Stress & weightloss.

Jellyphant

I'm a stressed out person, 24/7 it seems like. My back is always tense, my shoulders and neck as well from holding myself so tense all the time. I think I realize that I really have no idea how to just... RELAX. And I'm too damn ashamed to get a professional massage because of back fat/stretch marks.

So what I'd like to know is how much can stress affect weight loss, if it does?

cmriverside

It does affect weight loss. The hormones excreted when you are stressed have been shown to affect how much is stored as fat.

Throughout human history, stress often involved lack of food. The body evolved to store fat in times of famine, but now that we have sufficient food, we are behind the curve evolution-wise.

Exercise relieves stress, though, so you can learn to relax by exercising. Try it, it works. Exercise is a well-known treatment for anxiety and depression.

Elizabeth_C34

I gain like crazy when I get stressed out. It's all water weight though, not real fat weight.

That being said, I highly recommend hatha yoga. You can do it as a beginner, and it's not only a good exercise, but also a great way to calm your mind.

Jellyphant

I gain like crazy when I get stressed out. It's all water weight though, not real fat weight.

That being said, I highly recommend hatha yoga. You can do it as a beginner, and it's not only a good exercise, but also a great way to calm your mind.

I've actually been told ALOT that I should try yoga or meditating but for some reason think of pretzel-like poses that a big girl like me couldn't do without farting or something, HAHA. If you say beginners can do it though, why not? I'll look it up. Thanks!

Sharonks

Find a yoga dvd so you can do it at home with the curtains closed! That's what I did and I still prefer to yoga alone. Wii fit has some yoga stuff and they correct your form without a real human seeing you. It's been years since I needed a dvd though so not sure what to recommend to you. Maybe someone else knows a good one.

I used to be like you. As I moved further into my 40s I realized how much stress was taking a toll on my life. Making sure you get plenty of sleep, water, and proper nutrition can really help. Yoga and meditation really helped me too.

Don't feel embarrassed about your body so that you don't get a massage. They are wonderful and I don't think the therapists think anything of it since they've seen all sorts of bodies. I've only had enough money to do it once and I just wanted to melt.

With age, I also found perspective. I'm still a worrier and still get stressed but I have to remind myself what is truly important and what isn't. A lot of those little things don't matter that much. So right now, my finals are important, my floor getting vacuumed isn't.