Stress and weight gain

Eating comfort foods to overcome stress is very common but it is also a major reason for putting on weight. Women in particular are the most affected by stress, which makes them reach for various kinds of foods in a bid to control their stress. Studies on weight gain and stress also show that a high BMI (body mass index) commonly affects those who eat as well as drink in order to control their stress and women in particular are the main culprits.

Pizzas, hamburgers and chocolates are comfort foods that people tend to eat in order to alleviate stress. These are foods that promote weight gain and when coupled with high alcohol intake and cigarette smoking, will cause serious health problems.

Cortisol

The human body contains a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is linked to stress and it also contributes to weigh gain, especially in the abdominal region. When high amounts of cortisol are released into the bloodstream, cortisol receptors located in the abdomen will trigger the storage of fat in the abdomen. Furthermore, cortisol slows down the metabolic rate which is one more reason why people become overweight.

Emotional Support

Most people turn to foods to control their stress as they lack proper emotional support, and women in particular are the most affected by not receiving sufficient emotional support. This makes them eat to combat stress which in turn leads to weight gain. They fail to recognize that alternative solutions exist that can help them in combating stress.

Take a Walk

They should, for example, instead of eating, take a short walk or even climb and descend a staircase a few times. Short bursts of activity can also aid in suppressing appetite while fidgeting and moving about can also help in alleviating a stressed out condition. The best way to combat stress is by performing regular exercises which can regulate cortisol level and ward off depression and it will also help in getting a restful night of sleep.

Fight or Flee

When a person is stressed, they will experience a fight or flee sensation and in response to this they will try and chow down the stress by eating. This leads to more than simple weight gain as it results in fat, also known as visceral fat, being stored in the body and more particularly around the abdominal region. The upshot of this fat storage is that it leads to not only a weight problem, but it also causes diabetes and heart diseases.

Sugar is the fuel that helps the muscles respond to a fight or flee situation and when it is produced a person starts craving for carbohydrates to battle stress. Insulin in turn helps in moving sugar from the blood to the muscles. When a person is stressed, high levels of insulin and sugar make for conditions that are conducive for storing fat in the body which then leads to weight gain.

Zanaprin

Zanaprin is one of the better anti-anxiety medications available on the market today. It provides a number of benefits including controlling social anxiety, managing stress, relieving sleepless nights, and enhances the mood as well as prevents panic attacks. Zanaprin is a better option than Zoloft or Xanax which produce side effects that Zanaprin does not.