1. Stress causes your metabolism to slow down
Cortisol breaks down biologically active protein into its simple form, amino acids from muscle found in different forms throughout the body.
This causes metabolism to slow, with less muscle, fewer calories are needed to power them, the excess calories are inevitably stored as fat. Our bodies only really care that we reproduce and stay alive.
Our fat stores are our high calorie life support. When this fat is chronically broken down, from the effects of cortisol the body panics by regulating fat receptors around fat cells (especially around the belly) to mitigate the loss.
This is why it is essential to eat enough calories, as under-eating over a long period will directly create the above reaction.
Plus, to compound things further under-eating will put the body in a stressed state increasing the release of cortisol.
2. Stress also slows down thyroid function
A state of continual ‘constant alert’ signals the need to conserve energy for potential action. As a survival response to this perceived danger, the adrenal glands tell the thyroid gland to go-slow by down-regulating its output.
As the thyroid governs metabolism (the rate at which every body cell burns fuel or calories), lowered function means that weight loss becomes harder and harder.
See, cortisol also blocks the conversion of the thyroid hormone thyroxine 4 to the more potent hormone thyroxine 3.
The lower levels of thyroxine 3, the slower the metabolism, the greater weight gain.
Even if you measure ‘normal’ on a medical thyroid test, this gland can still be sub-optimally functioning. That is, it’s functioning just slow enough not to be hypothyroidism, but to affect metabolic rate.
3. Stress raises the fat-attracting hormone oestrogen
Reproductive hormones such as testosterone, oestrogen and progesterone are also effected when we are stressed, as are human growth hormone and insulin which affect chances of pregnancy.
Men seem more susceptible than woman to gaining belly fat. Oestrogen is a hormone that drives fat storage around the hips and thighs.
When women reach pre-menopause (in their 40s-50s), their ovaries stop producing female hormones, including oestrogen. Post-menopause, woman convert androgen (a corticotropin male hormone secreted from the adrenals) into oestrogen.
The low levels of oestrogen cause fat to accumulate around the middle. Oestrogen is also produced from fat cells.
Studies show that woman of normal healthy weight with higher levels of stress and negative mood are more likely to increase visceral fat around the organs.
4. Stress stops you from sleeping
Lack of good quality sleep will also increase cortisol, as will underrating due to stress which again can affect sleep.
If our blood sugar drops in the night adrenaline is realised to help bring blood sugar back to proper levels as this is what helps to wake us up.
Poor sleep will have a massive knock on effect on liver detoxification, immunity, exercise and work productivity.
5. Stress causes you to make unhealthy choices
Cortisol increases appetite, this is because we are breaking down stores, so we need to take in more food to fuel and replenish stores.
However, when you are stressed you are less likely to reach for healthier options. Instead we rely on alcohol to reduce our stress or we reach for sugar to give us a boost in energy.
We also tend to avoid exercise and some even adopt bad habits such as smoking, which in turn will contribute to weight gain and belly fat.
Performing the wrong type of exercise routine may not necessarily cause fat to be stored around the middle but it wont help in reducing it. It is essential to train right for your body type.
The low levels of oestrogen cause fat to accumulate around the middle. Oestrogen is also produced from fat cells.
Studies show that woman of normal healthy weight with higher levels of stress and negative mood are more likely to increase visceral fat around the organs.
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From: healthista.com
