Emotional Calorie Burn?

rose_mortem

do we burn extra calories when we're extra emotional? when we have nervous breakdowns, including hyperventilating, crying, and uncontrollable shaking, that last for more than a few minutes? I know I'm always super exhausted when I get emotional or cry, so is it because my body subconciously burned more calories by being under a state of emotional stress and overuse?

annabellj

more likely your exhausted because of all the stress that you have been under and it is such a relief to finally let it go!

CakeFit21

Are you just curious, or are you wondering how to log it?

lor007

I wouldn't count it, if that is what you are asking.

MrsCon40

Unlikely.

infamousmk

I really don't think this is a viable calorie burn. The exhaustion comes from your body's emotional distress, not aerobic activity.

Suzanne106

No. It's emotional NOT physical.

Justjoshin

Burning calories due to emotions? Could be. I would guess my calorie burn is doubled each day just by being awesome....

rose_mortem

today has been extremely emotional for me, and then I thought about how it puts my whole body out of whack, so I was just curious

ElizabethRoad

Subconsciously? I don't think you understand how this works.

lindzmt22

I normally lose 2 lbs a week. I instantly dropped 4 lbs last week after an almost 10 hour stress/anxiety attack (off and on), so yes I do think we can.

chinadoll725

Depends how many times you beat your head against the wall...could end up being good cardio...

Vaanja

Or strength training, if you throw furniture..

MummyOfSeven

Yes, emotional anxiety burns calories, but I wouldn't try to log it.
I'm not talking through my hat, I'm going on information from my GP, my trainer, my psychiatrist and my counsellor.
Ever get the shakes after an especially stressful or anxious day? That's your blood sugar hitting a low.

jenilla1

I would guess my calorie burn is doubled each day just by being awesome....

:devil:

12skipafew99100

I know after my girlfriends mother died she lost a lot of weight. She said everytime she ate, she could feel the food go right through her.

Alexdur85

Burning calories due to emotions? Could be. I would guess my calorie burn is doubled each day just by being awesome....

I'm totally going to use this... I'm not as awesome to come up with it myself but I sure like for people to think so.

dmpizza

I don't think its significant unless you are fighting your way out of a straight jacket.

Yanicka1

I lost 8 pounds in one month when I was 5 months pregnant just because of stress but I think it is very exceptional.

jenilla1

I don't think its significant unless you are fighting your way out of a straight jacket.

Bwahahaha! :noway:

fitzie63

That would be a super weight reduction "bonus" but don't get those hopes too high. FYI: emotional stress can:
--- increase the total cholesterol profile because: it raises the triglyceride levels that convert to fat.

Increased physical exercise (aerobic) activity: increase the HDL levels (the good part of the cholesterol profile) while lowering the LDL levels (the not-so-good part) and burns the fat at the same time.

None of this is an overnight process. It happens by staying on your program, faithfully, one meal at a time/one day at a time.

This MFP program is a total lifestyle change. If we do not change our lifestyle behaviors, we end up back to square-one. That either slows our progress down, sends our bodies into a tail-spin and gaining instead of losing fat pounds or... we end up giving it all up and having to continually repeat the process.

I'm a well-seasoned yo-yo dieter. After doing that for a total of 55 years (I'll be 74 next month), I can tell you that such a mind-set will bring you a lifetime of misery, illness, pain and a long list of major medical issues.

You have your heart-healthy destiny in your own hands. You are the only one in charge. Take total control and you will always succeed because you're a winner. There is no quick fix, no easy road. It's all up to you to make your own self-developed program work in your best healthy interests.

Tomorrow will mark my 365th day of using the My Fitness Pal program. It has saved my life and my medical results keep proving that every time they do a follow-up run of the tests.

You CAN succeed.

BigDaddyBRC

Simply put....does your heart rate increase for a sustainable time period? If so, then yes. If not, then no. End Discussion

jetscreaminagain

There's actually more going on in running your body than calories in and calories out. Stress increases certain hormones that long term yend to put weight on. Short term they inhibit apetite. The shakes after a traumatic event are not low blood sugar it is your body discharging its fight or flight response. Animals do this. There's an interesting video of a herd mammal in Africa doing this after coming to after being darted. Humans don't always do the shaking thing because we're socialized and don't want people looking at us lile we're fools. As a result we think that's why we have PTSD and animals don't. We also have therapists and they don't, though.

The book Why Zebras Don't. Get Ulcers has a great in depth discussion of this and a lot more that is also entertaining.