Do Symptoms of Stress Affect Your Weight? You Bet!

One very common symptom of stress is weight gain–and weight gain ALWAYS leads to even more stress! Seems like we can’t win sometimes, doesn’t it?

Managing stress isn’t easy, especially considering the stressful economy and hectic lifestyles we lead these days.

Why does stress lead to increased food cravings and weight gain? And why is it that when you’re stressed and hungry you reach for the Oreos and a glass of milk instead of an apple or a healthy salad?

When we’re stressed, we want relief–plain and simple. I don’t know about you, but most times I spell relief S-N-I-C-K-E-R-S…not S-A-L-A-D.

Unfortunately, most of us tend to crave fatty, salty, unhealthy food when we’re stressed–most likely because these foods represent “comfort” and “guilty pleasure” to us. In other words, our attitude basically becomes “Well, if I have to go through [insert your stressful scenario], I’m at least gonna enjoy what I eat!”

One of the most common ways that stress plays a part in weight gain is through the release of a stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is released in response to our natural “fight or flight” response which kicks in when we’re under significant stress. When this happens our metabolism raises, blood flow increases and our body supplies us with a surge of energy or adrenaline in order to help us deal with or escape the stressful situation.

If you find yourself under constant or chronic stress, you’re more than likely going to see our health go downhill…quickly. Due to the constant release of cortisol your adrenal glands will eventually become overworked or stuck in “overdrive”. This will lead you to feel constantly tired with little to no energy available for your day to day responsibilities.

It will also leave you no energy or desire for exercise or a healthy lifestyle. In other words–you’re just too tired to care.

Can you tell I’ve been there?

Emotional eating or “stress eating”, as I call it, is another contributor to weight gain during stressful times. It will cause you to munch and snack absent-mindedly as a distraction from stress or anxiety–even when you’re not hungry. Been there…done that!

Stress also causes us to feel constantly overwhelmed. What do we do when we feel overwhelmed? Well, I tend to look for shortcuts to get things done that HAVE to be done. This includes eating. What’s the “fastest” way to find food? You guessed it–FAST FOOD! Needless to say, a “fast food” habit will lead to excessive weight gain over time.

Stress can also lead to digestive problems which causes the improper breakdown of your food and potential weight gain. Taking digestive enzymes before each meal will take care of this problem without the need for antacids. Keep a bottle of digestive enzymes in your purse or pocket–they not only help with digestion, but they also help with weight control and maintenance. Fully digested food passes through your digestive system more efficiently and, thus, doesn’t turn into fat as easily.

How about you–does stress affect your weight? Tell us about it!