Is stress fattening? Weight gain and stressful habits

What aspects of stress can cause us to gain body fat?

Stress is a natural reaction of the organism to environmental demands. This response induces changes at the 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, asking themselves the question: is stress fattening? Let's see the answer below.

Is it true that stress is fattening?

As we said, stress is a physiological and adaptive response of the organism, 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 to do so it induces changes at the physiological level, and also in metabolism.To do so, it induces changes at the physiological level, as well as in the metabolism.

One of the main actions that occur at the physiological level is the activation of the adrenal glands, which release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones, especially cortisol, are known as stress hormones.They speed up 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 it is sometimes difficult to return to a stress-free state, prolonging the effects of this response on the organism and contributing to the appearance of various health problems. Even this stress, depending on the personality characteristics of the person, can appear and be maintained in the absence of real danger..

Given that stress changes internal aspects of the organism, and that its maintenance implies health problems, it has been seen that it can also induce changes in weight, both by making us put on weight and by making us lose weight.

Factors influencing the body's reaction to stress states

As we have already said, stress induces a series of changes in the organism, involving the release of various hormones that can change the constitution and weight of people. Depending on different factors, stress can make us put on 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 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 found that acute or short-term stress induces weight loss, while chronic stress, which lasts longer, contributes to weight gain.

3. Lifestyle changes

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

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

But it happens that, even being a very active and sporty person, living a lot of stress can induce changes in decision making, making you turn to food to feel gratification.

4. Mood

Stress that is caused by negative circumstances, and is associated with depressionhas 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 are the mechanisms that make stress fattening.

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.The purpose is to make available all the energy and resources necessary for the organism.

If this glucose is not used, it remains in the blood. As it is not burned, the organism accumulates it in the form of fat. This is why stress causes fattening even without eating, since it is the organism itself that transforms its resources into fat.

In this way, the accumulated fat increases and the body's own resources are converted into fat, accumulated fat increases and liquids are retained due to high levels of cortisol in the blood.. For this reason, the idea of stress has been linked to belly fattening.

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

This increases resistance to insulin, a hormone that promotes glucose uptake into the cells.

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

2. Behavioral changes

Stress implies changes in the behavior of the person who suffers it, since it is a response to mobilize the resources that one has to get out alive from the stressful situation in question. It can promote changes in lifestyle and health habits, affecting weight.

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

3. Emotions

In stressful situations, the hormones serotonin and dopamine are diminished. 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 pleasurable 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 getting fat from stress

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

1. Consume 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 contain 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 satiate the appetite and controlling glucose and insulin levels.

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

2. Avoid stressful foods

In the same way that there are foods that remove stress, there are foods that contribute to being stressed, and they can also be the direct cause of getting fat.

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

3. Do not abuse exciting substances.

Exciting substances include alcohol, coffee, tea, energy drinks and nicotine. They increase blood pressure, increasing anxiety levels, which in turn increases appetite..

4. Plan your meals

To avoid falling into temptations, it is best to try to plan your meals, making a schedule of when and what to eat, and trying to take the necessary and sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats at each meal, as well as to avoid having a caloric surplus at the end of the day.

5. Sleep hygiene

The quality of sleep influences our emotional regulation.The quality of sleep influences emotional regulation, causing us to feel more stressed and more inclined to eat palatable food when we have not slept the recommended 6-8 hours a day.

6. Physical activity

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

7. Identify the source of stress

Gaining weight is only an effect of stress, and what we should be more concerned about is the negative effects on our health of this prolonged stress. We must make an exercise of introspection and try to find out where this stress comes from, what causes it.what is causing it. Thus, once identified, we will be able to look for resources to face it.

In case we 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.

Bibliographical references:

• Baratucci, Y. (2011). Stress and nutrition.
• Van Jaarsveld, C. H., Fidler, J. A., Steptoe, A., Boniface, D., & Wardle, J. (2009). Perceived stress and weight gain in adolescence: a longitudinal analysis. Obesity, 17(12), 2155-2161.
• Yau, Y. H., & Potenza, M. N. (2013). Stress and eating behaviors. Minerva endocrinologica, 38(3), 255.
• Brydon, L. (2011). Adiposity, leptin and stress reactivity in humans. Biological Psychology, 86(2), 114-120.