Stress And Belly Fat - Can They Be Related?

One major contributor to belly fat: stress. Taming your stress can be done in a number of simple (okay, not that easy, but still worth trying) measures. In a previous post, we talked about how to calm your stress before it ruins your day. You can also change your diet. A big stressor for most people is stress, and the way our diets are set up makes that stress worse. If you're like most people, stress and belly fat go hand-in-hand.

Sugar adds stress and belly fat. Sugar is often used as a cheap, accessible source of energy. It's convenient, fast, and available. Unfortunately, sugar often comes with other hidden toxins that have a tendency to make us fat. This is because refined sugars have been stripped of most nutrients; including valuable antioxidants.

Refined sugar comes from processed foods. Processed foods are foods that have gone through a purification process that removes everything healthy from them. The processed foods are then packed in plastic or in cardboard and sent out to be sold in stores. When food is exposed to light, it begins to age. As it ages, the molecules within the food begin to draw chemicals and nutrients from it, which means the less nutrients left inside the food, the more it will contain carbs and sugar, and the more it will add to your waistline.

Belly fat has a correlation with sugar cravings. Sugar cravings are generally located around the midsection. People who are stressed tend to have cravings for sweets, snacks, and other snacks that are high in sugars and carbohydrates. Stress can increase the insulin levels and the hormone cortisol, which is one of the stress hormones that increases belly fat. It also increases the uptake of glucose into the bloodstream, which leads to more fat being added to the belly region.

High levels of cortisol also mean that you are less rested. When we are stressed, we tend to be tired and are not able to function at top capacity. The reason why sleep is so important is because the body needs time to repair itself after stress and to rejuvenate. If you are tired and you are not getting enough rest, you will run much higher risks of being injured during the day.

So how does this have an impact on the waistline? If you are constantly stressed, your body releases cortisol levels that cause weight gain. If you are constantly deprived of sleep, this weight gain will lead to increased risks of developing poor posture, back pain, heart problems, etc.

Of course, both of these hormones can cause the onset of diabetes and heart disease. So in order to avoid these serious health problems, we need to balance our hormone levels. However, this can be difficult to do, especially if your stress levels are high or you are experiencing a lot of anxiety. There are many things you can do to decrease your stress level such as meditation, exercise, practicing yoga, eating healthy foods, reducing exposure to toxins, and maintaining a positive attitude.

Reducing stress and improving your sleep hygiene are some of the things you can do to reduce stress and improve your sleep quality. Exercise is also extremely important. If you are always feeling stressed out, then it is important to work out for at least 30 minutes each day. This will improve your immune system and help you maintain a healthy weight.

The last thing that you can do to control your stress and improve your sleep quality is to maintain a healthy level of cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that sit atop the kidneys. If you have high cortisol levels, then you will have a very stressed out body and will be more prone to developing abdominal fat. To reduce cortisol, you should try to avoid stress, set up a bedtime routine, eat a healthy diet, practice moderate exercise, get some sleep, and avoid consuming too many food that are high in carbohydrates before you go to bed.

It is also important to control your appetite. Stress and tension can increase your cortisol levels which means that your appetite will increase as well. If you have high stress levels, then you will want to avoid foods that can stimulate your appetite such as foods with starch and sugar. You will also want to avoid foods that are rich in protein like meats and eggs because they can also stimulate your appetite. Instead, you should substitute these foods with low calorie and low fat options. If you can not find any quick ways to control your stress and have high cortisol levels, then you may want to consult a doctor to see if there are certain medications that you can take to lower your stress levels.

There are also certain medications that can lower your blood glucose levels that can help reduce both your stress and visceral fat. Glucophage (Acephalta) is an anti-diuretic that helps to reduce your need for insulin when you have excess glucose. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas to respond to a sudden rise in glucose levels in the bloodstream. When you take Glucophage, you can reduce the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. This will prevent your glucose levels from rising too high, which keeps your insulin levels low, resulting in your blood glucose levels remaining at healthy levels.