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There’s been a recent spurt in paid advertisements on reducing belly fat using powders and tablets, some of which allege they are based on precious herbs.
One sees great graphics, tempting discounts and testimonials from people who have been saved from fat and are now living envious lives. Normally one sees these ads on television late at night, but daytime and even in leading newspapers?
Something is up.
Caveat emptor let the buyer beware!
There is more to weight management than popping pills hoping that those awful 20 kilos will melt away like butter in a warm saucepan. There are also a number of reasons why a person may put on weight and then face an uphill challenge getting rid of that excess fat.
This post looks at one aspect – the role of stress on your belly fat and how we can try to overcome it.
The Culprit behind Belly Fat
Signs of Stress manifest long before one reaches the stage of exhaustion with full blown symptoms like heart problems, diabetes and changes in personality. Subjected to stress, the first instinct is that of fight or flight.
It is ideal to nip stress at that point but many of us don’t. Then the body starts to cope with the situation on its own. Resistance manifests, quite often with weight change particularly around the belly – that is stress speaking.
The culprit here is the hormone called cortisol or Stress Hormone that is produced when a person is under stress. Cortisol increases the urge to eat foods that are high in fat and sugar content.
If you’re not already doing regular exercises, the calories begin to pile up on the body especially on the belly.
I suggest maintaining a balanced diet but know from experience that when one is under stress or pressure, eating junk food or even skipping meals is common.
The focus shifts to wolfing down food and getting back to work rather than thinking about whether one‘s intake of essential nutrients is being met.
So the weight saga continues. It gets worse if you do crash dieting thus further weakening the body’s resistance to stress.
Some of us start to drink more coffee. This gives the required adrenalin boost but tires us out once the effect of the coffee is gone. In addition hormones related to sleep cycles, mood and food cravings get aggravated under the influence of excessive caffeine in the system.
Tips to reduce stress belly
There’s no quick fix to stress and weight management but some precautions and pre-emptive strikes against stress and belly fat can be taken.
Consciously make the effort to reduce your coffee intake. Try to replace it with anti-oxidant rich herbal tea or warm water. The latter is used for weight management in Ayurveda and helps flush out toxins that impede weight loss.
Ensure that you get proper doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C (which lowers the amount of cortisol in your body) and magnesium (which helps to reduce anxiety) in your diet. Protein intake helps to repair the body and provides much needed energy.
A bonus food (my personal favorite) is the delicious humble apple. Great to snack on, supportive of weight management, it also helps to release ingredients into our body which my GP calls ‘happy hormone supplements’ and when one is stressed that is one bonus we all need!
Do you have any tips for stress-related weight gains on the belly? Please do share and help all of us fight the battle of the stressed out belly bulge!
PS. Want to learn how to manage stress using Chakra Balancing Exercises that will also keep your stress hormone under control?
If yes, then my ebook Stress Management with Chakra Balancing Exercises with extra resources is just what you need.
Click the image and learn more (a new window will open on your browser with details of the ebook and how you can acquire it).
Written By: Vatsala Shukla
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When I was younger, if I got stressed or depressed, food was what fed my “hungry heart.” Then, the opposite happened and if I was bummed, I’d stop eating.
Today, I think I’ve found the balance. I certainly had my run-in with cortisol and am happy to say it’s under control.
🙂
D
Congratulations Debra! There is nothing worse than trying to get the tummy under control and not succeeding. Diets and exercise do help but we often overlook cortisol. Maybe that is why there are so many quick-fix ads in media which may not suit the person.
Yes cortisol sure does a number of the body fat quota doesn’t it! I believe that real weight loss and health management is greatly impacted by the degree of stress reduction routines we develop for ourselves.
Thank you for dropping by Moira. I agree with you hands down! If one can practice even 1 stress reduction routine diligently, stress resilience becomes easier and with it the problem of the Stress Hormone playing havoc with our tummy.
OH boy, have you been hanging out in my home (smile). With the stress levels off the charts, I’m doing my darndest to be extra careful, especially since a few years ago I had a several case of adrenal fatigue and couldn’t even get out of bed.
Thanks oodles for the suggestions and a great reality check!
lllmr
You are always welcome, MamaRed! Thyroid problems are also an issue and preventive measures save us from the often debilitating effects of insufficient stress management.
Thank you for this. I'm usually under a fair amount of stress. Now I know why I crave sugars! I'm now eating sensibly with an apple for afternoon tea (instead of sweets). I'm working on that belly fat -around 1.5 hours 3 times/weekly @ the gym.
Sugar cravings when you are feeling stressed out is the cortisol speaking. It would be a good idea to also get a general check up done including blood sugar. Stress is known to cause diabetes even if there is no family history.
Another bonus tip is to include stretch exercises as part of your warm up to attack Jelly Belly.
Thanks for this information, unfortunately I see the signs of stress :/ thanks for the tips on reducing
I love snacking on apples–glad to know that they help reduce stress as well as help with weight management. Thanks!
WOW! What wonderful information and insight! Yes, I had that stress related belly fat last year….thank goodness I was able to get rid of it. It’s a constant thing…work at it every day! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
You are most welcome, Alexandra. Once we experiences the Jelly Belly, we do take measures to keep the fat off and work on stress while it is still in the fight or flight stage. Delighted that the visitors to my blog have benefited from the post!
I heard a report the other day saying that, with all the heartburn medication being prescribed today, you can neutralize it by eating a delicious apple. Someone I know tried it and it worked! Stress can cause extra stomach acidity. So maybe your “bonus food” not only reduces stress … but also reduces the physical manifestation of stress. Just a thought 😉
A very important point, Sharon. More power to the humble apple!
I never believe the “miracle” fat burner cures anymore, but do believe that it is related to stress! I am pretty sure that stress is related to soooo many things that ail us in this day in time! Thanks for the post!
Thank you for sharing. I will bookmark this now
-Seun