Is stress causing your weight gain?

If you’re feeling stressed out, you’re not alone.

We’ve all heard the phrase “take a chill pill” but when it comes to stress, that might be easier said than done! Stress is a normal but overwhelming part of life and if it’s not managed properly, it can wreak havoc on our body systems, hormonal health and contribute to weight gain.

But don’t stress! You can proactively manage your stress levels using natural remedies and holistic health practices that work with your body’s systems rather than against them so you can balance your hormones and release that stubborn excess weight.

Ready to take a deep breath? Let’s dive in!

How Stress Affects Your hormones & influences weight gain – Unravelling the Truth

Stress can trigger a cascade of reactions throughout our bodies – it’s not just your mind that is affected. When we’re stressed, our bodies release adrenaline and cortisol, which can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and contribute to chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. Stress can also cause digestive issues, such as ulcers and inflammation, and weaken our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illnesses. Understanding the hidden impact stress has on your body is crucial to overcoming its effects.

Here’s what you need to know about why stress can cause weight gain to make sure that you are keeping your stress under control:

1. Stress impacts hormone balance

In a stressful situation, cortisol spikes and in doing this it interrupts the formation of other hormones. In a concept called the “pregnenolone steal”, elevated cortisol reduces the production of progesterone, because it is the precursor to cortisol. This can leave you with an imbalance in progesterone and oestrogen, not just exacerbating hormonal conditions but increasing weight gain and causing you to store more fat around your stomach area.
2. Stress can increase appetite

Whilst cortisol is great for a survival situation, it can also make us crave sweet, salty or fatty foods. It stimulates the metabolism of fats and carbs so we can have the energy to escape the proverbial tiger, but that means it also increases our hunger!

3. Stress spikes insulin levels

The stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline actually make it harder for insulin to work properly, known as insulin resistance. These stress hormones increase blood glucose but also reduce the sensitivity of insulin to get glucose into the cells. The increased blood glucose levels signal the body to store the excess blood sugars by turning this into fat cells, adding to weight gain.

five key tips to help manage stress naturally

Now that you know stress can take a toll on both your physical and emotional health, what can you do to overcome this? Often we turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, junk food, mindless scrolling, Netflix without the chill… but why not try some natural ways to manage your stress that actually work?

1. Get some movement in your life! – Get out in nature for a walk, do some yoga, get moving to fuel your body with feel-good endorphins.

2. Try a short meditation – I love Insight Timer, a free meditation app.

3. Take some deep breaths – Try fit in some deep breathing exercises into your day, you can do this whilst you meditate!

4. Eat calming foods that nourish your nervous system – ensure you are adding in wholegrains for B vitamins; ensure enough protein; nuts and seeds and leafy greens for magnesium and zinc. This will help with healthy neurotransmitter synthesis.

5. Find tranquillity with essential oils – lavender has been clinically shown to reduce anxiety! (PMID: 31655395). 

All in all, stress is part of life, but it doesn’t have to control your life. 

By taking care of yourself and practising healthy habits, you can manage your stress levels, improve your hormonal health and reduce stubborn weight gain.

If you’re struggling to lose weight and are ready for change, feel free to book in a discovery call to learn more about how Naturopathy or the Metabolic Balance weight loss program can help you.