Let’s talk about stress and weight management!
As much as we would love for it to go away and never come back, stress is always going to be around, whether it’s caused by external or internal factors.
When the body feels stressed, it releases a hormone called cortisol…
So, what the heck is cortisol? What does it do?
Cortisol is THE stress hormone that helps your body and mind go into full focus. It is naturally present in our body (especially in the morning) but increases when you are under high stress or pressure.
This includes emotional stress, but also performance & physical stress. Cortisol locks your body into a fight or flight mechanism and brings all energy to mental functions.
This is your body’s way of keeping you alert and quick-acting.
Signs you may notice (mental)
- Faster heartbeat
- Lack of patience
- Irritability
- Mood fluctuations
- Feeling exhausted
- Confusion or lacking mental recovery
- Increase in appetite (especially in the evenings)
- Cravings
Signs you won’t notice (physiological)
- Increase in blood sugar level
- Changes in your digestive hormones
- Decrease in insulin production & reception
- Increase in visceral fat creation
Based on these symptoms, you can pay attention to your stress level and notice the changes to your mood and how you feel physically throughout the day.
What happens when Cortisol levels get too high?
Before we get into that, you must know that sugar is the most efficient and nourishing nutrient for the brain and nervous system. So in times of high stress, it must be readily available.
When your body is stressed, it needs an increase in sugar, especially for the nervous system.
That’s where cortisol does its magic: it rearranges the way your body uses energy, aka sugar. It lowers insulin production, which means less sugar is absorbed into your cells, and more of it is maintained in your bloodstream, ready to be used by your nervous system and brain.
As cortisol floods your bloodstream with sugar, it starves your other cells from it. The issue is that your other organs and body functions are still active and also need some energy & sugar. So, in the hopes of correcting the problem, those famished cells send hunger signals to the brain, which are translated as repetitive hunger spikes.
This leads to:
- Increased blood sugar levels
- Hunger spikes to fight fatigue: sugar cravings & munching
- Increased appetite levels to meet the needs of your now increased metabolism, translated as bigger portions of food or cravings for higher fat foods.
- Increased visceral fat creation, A.K.A belly fat, instead of subcutaneous (under the skin) fat: increased risks of chronic conditions.
- Increased inflammatory responses
It’s important to note that:
- That stress response occurs even if you don’t eat more than usual
- If you feel hungrier, you should listen to your body and eat. Use those cues to eat mindfully.
Cortisol keeps you on your toes. Great for staying awake and nailing your presentation, not as great for your metabolism.
Occasional stress responses are more than okay – in fact, they’re normal. But the constant metabolic shock and recovery imposed by it lead to changes in your organ functions and a metabolic adaptation.
Manage your stress
Managing your stress levels is essential for an overall healthy lifestyle and is an excellent way to combat cortisol levels! Some of my favorite tips for managing my stress include:
- Breathing exercises & meditation (Great options for FREE on Youtube)
- Keeping a steady sleep schedule (Set a bedtime!)
- Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon (Limiting caffeine helps you sleep better/earlier)
- Don’t overdo it on caffeine in general (Switch it up with water or decaffeinated goodies)
- Get your body moving (Low-to-medium exercises are ideal, as too much high-intensity can increase cortisol!)
- Listen to your body’s hunger cues & eat when you feel hungry! (A healthy gut helps regulate mood & stress!)
- Focus on a variety of foods & include fruits and vegetables for more vitamins & minerals.
You can also reach out to a dietitian (hello!!) who can help guide you down the right path to keep your stress low and your body and nutrition happy. Let’s hop on a call and chat about it!