If you’re someone who’s feeling highly stressed, you need to take caution because this could actually be at the root of why you can’t seem to shed those last few pounds – or worse, are now actually gaining body weight.
Fat gain can come about due to a number of reasons, not just because you are eating too many calories. While that will definitely contribute to the problem, other factors can also increase your likelihood of putting on fat weight, stress being one of them.
Let’s walk you through the main reasons why stress could just be what’s causing you to struggle to reach your goals.
Stress Eating
The first reason stress is so detrimental to success is because as almost all of us know, it can lead you to eat foods you shouldn’t eat.
If you’ve ever come home after a hard day at work and buried those feelings inside a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, you know what this is all about.
Stress eating is a big reason why many people move off their diet and abandon the plan entirely. They lose control in one weak moment and before not too long, they’ve completely fallen off the bandwagon.
Remember, all those calories add up quickly and can cause a major set back.
Stress And Cortisol
Next, another reason stress could be causing fat gain is because it will make your cortisol levels increase as this is the natural stress hormone released by the body during these times.
Cortisol promotes fat storage, especially around the middle, so you can imagine what this means to your progress.
Furthermore, a high level of cortisol can also increase your risk for lean muscle mass loss and this can cause you to decrease your resting metabolic rate. In the end, this means that you will struggle to lose fat because you burn so few calories all day long.
When dieting, you want to increase your metabolism, not decreasing it, but if you have high cortisol levels, you’ll be doing the opposite.
Stress And Energy
Finally, stress will also sap your energy. If you’re highly stressed out on a day to day basis, don’t be surprised if you are lacking in energy to complete those workout sessions.
You’ll want to go home and curl up on the couch – not hit the gym for an intense workout session.
So make sure you are taking appropriate stress controlling techniques so that this doesn’t become a factor in your success. Leading a low stress lifestyle is one of the top requirements for maintaining a lean body composition.