Stress and weight loss?

umayster

Wondered what your experiences are with stress and losing. I normally eat more under moderate stress, and less under extreme levels. This is the first time I've logged through a very high stress and I'm losing more weight than the calories justify. What is your experience with weight and stress levels?

BeaUtiful_1413

I seem to gain weight and lose my hair when I'm stressed out lol! It's really terrible

RAinWA

I found that if I'm going through high stress periods I tend to move more - I just can't sit still so I'm up and moving around a lot. So even if my calories stay the same my weight will go down just from the additional activity.

kshama2001

That's interesting...I've been aware that I eat more under moderate stress, but looking back to some high stress times I now realize I did eat less. The last time I lost an amount of weight noticeable to others, but was not logging at that time.

kshama2001

RAinWA wrote: »

I found that if I'm going through high stress periods I tend to move more - I just can't sit still so I'm up and moving around a lot. So even if my calories stay the same my weight will go down just from the additional activity.

Along those lines, I got some unwanted news from my doctor yesterday and was compulsively cleaning last night.

RAinWA

kshama2001 wrote: »

RAinWA wrote: »

I found that if I'm going through high stress periods I tend to move more - I just can't sit still so I'm up and moving around a lot. So even if my calories stay the same my weight will go down just from the additional activity.

Along those lines, I got some unwanted news from my doctor yesterday and was compulsively cleaning last night.

Sorry about your unwanted news but, yeah, my house looks really, really good when my stress level is high.

lemurcat12

Depends on the kind of stress. When I get really busy/have high stress stuff at work I can respond by getting super efficient and almost manic, with extra high energy and more activity over all. I suspect I lose more at those times, although I haven't really compared. But when under emotional stress/not sleeping/not having specific things I can do, as with my mother's ongoing health issues, I find it is more difficult overall. Not sure if I actually lose less once you control for the fact I find it harder to eat well or stick with my exercise routine (even though I know I will feel better).

PlunderingSteelGorilla

I eat more and sleep less when stressed. And it's never the good stuff I eat more of, so always gain.

Hornsby

I can't recall the last time I was stressed...

KathyApplebaum

umayster wrote: »

Wondered what your experiences are with stress and losing. I normally eat more under moderate stress, and less under extreme levels. This is the first time I've logged through a very high stress and I'm losing more weight than the calories justify. What is your experience with weight and stress levels?

First, high five for your avatar.

I'm an emotional eater, so I tend to eat more when I'm stressed. Luckily, now that I know this about myself, as soon as I feel any stress I kick up the cardio, which does several things for me. First, it burns off the stress by activating the 'flight' part of 'fight or flight'. Second, it gives me time for my brain to process through the things that are stressing me. Third, it takes up time that I would otherwise spend eating. And after seeing how few calories that five mile run really burned, I'm not as likely to blow it by eating crud because I just don't enjoy running enough to do that.

tulips_and_tea

KathyApplebaum wrote: »

umayster wrote: »

Wondered what your experiences are with stress and losing. I normally eat more under moderate stress, and less under extreme levels. This is the first time I've logged through a very high stress and I'm losing more weight than the calories justify. What is your experience with weight and stress levels?

First, high five for your avatar.

I'm an emotional eater, so I tend to eat more when I'm stressed. Luckily, now that I know this about myself, as soon as I feel any stress I kick up the cardio, which does several things for me. First, it burns off the stress by activating the 'flight' part of 'fight or flight'. Second, it gives me time for my brain to process through the things that are stressing me. Third, it takes up time that I would otherwise spend eating. And after seeing how few calories that five mile run really burned, I'm not as likely to blow it by eating crud because I just don't enjoy running enough to do that.

These are such important self-realizations, aren't they? Kudos to you for recognizing them and learning from them.

As other have said, for me it depends no only on the level of stress, but the type as well, as @lemurcat12 explained.

@Hornsby, sarcasm? Or are you just one of those fortunate, laid-back types?

PeachyCarol

RAinWA wrote: »

I found that if I'm going through high stress periods I tend to move more - I just can't sit still so I'm up and moving around a lot. So even if my calories stay the same my weight will go down just from the additional activity.

^This.

umayster

Thanks for the info everyone, I'm going to chalk it up to water weight I guess. Lost my last 3 pounds to goal weight in one week when for 6 months my weight has been a dead steady one pound a week rate. I was mentally prepared for the last few pounds to take a month or two! It scared me!

amyk0202

PlunderingSteelGorilla wrote: »

I eat more and sleep less when stressed. And it's never the good stuff I eat more of, so always gain.

^This. I actually envy the people who lose their appetite when they are stressed. I'd be soooo skinny!