How does stress lead to weight gain? And the solution?

There is a close link between feeling stressed and gaining weight. Many studies have indicated that stress is one of the strong reasons behind gaining more fat, and feeling a strong desire to eat fatty and sugary foods, or fast food.

In this case, there are many questions in our minds about how to control the desire to eat, and how stress causes weight gain, which we review in the following lines, according to womenshealthmag.How does stress cause weight gain?

When we feel stressed, the body begins to enter a fight-or-flight state, which leads to the release of the hormone adrenaline to help fight the threat, as it does The body also releases glucose, or sugar, into the bloodstream, and when the adrenaline starts to wear off, and blood sugar levels drop, cortisol jumps in to provide you with more energy to continue facing the threat.

Since cortisol stimulates the release of insulin in order to maintain blood sugar levels, it can also lead to cravings for sweets and fatty foods, which in turn leads to weight gain.

Also, not only does cortisol make you hungry, it can also slow down your metabolism at the same time. A study in the journal Biological Psychiatry found that women who reported one or more stressors the day before burned fewer calories than those who didn't. Other things that cause stress lead to weight gain

emotional eating

Eating can be a way to soothe difficult feelings for some, as well as engaging in unhealthy eating habits, such as snacking at odd hours when you normally wouldn't, or eating a lot of calorie-dense, low-calorie foods.

Big eating

Binge eating is a disorder in which a person eats an unusually large amount of food in one sitting in order to deal with negative emotions. Beyond the common type of emotional eating mentioned above, binge eaters may feel guilt and shame for their behavior, or feel They lack control While it can certainly lead to weight gain, overeating can also have adverse effects on mental health, so if you are struggling with this, it is best to see a doctor who can help you.

Lack of sleep

Not only is getting enough sleep important for your overall health because your body uses this time to recharge, but not doing so can also mess with your circadian rhythm or your body's natural internal clock, as your body's circadian clock controls the secretion of all kinds of Hormones that affect weight (ghrelin, the hormone that increases appetite, is more likely to be released when your circadian rhythm is off).

Solutions to help relieve stress and reduce weight gain

Focus on the exercise

When you exercise, you expend energy that can burn calories, but there are also plenty of other benefits to exercise, including improved cardiovascular health and increased levels of endorphins, which can combat stress and pain.

Healthy cooking

The best diets are those that don't deprive you of your favorite foods (which you'll definitely want when you're stressed), and you can adopt them by cooking them smarter, by limiting high-calorie additions like different sauces, or sometimes by Plug swap.

Experience mindful eating habits

Often when you eat, the focus is usually on how you feel when you actually eat. For example, if you are eating a "burger", you may feel happy because you really like the food, but experts say that it is also important to focus on how you feel after you finish - is it lethargy and shyness or not? Mindful eating also means paying attention to hunger cues, so you'll know the difference between when you're really hungry and when you're bored, and mindful eating can help you avoid using food as a coping mechanism for stress.