Is stress really a big part of weight?

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Certainties
Certainties Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
A year before I would weigh myself on the scale every day maybe even more than once. If I gained a pound or two I'd be all over dramatic and get bummed out and somedays ill even get stressed after a week or two of no progress. I was so chained to my scale it dictated how my day was going to be. This year my bf recommend that I not use the scale at all. I just thought LOL I'm gonna get so big. But I did stop weighing myself and I relaxed a bit more. I stopped worrying about it which was surprisingly hard to do and then bam! Lost like 5 pounds. I don't know if it's stress or what, could someone explain ?

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  • Certainties
    Certainties Posts: 4
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  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Stress isn't typically the direct cause of weight loss/weight gain. It's more of an indirect cause. Some people stress eat and end up eating too much and some people "stress starve" as I call it and end up eating too little. In my case I stress starve and end up losing weight.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
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    stress is absolutely a contributing factor. beyond your body having to work harder when you're stressed (it does), if you feel stressed you're more likely to eat crappy food, more likely to grab something fast and easy instead of cooking, etc.

    in my book, stress is just as bad - if not worse - than eating poorly.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    stress is absolutely a contributing factor. beyond your body having to work harder when you're stressed (it does), if you feel stressed you're more likely to eat crappy food, more likely to grab something fast and easy instead of cooking, etc.

    in my book, stress is just as bad - if not worse - than eating poorly.

    There is good psych here. From a calorie perspective, stress is negligible - - if you are taking in less energy than you're putting out, you simply cannot gain fat. But from a human perspective, being stressed can cause behavioral changes that are counterproductive.
  • badtastebetty
    badtastebetty Posts: 326 Member
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    Stress is definitely a factor in my weight. Whether it be that I get overwhelmed and lose track and go off course, or that I just don't eat at all (preeetty rare :laugh: ). I also feel more a lot more bloated when I am stressed out.

    I have heard there is science behind cortisol and weight. I'll leave that to the inevitable posters with their studies, and what not.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    stress was the indirect cause of ALL of my weight gain. I do not make smart eating choices when I am stressed.
  • kattaw
    kattaw Posts: 30 Member
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    Evidence suggests there is actually a direct relationship. Higher levels of stress lead to higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the bloodstream which can lead to greater amounts of abdominal fat (something about glucose regulation, maybe - I don't remember exactly). I'm no expert, I just vaguely remember this from a developmental class I took in college. A quick google will yield some results, both reputable and otherwise, that discuss this.
  • wnbrice
    wnbrice Posts: 244 Member
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    Stress is also a drain on willpower, as a result it is harder to get yourself up and about, it is hard to resist those terrible foods.

    There is also a causal relationship between stress and where fat is stored. If most of your fat is on you abdomen it is likely a result of stress. That is also the worst fat for you and some of the most difficult to get rid of.
  • Mharren
    Mharren Posts: 60
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    Stress does increase cortisol which leads to heightened metabolism. Short answer.

    But there are two kinds of 'stress'.

    DIstress and EUstress. Stress is really a term that refers to pressures that affect the homeostatic balance of the body. It can come from positive or negative things, but the affect is the same on a physiological level.

    Perhaps being less 'distressed' over weight, has been replaced by 'eustress' of not worrying about your weight and feeling secure and having the reinforcement of your body and....well...perhaps the stress of happiness has contributed to some weight loss.

    Could also be a myriad of other things. lol.

    Best Regards,
    - Mharren
  • camilliareed27
    camilliareed27 Posts: 1
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    Yes, I feel that stress is a part of weight gain, it was for me. I agree with your friend on not using the scale. I haven't used the scale in 3 weeks, but have been eating right, exercising and drinking my water. I know I have lost inches, but I do not want to get on the scale just yet. I will proly get on it in another 2 months if I can help it.:tongue: I used to get on the scale every single day and would be discouraged if I gained, which gaining a pound or two is inevitable while trying to lose weight for good. I just monitor my measurements each week, which I can tell I am making a lot of progress. Good luck to you!!!
  • Certainties
    Certainties Posts: 4
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    Thanks for the advice! I think weighing every so often doesn't get me all nervous when I step on the scale :)

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