Is Stress Making You Gain Weight?
Do any of these apply to you?
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Problems with memory
• Difficulty concentrating
• Changes in eating habits
• Feeling nervous or anxious
• Feeling angry, irritable, or easily frustrated
• Experiencing burn-out from studying or schoolwork
• Feeling that you can’t overcome difficulties in your life
• Troubles functioning in class or in your personal life
* Difficulty laughing easily
Fitness trainer Brandon Mentore says, “Stress plays one of the biggest roles in the entire weight loss process.” “Weight gain is almost always a response to some type of stress, whether it’s poor food choices, mental or emotional trauma, or lack of physical activity,” he says, “and when people pursue weight loss, that can also be a form of stress. Piling stress on top of an already somewhat stressed body can slow your progress.”
Denise’s
2 Cents:
Failed weight-loss attempts can almost always be traced in part to the level of stress in someone’s life. When one is in a toxic relationship, or is over- worked, or has an imbalance or illness in the body, or is in a caretaker position, or has worries about finances or loss of a loved one—the list of stressors goes on and on—any of these can wreak havoc on your body chemistry. True weight loss will proceed in a sustainable way only when first your life is in balance.
Just since the beginning of 2017, I have seen more and more people at the gym where I work. Perhaps it’s a rise in people’s response to the recent political climate … or an inability to relax … or could it be seasonal? … or is it just random? Hmmm …
Denise Gaylord
Personal Trainer & Challenge Coach
Provincetown USA