Do you often feel like you're being pulled in a million different directions? You've got deadlines at work, it's your night for the kids soccer carpool, you need to squeeze in a workout and there's no food in the refrigerator for dinner. Whatever your responsibilities happen to be, it's enough to get completely stressed out. But did you know that if you're overweight and stressed, you're more likely to gain weight? A new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that if participants already had a higher BMI, the chance of weight gain was greater when they were faced with stress in their lives. When faced with similar stressors, thinner people tended not to gain weight. The sources of stress for men and women were slightly different. Women were more affected by stressful family relationships, finances and job demands, while men were more affected by job demands and lack of decision-making authority. Because the sources of stress for women came from a variety of sources (family, job, etc.) researchers theorize that they are more at risk for weight gain (as a result of the stress) than men. Too much stress can cause the body to release large amounts of coritsol, a hormone that can slow down your metabolism. Research shows that chronic stress can also promote fat storage, and increase cravings for sugary, high-fat “comfort foods.” Do you notice that when you're stressed, you tend to eat more or are easily tempted by foods you know you shouldn't be eating? I know I am. Fortunately, there are lots of options when it comes to dealing with stress in a healthy way. Exercising, deep breathing, reading a book or just taking a quiet walk are all ways that I cope with the stress in my life. What stress management techniques work well for you? Do you find that the stress in your life impacts your weight loss progress? How so? |
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