. Brooke Burke, the 39 year old “Dancing With the Stars” host and a mother four, says exercise keeps her stress down and energy levels up. Many doctors agree with Burke, citing exercise as the #1 way to relieve stress. Not only can most people find something they enjoy doing, but chemically, it combats a lot of the weight gaining hormones that your body releases.
Dr. Mehmet Oz has a more non-traditional approach. He suggests having acupuncture done on the inside of the wrist or taking passion flower extract which has some stress fighting chemicals. Imagery is also something he says he uses. This involves a mix of meditation and relaxation. He suggests finding a quiet place in the house and just imagining a place where you’d like to be.
Stress is something that we all face every day. The key to controlling it is finding the technique that works best for you and then replicating it. By taking care of your stress, you’ll find yourself with a more peaceful disposition, smaller waistline and healthier body overall.
Compiled with information from:
Dr. Oz
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/stress-weight-gain
Brooke Burke
WebMD
