Can Stress Stop weight loss?

obg3684 · June 2012

I have recently started going through a divorce. I am a full time college student. A softball coach, and I work a somewhat stressful job 40hrs a week. I was doing great until the divorce started. This week I felt that I was more active than ever but I also knew I was eating a little more with less good choices. I went from eating about 1200-1500 calories a day to about 1800 a day. This week I have been more active than ever, but I did not gain or lose. So I was pondering the question Can Stress slow weight loss. Or was it just the added calories? I would like to hear what you all think. This is by no means an excuse. It has kicked me in the butt to make better choices and get even more active. Hope to hear form you.

Brandon

Mummsy · June 2012

Brandon: I am no expert but I think stress can throw us all off kilter. For something like a divorce, been there, I am not sure you can do much more than what you are doing, eating well and getting your exercise. Maybe do some meditation or journaling to get those feelings out about it. Are you getting all your water in? I think your body may just be adjusting. You are doing ALL the right things. I would make doubly sure you are getting ample water, especially being outside so much with the softball. I think you are doing great. Sorry about the divorce.

rubyjune27 · June 2012

It is linked to weight gain, both due to more cals consumed due to emotional eating but also, due to hormones being released. So the stress you are experiencing could be affecting your weight loss. However if it is only one week, it may just be due to normal fluctuation. Hope life improves in all ways for you. Good luck

ttaylor68913 · June 2012

YES!
Most of may, I stressed about $$ and FLAT LINED my weight loss..... i was still walking and eatting right.. the damn number just wouldn't budge. My husband got offered a new job and I was able to relax. I have since lost 5 lbs since he got the offer

Seaglass1123 · June 2012

Yes! I am certainly no expert but stress does play a roll.

ninerbuff · June 2012

Yes absolutely. Here's what I will say about stress when it comes to weight loss and the effects: it can cause you to eat more, you'll lack sleep because of it, it helps to justify not doing what's right for your body, it raises your blood pressure, and more. And that's not even talking about what it does hormonally to you.
And don't kid yourself. You weren't doing that great before the divorce because it sounds like stress help to put the weight on you in the first place. Sounds like the divorce is just and added factor. Sorry you have to go through it. But like I stated, I don't think the divorce was the only stress you had.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

monkeyriley · June 2012

Yes.

Stress causes your body to release the hormone cortisol. An increased level of cortisol in the body triggers your body that it should store calories and disrupts your sleep cycle.

Link: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53304

From what I understand, this goes back to caveman days. When humans had to hunt for food periods of a more meager existence occurred; we would be stressed which then triggered the conservation and storage of calories. So this response has been historically a good thing.

I'm going through a divorce right now. The first 3 weeks when we decided to split, filing, etc. was very stressful. I didn't lose a pound for about 3 weeks, then I hopped on the scale one day and the weight came off.

I found exercise to be a huge help in the stress relief department. There is something primitively good about sweating your brains out when things are out of control.

Good luck!

Can Stress Stop weight loss?

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