Here is another problem that stress can bring to you- obesity. You decided to lose weight, to go on a diet, and exercise regularly -- and yet, the excess pounds are not lost, maybe you even gain some more.
If you are in this situation, stress could be the culprit -- here’s how.
When you’re under pressure, that is, under stress, the ancient mechanisms in your body start to act, and they shift the body into fight-or-flee mode – the normal mode of every living being in an emergency.
It’s a very ancient mechanism, so it has no information incorporated about your disgruntled boss who harasses you (with whom you should not have a fight, nor at that moment would be of some help to simply run back from him and hide somewhere), or about your malicious colleague that harms you on every corner (with whom neither of those two options help as well), your mother who constantly waits grandchildren …
You are under stress and your body reacts as it was programmed to respond thousands of years before you were born -- what exactly does that mean?
This means that your body turns into a machine for creation of fat (fat is energy and reserves, and it was very useful in the dangerous situations in what our ancient ancestors lived).
For the production of fat the body needs certain chemical substances -- and when you’re stressed, your body secretes them in abundance, so that the fat is very easy to create.
Addition to all this is that, when you are under stress, you are more likely to crave to eat fast food quickly, but even without it, the fat could be created.
What To Do? How To Prevent Weight Gain Due To Stress?
- Try to organize your time so as you always have time for the eight-hour night’s sleep.
- Also, screw the alarm clock or alarm to wake you up early enough, so that you can create a healthy breakfast, instead of buying something from the bakery on the way to work.
- It is not a bad idea either to the have a small bowl of fruits on the desk, in order to have something healthy to take a nibble when you’re hungry.
- If you take the time each day to relax, just for yourself, even if it’s only 15 minutes, you will significantly reduce stress.
- Do not waste your break for lunch to work, not if you can avoid it; a better idea is to go out for a walk -- this will reduce the tension.
- If at all possible, do some physical activity – it will reduce the tension as well.
So, enough sleep, healthy food, a little time just for you, walking and exercise – you will not waive the causes of stress thus, but you’ll be significantly less tensed.
Then, even your body will not feel the need to collect fat reserves, and you will prevent obesity.
source: http://www.goodmorningcenter.com/what-to-do-how-to-prevent-weight-gain-due-to-stress/
