Are You A Busy Mum? Can stress make you fat?

Does stress make you fat? Yes, absolutely! Stress will contribute to becoming fat and overweight. Although, if you are embracing a healthy lifestyle, short-term stress won’t make you fat or overweight. Your body has got natural protective systems of preventing it.

Long-term stress will definitely cause mass fat production and storage in the body. The chemical called Cortisol is the main factor in the battle against stress. This chemical is released by your adrenal glands, as a form of a reaction to stress when things like low sleeping patterns and blood pressure rise in your body.

The main function of cortisol is the production of blood sugar. In an instance where too much blood sugar is produced, then it will be used for the production of fats. In turn, a chemical that causes weight gain – serotonin – through stress is released to calm your body from stress.

This chemical is found in foods like bread, potatoes, and pasta. During the instances of stress, such foods help in relaxing the body and making you have a better feeling. As a result, you will crave for such foods! Hence, you end up gaining fats and weight due to stress.

Combating stress so as to prevent weight gain is pretty easy. You should consider exercising to release “feel-good” chemicals from the brain. You will also calm and relax your mind through exercises like walking or workouts. Moreover, drink water when you get cravings for sugar and sweets in an instance of stress.

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