How Stress And Belly Fat Are Connected?

Stress and belly fat is directly connected. Let's face it, stress is one of the main reasons people develop belly fat. One main contributor to belly fat: STRAIN. In an earlier article, we discussed how to tame your stress, in many simple (okay, not simple, but still worth trying) steps. What we now want to talk about, is understanding stress and what it does to your body.

The connection between stress and belly fat begins with cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol gets released in times of high stress, or when the body is particularly threatened. This hormone stimulates fatty deposits to grow. Over time, studies show that elevated cortisol levels tend to lead to increased belly fat.

In addition to stress, a diet that are high in sugar, simple carbohydrates, and lack of exercise can also produce higher levels of cortisol. One of the possible ways to deal with this is by eating smaller frequent meals, while leaving breakfast and lunch out at the same time every day. If you feel stressed at work, take a break from your work to eat a smaller meal and then eat another smaller meal before going to work for the day. When you get home from work, have a small snack before going to bed. This will keep your insulin levels lower, which in turn keeps your belly fat lower. The logic behind this is sound.

Baked foods tend to be high in simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are processed sugars that add to the stress hormones mentioned earlier. Simple carbs include breads, pastas, and sweets. Eating these types of foods more often means you will have more stress, and your blood sugar and cortisol levels will rise. To counter this, limit your intake of breads, and sweet treats, and eat more healthy carbs. Some good examples of healthy carbs include brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole grain cereal.

Sleep is also important in keeping the stress hormones in check. When we are sleep deprived, our bodies release cortisol and other hormones that contribute to our overall weight problem. By sleeping well, the chemicals and hormones that stress make us release will not be released. A good night's sleep will help keep the cortisol levels down, which will lead to a slimmer you.

Finally, the last thing that stress causes the liver to produce more of is glycogen. Our body uses glycogen to provide fuel during physical exercise. Glycogen is stored in our muscles, liver, and kidneys. When we are sleep deprived, our liver cannot use as much glycogen to provide fuel, and the levels of glycogen in our muscles and liver start to decline. This causes our bodies to use fat as a source of energy, resulting in weight gain.

So, what can you do to combat stress and its effect on belly fat? Start by avoiding stressful situations. Try mediation or exercising to reduce your stress level. If these measures do not reduce your stress, increase your intake of carbs, such as brown rice, whole grain pasta, and oats to provide your body with extra glucose.

One of the most critical factors in the development of type 2 diabetes is the amount of glucose in our blood stream. People who have high cortisol levels are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers have also determined that the stress hormone cortisol negatively affects glucose uptake in the brain and causes obesity. People suffering from chronic stress have excess glucose in their brains and this has been linked to type 2 diabetes. It therefore follows that reducing stress and avoiding the risk of chronic stress disorders could be the best way to lose weight and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.