Does Stress Make You Fat? Weight Gain and Stressful Habits

Stress is a natural reaction of the body to the demands of the environment. This response induces changes at a physiological level, also affecting the metabolism, causing the necessary resources to be mobilized to cope with the demands of the environment.

It is for this reason that it is not difficult to find people who claim that stress affects their weight, especially by increasing it by asking themselves the question: Does stress make you fat? Let’s look at the answer below.

Is it true that stress makes you fat?

As we said, stress is a physiological and adaptive response of the body, which allows it to face a situation that is seen as threatening. The organism mobilizes the necessary resources to maintain its physical or mental integrity and for this it induces changes at a physiological level, and also in metabolism.

One of the main actions that occur at a physiological level is the activation of the adrenal glands, which release hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones, especially cortisol, are known as the stress hormones and are responsible for accelerating the heartbeat, causing the heart to pump more blood to the muscles and other organs, preparing the body for fight or flight.

Normally, when the threat disappears, the brain sends the order to stop, in order to return to the calm before the appearance of the stressful stimulus. The problem is that, sometimes, it is difficult to return to a state without stress, prolonging the effects of this response on the body, and contributing to the appearance of various health problems. Even this stress, Depending on the personality characteristics of the person, it can appear and persist in the absence of real danger

Given that stress changes internal aspects of the body, and that its maintenance implies health problems, it has been seen that it can also induce changes in weight, both causing weight gain and loss.

Factors that influence the body’s reaction to stress states

As we already said, stress induces a series of changes in the body, involving the release of various hormones that can change a person’s constitution and weight. Depending on different factors, stress can make us gain weight, lose weight or maintain our weight

1. Genetics

One of the main factors that influence weight gain or loss is genetics and its interaction with the environment. There are people who, when they are stressed, gain a few extra kilos, while others lose a lot of weight.

2. Type of stress

Not all types of stress have the same effect on the same person It has been seen that acute or short-term stress induces weight loss, while chronic stress, which is longer in time, contributes to weight gain.

3. Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle induces one behavior or another in a stressful situation, although it can also be seriously affected by the stress itself.

For example, There are people who, when they are stressed, try to do sports to let off steam, while other people go to the refrigerator to calm down. It is this second case that the relationship between stress and weight gain is much clearer.

But it happens that, even being a very active and athletic person, experiencing a lot of stress can induce changes in decision making, causing people to turn to food to feel gratification.

4. Mood

Stress that is caused by negative circumstances, and associated with depression has been linked to weight gain.

How does stress make us gain weight?

As we have already mentioned, there are different factors that influence weight gain or loss. Below we will see exactly what the mechanisms are like that cause stress to gain weight.

1. Hormones

Stress involves changes in the blood levels of certain hormones. The adrenal glands, in a stressed state, cause cortisol to be secreted. Cortisol causes blood glucose levels to rise with the aim of making available all the energy and resources necessary for the body.

If this glucose is not used, it remains in the blood. Since it is not burned, the body accumulates it in the form of fat. For this reason, stress makes you gain weight even without eating, since it is the body itself that transforms its resources into fat.

This way, Accumulated fat increases and fluids are retained due to high levels of cortisol in the blood For this reason, the idea of ​​stress has been linked to belly fat.

In addition, and as a side effect of this entire process, the cells demand more energy, causing appetite to increase. If cortisol levels remain very high for a long time, a medical condition occurs, hypercortisolism, which is a symptom of chronic stress.

This increases resistance to insulin, a hormone which is responsible for promoting the absorption of glucose into cells.

Another hormone, called ghrelin, the hunger hormone, is also secreted during the stress response Its function is to induce appetite through the intake of calories, in addition to promoting the accumulation of fat (adiposity) in the body.

2. Changes in behavior

Stress involves changes in the behavior of those who suffer from it, since it is a response to mobilize the resources they have to get out of the stressful situation in question alive. It can promote changes in lifestyle and health habits, affecting weight.

Lack of time and living a fast-paced lifestyle can increase the likelihood of consuming ready-made foods such as junk food, which is high in calories, with a lot of fat, of low quality and few nutrients, in addition to reducing physical activity and practicing sports.

3. Emotions

In stressful situations, the hormones serotonin and dopamine are decreased These hormones are part of the brain’s reward system. That is why when they are reduced there is a search for rewards, especially in the form of palatable food, which is pleasant and rewarding.

These types of foods, which have been called comfort foods, have high levels of fats and sugars, being very caloric and promoting weight gain.

How to avoid gaining weight due to stress

To avoid gaining weight due to stress, the best way is to try to manage that stress and the associated desire to eat. It is important that any attempt to avoid gaining weight due to stress should not be done out of the simple desire to be thin, but rather out of wanting to be healthy, both physically and psychologically.

1. Eat anti-stress foods

A diet rich in vegetables, especially fruits and vegetables, is a very good option to avoid gaining weight due to stress They have many vitamins, minerals and other nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the body.

But it is also very important to consume protein, present in eggs, meats, and legumes, helping to satisfy appetite and controlling glucose and insulin levels.

Foods rich in omega-3, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, spinach and chia, increase levels of tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, the well-known happiness hormone.

2. Avoid stressful foods

In the same way that there are foods that relieve stress, there are those that contribute to being stressed, in addition to which they can also be the direct cause of gaining weight.

Foods rich in sugar should be avoided, as well as those that are highly processed or artificial since they raise blood glucose levels and deregulate insulin levels.

3. Do not abuse exciting substances

Among exciting substances we find alcohol, coffee, tea, energy drinks and nicotine. They increase blood pressure, increasing anxiety levels, which in turn increases your appetite

4. Plan meals

To avoid falling into temptations, it is best to try to plan your meals, making a schedule of when and what you should eat, and trying to eat the necessary and sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats at each meal, in addition to avoiding having a surplus. calorie at the end of the day.

5. Sleep hygiene

Sleep quality influences emotional regulation making us feel more stressed and more eager to eat palatable food when we have not slept the recommended 6-8 hours a day.

6. Perform physical activity

In addition to being the best strategy to lose weight or avoid gaining it, physical exercise counteracts stress. Increases endorphins in the brain generating a feeling of happiness and satisfaction, in addition to the fact that, once the physical activity is carried out, it induces a very therapeutic state of relaxation.

7. Identify the source of stress

Gaining weight is just one effect of stress, and what we should be most concerned about is the negative effects of prolonged stress on our health. We must do an exercise of introspection and try to find out where that stress comes from, what causes it. Thus, once identified, we can look for resources to deal with it.

If you do not know where it could come from, seeking the help of a psychologist is a very good option, since he or she will give us the guidelines and therapeutic strategies to discover the source of discomfort and know how to deal with it.