One of the key ingredients when I work with clients is to manage their stress levels and this is something I am very concerned about for many reasons, if you go back to the last few articles on stress you will understand why. FIND OUT MORE
Does stress make you eat more?
When you stressed, do you eat everything in sight?
Studies show that stress can make about two thirds of people eat more. This concludes with scientific certainty that stress can alter appetite,.
During a moment of stress, appetite and energy storage is suppressed, and stored energy is mobilized, the logic behind people eating more after a bout of stress is obvious, they need to recover from that bout. To start the recovery process, digestion starts up again and the body begins to replenish the stores of energy consumed in the moment of stress, this means an elevated appetite.
Duration of the stress
The duration of the stressor and the recovery period combined is what really matters long term. The type of stress is key.
Take some crazed, maze running rat of a human. He/she sleeps through the alarm clock first thing in the morning, total panic. Calms down when it looks like the commute isn't so bad, maybe he/she won't be late for work after all. Gets panicked all over again when the commute then turns awful. Calms down at work when it looks like the boss is away for the day and didn't notice he.she was late. Panics all over again when it becomes clear the boss is there and did notice. So it goes throughout the day. And how would that person describe their life? "I am, SO stressed, like life is just non stop, 24/7 stressed."
However, the fact is that this person is not totally nonstop stressed, what the person is experiencing is frequent intermittent stressors. Guess what is going to happen? This person will end up scarfing doughnuts all day at work!
One of the biggest reasons a lot of people eat so much during stress is because the capacity to have intermittent physiological stressors throughout the day is so high in today's society.
It is important to point out not everyone deals with stress in the same manner and this is why only a third of people eat due to stress.
Are you on a restrictive diet?
Studies show people who are constantly on a diet (restrictive eating) show that during stress they are more likely to binge and eat more than usual. This makes a lot of sense.
When things become a little more stressful is when most people decide that, as a coping device, as a means of being nice to themselves during a hard time, they need to ease up on something about which they are normally pretty regimented with.
What does this mean towards your diet and fat loss goals? Bring on the BURGER and maybe even the WINE with perhaps some dessert at the end.
Is stress messing up your fat loss goals?
If not managed well the answer is a simple YES.
Managing stress is key, to not only prevent sickness and disease but also to help you achieve your fat loss goals.
Hope the above helps you towards your goals.
Coach HB
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