The impact of stress on weight
We're often told that diet is the key to losing weight. Whilst what we eat undoubtedly impacts on our weight, there are a range of other factors that are often overlooked.
7/14/20242 min read


We're often told that diet is the key to losing weight. Whilst what we eat undoubtedly impacts on our weight, there are a range of other factors that are often overlooked.
I was thinking about this over the weekend after what has been a very busy and fairly stressful few weeks at work and at home for me. And I found myself recalling how I felt during the peak of the Pandemic.
The odd thing was that as I was home every day I found myself eating much more healthily that I would if I'd been in the office. I was even exercising more - albeit in the limited circumstances of my garden and my once daily permitted outdoors excursion. I wasn't even drinking that much. Yet I still found it hard to lose weight during that period.
The reason:- stress. I was stressed out to the max in my NHS role, supporting and helping to coordinate our collective response to the developing Pandemic in Sussex.
Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight. It can also prevent you from losing weight. Let me explain why:-
Cortisol is a hormone naturally produced by your body. Created by the adrenal glands located on your kidneys, cortisol is released when you’re under stress. Cortisol sends your body into fight-or-flight mode.
While this hormone was essential to survival back when we were hunter gatherers, it can become harmful in excess amounts. And the problem is that the way we live our 21st century lives means that many of us live with an underlying and constant level of stress in our lives.
And this means that there’s a constant background level of cortisol being released into our bodies.
Cortisol stimulates a surge of energy in your body. While this process is essential for survival situations, it also increases your appetite.
Elevated cortisol levels also triggers insulin release which cause your blood sugar to drop and for your to crave sweet, fatty and salty foods. Craving these foods is your body’s response to being under stress – it is thinking – I am under threat here and I need some quick energy to save me from that threat.
That might have been useful when we were running away from a predator on the savannah. But not so useful in the 21st century
Elevated cortisol has also been shown to slow down your metabolism which in turn can cause weight gain.
So, in short, stress is a really significant but often overlooked factor in why we can’t lose weight.
But the good news is that you can do something about managing the stress you have in your life. Exercise, meditation, mindfulness, journaling and relaxation techniques have all been shown to help reduce stress and mitigate the damaging effects of cortisol. These are all tools and techniques you are encouraged and supported to explore with me through the Middlessence Man MOT - my unique, signature programme that will help you lose weight and keep it off.
My approach to supporting men to take control of their weight and reclaim their health is founded on a range of coaching-based interventions which address all of the lifestyle factors which impact on our weight. This of course includes how we feed our bodies, but that is only one element. True transformational change and sustained weight loss comes when we think about the other lifestyle elements that impact our health - including how we manage our stress, our sleep, how we move our bodies and also, our social connections.
Book a free 30 minute consultation to find out how I can help you to achieve your health goals.
Happy Healthy Longer Ltd.
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