is it true that stress can make you fat/slow down your weigh

I think it can go both ways. Some people also lose when stressed. I don't know though, I've heard that too be good to have an answer also.

I think it really has to do with the way stress can affect cortisol. I don't remember the specifics though lol

Stressors affect how much cortisol your body makes. When you are stressed, more cortisol is produced which is a major weight gain in the stomach area for a woman.....

And we all have daily stressors. Some are good and some are bad. The worst ones are the bad ones, for anyone. It affects a lot of areas of the body but as far as weight gain, it hits us women in the belly area.....

Great article to answer your question: http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/weightgain.htm


Chronic stress and cortisol can contribute to weight gain in the following ways:


Metabolism -- Do you feel like you're prone to putting on more weight when you're stressed, even if you're eating the same amount of food as you always have? Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult.

Cravings -- OK, you're stressed. Do you reach for a nice salad or a pint of Ben & Jerry's? I'll bet on the latter. People experiencing chronic stress tend to crave more fatty, salty and sugary foods. This includes sweets, processed food and other things that aren’t as good for you. These foods are typically less healthy and lead to increased weight gain.

Blood Sugar -- Prolonged stress can alter your blood sugar levels, causing mood swings, fatigue, and conditions like hyperglycemia. Too much stress has even been linked to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health concerns that can lead to greater health problems, like heart attacks and diabetes.

Fat Storage -- Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat. Unfortunately, abdominal fat is not only aesthetically undesirable, it’s linked with greater health risks than fat stored in other areas of the body.

Emotional Eating -- Increased levels of cortisol can not only make you crave unhealthy food, but excess nervous energy can often cause you to eat more than you normally would. How many times have you found yourself scouring the kitchen for a snack, or absently munching on junk food when you’re stressed, but not really hungry? More on what causes emotional eating.

Fast Food -- Experts believe that one of the big reasons we’re seeing more obesity in our society these days is that people are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home, often opting to get fast food a the nearest drive-thru instead.

Too Busy to Exercise -- With all the demands on your schedule, exercise may be one of the last things on your to-do list. If so, you’re not alone. Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle than we have in past generations, yet our minds seem to be racing from everything we have to do. Unfortunately, from sitting in traffic, clocking hours at our desks, and plopping in front of the TV in exhaustion at the end of the day, exercise often goes by the wayside.

okay, another question then...

HOW TO STRESS LESS?

you have to adopt the whole "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference," attitude. somethings are out of your hands, but most things you can change. and personally, when i have a stress about something, i use it as fuel to work out.

side note: i don't work out with any type of music on. my work outs are my meditation time, i look inward to myself, and just focus on my work out, or what ever is on my mind.

The highest stress point in my life was when I was halfway through law school & went through a really rough breakup. Also, was (& still am) a single mom, so that comes w/its own stresses.

I completely lost my appetite, lost 20lbs in one month and one day when I was out shopping I literally almost collapsed. That was a huge wake up call, and I started talking to someone. So, for me, stress causes me to have a really hard time eating at all..