home > permanent residence > Why do some get fat from nerves, while others lose weight? Critical weight loss or why people lose weight from stress Is it possible to get fat from stress.

Why do some get fat from nerves, while others lose weight? Critical weight loss or why people lose weight from stress Is it possible to get fat from stress.

The process of maintaining optimal weight - so important, complex, incomprehensible and sometimes even dramatic - ultimately comes down to to the synthesis of certain hormones and their effect on the body.


The activity of some hormones helps our body get rid of extra pounds, while other hormones, playing as a team against us, constantly add unwanted centimeters to the waist and hips. For example, thyroid hormones such as progesterone, adrenaline, and glucagon control appetite, stimulate metabolism, and, when active, help the body lose weight and maintain optimal weight. But the disturbed balance of cortisol, insulin and estrogen leads to an increase in appetite, a violation of the fat burning process and an increase in body weight. Chronic stress (excess cortisol), metabolic syndrome (insensitivity of cells to the action of insulin), and estrogen dominance are the main obstacles that are encountered on the way to achieving ideal weight.

How to Avoid a Physical Reaction to Stress

The main topic of our conversation today is cortisol, the main stress hormone. In addition, we will talk about the hormonal maze "cortisol - blood sugar - insulin - fat - cortisol" that makes excess weight stubborn, and also try to figure out how to find a way out of this maze.

Cortisol and adrenaline are hormones released by the adrenal glands in large quantities when the body is under stress. This is a normal physiological response that mobilizes all body systems for an instant reaction aimed at preserving life. Physiologically, our body is designed for a short-term reaction of this kind, after which the phase of relaxation and recovery begins, all processes return to normal functioning and balance.

now let's see what happens in real life with many of us? The human brain is able to operate with images using the imagination, which in case of stress can play a trick on us. For example, you come home, sit in your favorite chair and try to relax and unwind after a hard day's work. But for some reason it doesn't work. Mentally, you continually return to an unpleasant conversation with your boss that took place this morning. The event has long passed, and negative thoughts and emotions continue to bother you. As a result, the body triggers the physiological response to stress again and again: heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, blood rushes to the limbs, as if you are in physical danger. The real threat has long passed (was it real?), and the organs and cells of your body are under attack for hours by the stress hormone (cortisol), bringing the entire body into a state of chronic imbalance!

Run and defend!

When the body is under chronic stress (minutes, hours, weeks, months, years), persistently elevated levels of cortisol increase blood sugar levels (the body's physiological "flight and defend" stress response), which in turn raises insulin levels. Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, acts like a key to the apartment - it allows glucose to enter the cell.

When the level of insulin in the blood is constantly high, most cells stop responding to its action (a kind of protective reaction of the cells of the body to a supersaturation of glucose), causing cells to become insensitive to insulin, which subsequently leads to metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus. But what happens to the excess glucose, which cannot enter the muscle cells? Any excess glucose that is not used by muscle mass and brain cells is stored in fat, especially in the waist region, where fat cells have four times more receptors that are more sensitive to cortisol than in other areas of the body.

Now let's see how the numerous cells of the body feel when you constantly experience anxiety, fear, endlessly remembering unsuccessful relationships or drawing pictures of hopelessness in your imagination? Unlike adrenaline, which stimulates the release of stored energy by fat cells during times of stress, cortisol causes muscle cells to lose the energy stored there, using it to meet the needs of the body in a moment of danger. Chronic stress leads to muscle wasting and high blood pressure. Cortisol is continuously produced in the adrenal glands and blocks the receptors of the cells of the body, thereby preventing other hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, oxytocin, thyroidin, growth hormone) from transmitting their messages to the cells to ensure their normal functioning. Over time, the entire endocrine system stops working smoothly, and as a result, stubborn excess weight, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic fatigue, depression, unstable blood sugar levels, increased appetite, menstrual irregularities, decreased libido, exhausted adrenal glands and reduced immunity .


Appetite and neuropeptide

Another stress agent - neuropeptide Y - affects taste sensations by stimulating the corresponding centers in the cerebral cortex.

Produced in large quantities during times of stress, the neuropeptide dramatically reduces metabolism and stimulates cravings for sweets and starchy foods, which adds extra inches to your waist. Eating fatty foods and sweets causes a temporary feeling of comfort that lasts only while you consume these foods, but it also stimulates blood sugar spikes and increases appetite. Feeling a lack of energy, constantly being in a state of stress, you begin to drink more coffee in order to somehow make it through the evening. This, in turn, causes the already depleted adrenal glands to produce even more cortisol.

You experience a sharp rise in energy, then the same sharp decline and again reach for another serving of coffee and sweets. The circle is closed.

How to get your hormones under control

Now let's recap: when you're stressed, your cortisol levels go up, you start overeating, drinking more coffee, this raises your cortisol levels even more - and your metabolic rate goes down, your waist fat increases, and your muscle tone increases, as does your muscle mass. mass, depleted. In other words, stress makes the body flabby, weak and shapeless. If you want to have a healthy and beautiful body, then you just need to learn how to control the level of cortisol, which means stress.

· Try not to take everything to heart and learn to quickly forget the negative. Choose for yourself several ways of psychological protection and use it when meeting unpleasant people or getting into a conflict situation. Smile and laugh more!

· Meditate every day for 10-15 minutes. During meditation, balancing and restoring processes take place in the cerebral cortex and the amount of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that are responsible for good mood and reduce blood cortisol levels, increases significantly.

Visit a massage therapist several times a month. Exposure through skin receptors stimulates the activity of the vagus nerve, which innervates most organs. The vagus nerve carries signals from the parasympathetic nervous system, which has a relaxing and restorative effect on the organs and systems of the body. In addition to lowering cortisol levels, regular massage restores the immune system and the production of the pleasure hormone oxytocin.

· Try to get eight to nine hours of sleep. Healthy sleep has a relaxing effect on the sympathetic nervous system, reduces cortisol levels, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and deep recovery of organs and systems. In addition, sleep regulates metabolism and controls the activity of appetite-stimulating hormones.

Reduce alcohol and coffee intake. Alcohol causes a persistent increase in cortisol levels for 24 hours. Coffee also stimulates the release of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Simple arithmetic: more coffee - more cortisol - more potential fat deposits.

Get regular exercise (three to four times a week). This will regulate your hormonal balance, increase gas exchange in tissues, burn extra calories, flush out excess cortisol from the blood, and improve your mood. Several short and intense sessions of 15-20 minutes during the week are much more effective than a couple of hours once a week.

Keep a quick snack with you at all times, such as an apple, a handful of nuts, or dried fruit. Sudden changes in blood sugar levels are considered by the body as stress and trigger a physiological response, raising cortisol levels.

Add to your diet the necessary supplements that will support the adrenal glands and help get rid of excess fat.

· Chronic stress literally robs the body, depriving it of vitamins and minerals and leading to beriberi.

For example, reserves of vitamin C, the maximum content of which is concentrated in the adrenal glands, are quickly depleted and require regular replenishment for the normal functioning of the immune system.

Excess weight (real or imaginary) is a problem for many women and men. But often attempts to lose weight end unsuccessfully. Why?

The cause of excess weight is often not what and how much we eat. Doctors divide such patients into two categories. One of them can be conditionally called psychological. People who work long hours are often stress eaters.

As for women, for example, such a reaction is typical for 60% of the fairer sex. In 30% of them, stress results in overweight. How does this happen?

Stress weight gain algorithm

Immediately after a person is nervous, there is a loss of appetite. When the situation is resolved, as a protective reaction to stress, hyperphogia sets in - the desire to "seize" stress. This leads to biochemical shifts: after eating, there is an increase in the amount of glucose in the blood and the concentration of serotonin, the main neurotransmitter of joy. If there is a lot of it in the body, we feel very comfortable, and if there is a lack of it, then irritation, apathy or depression sets in. And in this case, “jamming” of a stressful situation is simply a physiological process. Do not break it, because you can get additional stress. However, it is necessary to stop in time.

Obese people often received the wrong upbringing in childhood: parents encouraged or consoled them not with affection and various manifestations of love, but with cakes or sweets. As a result, food has turned from a need into the main motivation, without which such a person can no longer exist. "Eating" helps them get joy.

Full means good?

There is an opinion that fat people are good-natured and very calm people. However, studies have shown that most of them are not satisfied with their appearance and therefore are often aggressive. Scientists say that the level of aggressiveness in such people can be 3-4 times higher than normal.

All people are different

Another category of obese people includes people who eat a normal amount of food daily or even less, but cannot get rid of extra pounds. They gain weight because the processes of fat accumulation prevail over its splitting. In a stressful situation in people with a normal metabolism, the level of a hormone that breaks down fat rises, and as a result, cortisol levels fall. Thus, the body mobilizes reserves to produce adrenaline and other hormones. For other people, this system quite often works "mirror". Therefore, they gain weight, as they say, "just looking at a delicious bun." This situation occurs due to a slow metabolism and is usually hereditary.

People with a predisposition to be overweight also gain excess weight not only during stress, but also during periods of hormonal changes in the body.

Fat people do not always realize how much food they eat per day, they are sure that they "eat like birds." Therefore, they are advised to have a notebook where they will write down everything they eat. And then it needs to be analyzed. Many who used this technique were then very surprised ...

So why not eat before bed?

Often people cannot help but have a snack at night, because for them food is a kind of medicine, to relieve daytime stress and create some kind of emotional comfort.

In such cases, you can take drugs fluoxetine-based antidepressants, which increase the concentration of serotonin, and it will not be superfluous to visit a psychotherapist who will conduct a treatment course. The doctor will also advise a special individual diet and the degree of physical activity required.

From time to time we hear that someone has lost weight from stress by several kilograms. And no, no, but the thought that “I would have such stress” slips through. However, we miss the fact that both stress and the reaction to it are different for all people.

Have you ever wondered why one person sleeps great even after a can of an energy drink, while another cannot fall asleep because of a single cup of natural green tea? The thing is that the nervous system reacts differently to stress, some experience shock and lose their appetite, while others, on the contrary, begin to absorb everything.

Losing weight due to severe stress is a completely physiological process. The fact is that stress mechanisms themselves "take" a lot of calories. So, if a person jumps with a parachute for the first time, his body during and several hours after the buckle spends almost 200 times more calories than during normal life, doctors at the University of California calculated. But these results were only for a one-time major shock. A day later, the metabolism returns to normal. If we are talking about constant mild stress, such as, for example, the need to get enough sleep due to night work or doing routine chores in the absence of the opportunity to change activity, the reaction of the body depends on the type of nervous reactions in general. Consider the example of the cup of tea. If you can’t fall asleep even after a small dose of caffeine, your body is most likely taking all these minor troubles to heart too “closely” and reacting powerfully to stress, increasing the level of metabolism. Along with the latter, your appetite also grows, and you begin to snack on fatty and sweet foods, because this is what your subconscious mind prescribes to your body, or the law of self-preservation, if you like.

R. Gould, an American psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, notes that it is not possible to “bypass” this mechanism with the help of diet or willpower. The body will still “deceive” the powerful owner and take its toll. Therefore, dieting during a period of mental stress is not recommended.

If you sleep well even after a cup of coffee, even after a whole pot of coffee, most likely your reaction to stress of a different type. You lose appetite and weight due to the fact that the body, relatively speaking, perceives stress as a disease, and in the process of its exacerbation, food is not provided for by nature, Gould writes. True, with this type of reaction, any stress can develop into chronic fatigue syndrome and depression, which in the long term leads to weight gain, because a person begins to compensate for lost positive emotions through food.

Thus, scientists believe that any stress is not a means of losing weight, but its detrimental effect on health and the body should be reduced. It is difficult to completely eliminate stress, being a modern city dweller, but simple tips will help to “unhook” it from weight gain:

1. Get enough sleep, it reduces the level of cortisol, the stress hormone;
2. Try not to drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day, too much coffee is a sure way to increase cortisol levels by at least 25 percent;

To get rid of extra pounds, many girls change their diet, actively go in for sports, and torture themselves with strict diets. With this lifestyle, kilograms can not only not go away, but also increase. And the cause of this phenomenon is stress!

Stress can be the cause of overweight

What happens in the body during stress

Stress is the body's response to a stimulus. In the body there is an intensive production of adrenaline. This hormone makes us look for a way out of this unpleasant situation. The body turns on the instinct of self-preservation, which slows down metabolic processes and contributes to the accumulation of reserves for a rainy day. Stress and weight gain always go hand in hand.

What hormones are released during stressful situations:

  • The hormone cortisol is responsible for carbohydrate metabolism. Under stress, this exchange slows down significantly. Cortisol receptors are located in the abdominal cavity, so with an increase in the level of the hormone, a stomach appears, which will be quite difficult to remove.
  • Leptin sends signals to the brain that the stomach is full enough. With a strong emotional load, the level of leptin decreases, which leads to the appearance of appetite.
  • Insulin and glycogen stabilize blood sugar levels. Insulin is a hormone that performs a structural function. He is involved in the construction of adipose tissue, as long as there is a large amount of insulin in the blood, it is impossible to break down adipose tissue, and the woman recovers.

What is a cortisol belly

An increased level of cortisol in the body during stressful situations causes the transition of neutral fats into "internal fat", which is located on the internal organs and vessel walls. It is located in the abdomen and waist, hence the name "cortisol belly" or "stress belly".

What is the danger of chronic stress for the body

According to scientists, chronic stress can lead not only to weight gain, but also to obesity or diabetes. During times of emotional overload, hormones increase cravings for carbohydrate-laden foods.

Another dangerous phenomenon is the accumulation of fat on the internal organs, because. it raises cholesterol and blood sugar levels. This can lead to serious illnesses that require long-term treatment.

Excess fat accumulates on the internal organs and leads to serious diseases

How to deal with stress

How not to get better during stress:

  • Support. During stressful situations, it is important to have that person who will listen to you and help you in difficult times. If you do not have such a person, then contact the support group.
  • Occupation. Learn to make something with your hands, take up reading, find yourself a hobby that you will indulge in when you need a snack.
  • Relaxation. Do muscle-relaxing exercises, see a specialist therapist, do yoga. Try to engage in activities that combine elements of relaxation with activity. Healthy sleep is essential. On average, sleep should take 8-10 hours. If it lasts less, then over time a person experiences a decrease in mental activity, weakness and a decrease in immunity.
  • Menu planning. Write down your menu for the week, plan not only main meals, but also snacks. This will reduce the temptation to eat something high-calorie.
  • Diets. Avoid diets, because. they imply limits that you will eventually want to break. It is better to replace unhealthy meals with healthy ones, and sometimes you can treat yourself to something tasty. This will eliminate the feeling of limitation and over time you will stop gaining weight. You will notice that not only have you lost weight without a diet, but you also feel good.
  • Diet. Never skip meals and follow the percentage of the value of each meal: breakfast - 25-30%, lunch - 55-60%, dinner - 15-20%. Do not forget that breakfast should contain the optimal amount of proteins and carbohydrates in order to stock up on energy for the whole day. Diet is the most effective way to lose weight.
  • Eat only when you are hungry. Many people do not distinguish between feeling hungry and feeling bored, which greatly affects weight gain. If you learn this, you will be able not to break down during stress on sweets and other foods rich in carbohydrates.
  • Chew your food slowly. On a nervous basis, a person simply swallows food, not having time to feel all the shades of taste. The brain does not receive a signal that the body is full, and therefore there is a repeated urge to eat. During emotional overstrain, the size of the portion eaten increases significantly. To avoid overeating, chew your food slowly and for a long time.
  • Fiber and proteins. Often stress is eaten by chocolates, bars or cakes. These foods stimulate the production of endorphins, the happiness hormones, which temporarily suppress the stress hormone. It is necessary to replace these products with fiber and proteins so as not to get fat during nervous tension.
  • Food diary. During stress, the same eating behavior is observed: someone can undereat, and someone can overeat. Write down all your observations in a diary and during the next stress you will be ready for your body's reaction to a stimulus. Keep a healthy snack with you that will not harm your figure.

Stress has a bad effect not only on general well-being and health, but also greatly affects the figure. To prevent the appearance of excess weight, follow the above recommendations and try not to worry about trifles!

Psychologist Melanie Greenberg, in her article on the dependence of stress and overeating, argues that stressful situations provoke the release of several hormones: adrenaline, corticoliberin and cortisol. Thus, the brain and body are preparing for the fight.

In the short term, adrenaline reduces hunger. The blood is redirected from the internal organs to the broad muscles: the body prepares to fight or flee. Surely you have experienced this during times of great stress, for example, before an exam, when you could not even think about food.

However, this does not last long. When the effect of adrenaline disappears, the main role is assigned to cortisol - the stress hormone.

Eliza Epel, a psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, argues that the rise in cortisol levels in response to prolonged stress increases appetite and causes us to crave fatty foods.

Stress is a double-edged sword. It may make you feel better at first, but in the long run, stress can cause problems like visceral fat, diabetes, and heart disease.

Psychologist Eliza Epel in an interview with Beet.TV

Under the influence of cortisol, visceral fat begins to accumulate in the body, surrounding the internal organs.


Stress increases the risk of metabolic syndrome Chronic stress at work and the metabolic syndrome: a prospective study and, as a result, obesity and problems with the cardiovascular system.

Metabolic syndrome - an increase in the mass of visceral fat, a decrease in the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin and hyperinsulinemia, which disrupt carbohydrate, lipid, purine metabolism, as well as arterial hypertension.

Review Stress and obesity: the role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in metabolic disease The New York Institute for Obesity Research has confirmed a link between chronic stress, changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (a network of hormonal regulation that occurs in response to stress) and obesity in animals.

For example, a study of monkeys showed that stress directly affects fat deposition. Monkeys on an atherogenic diet (low in animal fats and easily digestible carbohydrates) placed in packs with a high risk of aggression had more visceral fat than those living in more relaxed conditions on the same diet.

As for humans, their study turned out to be quite a challenge due to the modern lifestyle: overeating, low mobility and lack of sleep. However, earlier research Melancholic depression and abdominal fat distribution: a mini-review. showed the relationship between stress and the amount of visceral fat.

Thus, chronic stress not only affects the appetite, due to which you acquire extra pounds, but also directly increases the amount of body fat.

How to determine if you have such an addiction? Several factors need to be assessed.

How to understand that excess weight does not go away precisely because of stress

First of all, excess weight is a wrong eating behavior. It is equally likely to be caused by both stress and poor eating habits.

If you are used to exceeding your daily calorie intake and lead a sedentary lifestyle, stress may not have anything to do with it. To be clear, calculate your daily calorie intake using and estimate the cost of activity during the day. If you consume more than you spend, then the reason for the extra pounds is in the diet.

But if you fit into the norm, but you still have excess weight or it is psychologically difficult for you to refuse to consume such an amount of food, then you should think about how often stress factors appear in your life. This does not only mean strong shocks. Here is a sample list of such factors:

  • Lack of respect, acceptance, normal communication in the family or work team.
  • Constant fear or tension caused by work, family quarrels, other factors.
  • Self-destructive behavior patterns are constant internal discomfort caused by low self-esteem, guilt, or other psychological attitudes.
  • Constant lack of sleep, hard physical labor, emotional burnout.

If these factors are present in your life, it will be much easier to gain weight, and it will be more difficult to lose weight.

How to get rid of stress and can you do it by changing your diet, not the environment?

If you consume too many calories and lead a sedentary lifestyle, first of all you need to change. However, to do this without eliminating stressful situations will be extremely difficult. Moreover, you risk earning an eating disorder. Overeating will be replaced by fanatical calorie counting or serious problems such as bulimia and anorexia.

Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to deal with stress - to change the environment in which stress factors are present. For example, a job that makes you very nervous about deadlines.

If there is no way to act radically - to change jobs or leave the family - you can start small. For example, ask for remote work or transfer to another department, try to be at home less - sign up for a gym or find another one.

There are also simple and effective ways to deal with stress: physical activity, reading, meditation, communication with people you like.

Remember: constant stress is a problem that not only prevents you from losing weight, but also provokes the occurrence of diseases and shortens your life.

Write your stories of dealing with stress in the comments. Do you think stress affects being overweight?


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