Is stress making you fat? What you eat is still a major factor in your weight. But new research is showing that stress can have an effect on how your body stores extra calories.

Think you aren’t that stressed? Just because you have a deadline at work, your car is in the shop, you have kids to transport to multiple sporting events, a teenager who seems to have turned into an alien overnight — that doesn’t mean you’re too stressed, does it? You might admit to feeling a little bit over-booked or a touch cranky, but can that really be the reason you can’t fit into your favorite pair of jeans?

A recent study conducted at Yale University resulted in some surprising findings. The study found that non-overweight women who are vulnerable to the effects of stress are more likely to have excess abdominal fat and have higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.

The study also found that women with greater abdominal fat had more negative moods and higher levels of life stress. Researchers determined that greater exposure to life stress or psychological vulnerability to stress may explain the enhanced reactivity to cortisol.

Research suggests that cortisol affects fat distribution by causing fat to be stored centrally, laced throughout the organs. Even though everyone is exposed to stress, some people may secrete more cortisol than others and they may secrete cortisol each time they are exposed to the same stressor.

According to the study, it is possible that higher exposure to stress has led those with increased abdominal fat to overreact to stresses of any kind, so they have a greater exposure to cortisol throughout their lifetimes. In turn, cortisol may have caused them to acquire more abdominal fat.

Keep in mind that if you’re overweight, you’re probably going to store body fat all over, including around your middle. If you’re fairly lean, though, and have a lot of abdominal fat, it would be a good idea to explore other factors. You might be genetically predisposed to accumulate belly fat. If you’re post-menopausal, you might see your middle expanding even though you haven’t changed your dietary habits. Smoking, alcohol and lack of exercise are also culprits. Even if you have some or all of the above factors, your stress level could be contributing to excess belly fat as well.

How can you keep cortisol from affecting your waistline without dropping out of your current lifestyle? The experts recommend exercising regularly to combat stress. Make small changes when adding a fitness routine so you don’t create just one more thing to stress about. Choose to take time for yourself every day, even if it only amounts to taking a few mini-breaks. Yoga and meditation are two time-tested ways to reduce the stress of everyday living. Something as simple as a hot bath at the end of the day can help you calm those cortisol prompting moments.

The way you schedule your time can amp up stress levels. If you make a long list of things you feel you must do each day, try asking yourself if there are any items on the list that really could wait till another day.

If you decide you need to diet, remember that severely restricting your calories only adds to the stress you’re under. If you’re going through a rough time, it may not be the best time to lose that last 10 pounds. It goes both directions — your can’t undereat or your body will be more stressed, and you can’t overeat or your body will be more stressed. The trick is in finding the balance so that you’re eating enough but not too much. The bottom line? Develop effective ways of managing your diet and your stress and you’ll feel better.

 

– Pam Brooks