2. You’re sabotaged by stress
Constant stress causes your body to pump out high doses of hormones, like cortisol, that over time can boost your appetite and lead you to overeat. “Cortisol and insulin shift our preferences toward comfort foods—high-fat, high-sugar, or high-salt foods,” says Elissa Epel, PhD, an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Department of Psychiatry and a leader of the UCSF Center on Obesity Assessment, Study, and Treatment.
Fat cells also produce cortisol, so if you’re overweight and stressed, you’re getting a double-whammy in terms of exposure. Overweight women gained weight when faced with common stressors such as job demands, having a tough time paying bills, and family-relationship strains, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
Cortisol, together with insulin, also causes your body to store more visceral fat, which is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, Epel notes. What’s more, stress makes it harder to stick with a healthy eating plan. “It’s a reason why people go off diets,” notes Marci Gluck, PhD, a clinical research psychologist at the Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section of the National Institutes of Health in Phoenix. Folks who normally restrict their eating, tend to overeat in response to stress.
How to get control:
Sure, real-life pressures can put you in nonstop-nibble mode. But working stress-reduction techniques into your busy days can really help. Yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises are powerful tools that keep tension in check. And spending 20 minutes doing progressive muscle relaxation—alternately tensing and relaxing muscle groups—significantly lessens stress, anxiety, and cortisol, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders.
Exercise will also do the trick. “Try dancing to your favorite tunes, running in place, playing a sport, or taking a simple walk,” says Elisa Zied, RD, an ADA spokeswoman and author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips. When you’re feeling edgy, make a habit of turning to these activities rather than diving into your candy stash. If you’re feeling completely overwhelmed by stress, talk to a counselor who specializes in stress management.
Next page: You’ve got fatty foods on the brain
