Stressed and Fat

I have been fairly (and by fairly I mean REALLY) stressed with my work environment for the last year...or more.  Other things have contributed to my stress, but I think it's my every day work place that causes the most anxiety and stress in my thoughts, worries.  I have noticed since I have been more stressed in my workplace I have slowly but surely added on close to 40 pounds.   I eat a lot, I will admit that, but overall I don't eat that terribly and what I eat is usually "good" foods (vegetables, yogurt, fruits).   So this leads me to believe there is a real reason why I can't lose weight easily and can't seem to control my self.  SOOOO, I googled and learned something interesting.


Chronic stress and cortisol can contribute to weight gain in the following ways:

Metabolism -- Do you feel like you're prone to putting on more weight when you're stressed, even if you're eating the same amount of food as you always have? Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult. Cravings -- OK, you're stressed. Do you reach for a nice salad or a pint of Ben & Jerry's? I'll bet on the latter. People experiencing chronic stress tend to crave more fatty, salty and sugary foods. This includes sweets, processed food and other things that aren’t as good for you. These foods are typically less healthy and lead to increased weight gain. Blood Sugar -- Prolonged stress can alter your blood sugar levels, causing mood swings, fatigue, and conditions like hyperglycemia. Too much stress has even been linked to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health concerns that can lead to greater health problems, like heart attacks and diabetes. Fat Storage -- Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat. Unfortunately, abdominal fat is not only aesthetically undesirable, it’s linked with greater health risks than fat stored in other areas of the body.

Stress and weight gain are connected in other ways:

Emotional Eating -- Increased levels of cortisol can not only make you crave unhealthy food, but excess nervous energy can often cause you to eat more than you normally would. How many times have you found yourself scouring the kitchen for a snack, or absently munching on junk food when you’re stressed, but not really hungry?