Stress

Creiche
Creiche Posts: 264 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
I had an incredibly stressful few days at work last week (and wasn't sleeping well), and despite taking a couple of days off P90X due to being mentally and physically exhausted, I still kept to my net 1200 calorie allowance. My weigh in day isn't until tomorrow, but I hopped on the scale this morning and saw that I didn't lose any weight last week...even though I didn't succumb to my stress-induced cravings.

I have heard that stress can curb weight loss efforts by driving you to eat more unhealthy things, get less sleep, and reduce motivation to stay on track, but how much does it actually effect your metabolism? What are some methods people have used to combat stress so it doesn't impede their weight loss? I know this is a mere blip in my longer term journey, but I'd love to get people's insight so that I can be better prepared next time the stress ramps up because even though I probably should be glad I didn't gain, I was still a bit bummed to see I hadn't lost pounds.

Replies

  • lrk93101
    lrk93101 Posts: 37 Member
    stressing over stressing doesn't help either! weight varies from day to day, so don't let it bum you out and put you on the wrong path. it's good to take a few days off from working out too. it sounds like you needed a break, so give it to yourself!
  • boozyfloozy
    boozyfloozy Posts: 6
    Sorry to hear that on top of the stress, you've not lost any weight.

    The two are totally linked by the way - your lack of weight loss most likely has to do with cortisol, a stress hormone.

    When you are stressed, cortisol is released into your system. Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult.

    Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat

    There's a good article about it here

    http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/aa060806a.htm

    Try not to be too down in the dumps about this. Perhaps knowing the link between stress and weight might make you more inclined to say when enough is enough in terms of work.

    I went through a highly stressful period about 3 years ago and gained 3 dress sizes in 3 months without changing my diet. There were other contributory factors like sudden stomach bloating and ankle swelling which went up and down more often than a tide!
    I've realised that stress caused this and after almost having a breakdown through stress, I have learnt now to take a more positive attitude to work and actually speak up when the workload is too much, rather than put up and shut up

    Big hugs to you and I hope this week is more relaxing for you :glasses:

    xxx
  • boozyfloozy
    boozyfloozy Posts: 6
    Sorry to hear that on top of the stress, you've not lost any weight.

    The two are totally linked by the way - your lack of weight loss most likely has to do with cortisol, a stress hormone.

    When you are stressed, cortisol is released into your system. Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult.

    Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat

    There's a good article about it here

    http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/aa060806a.htm

    Try not to be too down in the dumps about this. Perhaps knowing the link between stress and weight might make you more inclined to say when enough is enough in terms of work.

    I went through a highly stressful period about 3 years ago and gained 3 dress sizes in 3 months without changing my diet. There were other contributory factors like sudden stomach bloating and ankle swelling which went up and down more often than a tide!
    I've realised that stress caused this and after almost having a breakdown through stress, I have learnt now to take a more positive attitude to work and actually speak up when the workload is too much, rather than put up and shut up

    Big hugs to you and I hope this week is more relaxing for you :glasses:

    xxx

    and I forgot to mention - there were a variety of things I was told to do by my therapist when things got rock bottom....depends greatly what works, person to person.

    One thing that does seem to work for a great number of people is a long soak in a candlelit bath with soothing music - put it in your daily calender so you know you can look forward to that "you" time.
    Taking time aside is very important.

    Have you also considered meditation or relaxation classes? There are also self help CD's about which totally relax you xx
  • Creiche
    Creiche Posts: 264 Member
    Thanks for the responses! I do realize that fixating on this isn't doing myself any favors and that the best thing I can do is just to focus on this week. I will definitely try to make myself take "me time" breaks during my next bout with stress. Last week I had a deadline, so I wasn't allowing myself to take any time away from thinking about the project because so much had to get done...but I know that some time away just makes me more relaxed, motivated, and productive than the exhausted, strung-out me.
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