Stress and Weight Gain: Can Stress Make You Fat?

**gothprincess** · April 2nd, 2008, 12:40 AM

**Found this article and thought it was interesting. My dr. said this is the reason I'm gaining weight instead of losing. Check out my thread "Dr. took me off Phen today". I have chronic stress.

There are several ways in which stress can contribute to weight gain. One has to do with cortisol, a stress hormone. When we’re under stress, the fight or flight response is triggered in our bodies, leading to the release of various hormones.
Whether we're stressed because of constant, crazy demands at work or we're really in danger, our bodies respond like we're about to be harmed and need to fight for our lives (or run like heck). To answer this need, we experience a burst of energy, shifts in metabolism and blood flow, and other changes.

If you remain in this state for a prolonged amount of time due to chronic stress, your health becomes at risk. Aside from a host of other dangers, chronic stress can also cause weight gain -- which is why some products like Cortislim are marketed as diet aids.

Chronic stress and cortisol can contribute to weight gain in the following ways:

Metabolism -- Do you feel like you're prone to putting on more weight when you're stressed, even if you're eating the same amount of food as you always have? Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult.
Cravings -- OK, you're stressed. Do you reach for a nice salad or a pint of Ben & Jerry's? I'll bet on the latter. People experiencing chronic stress tend to crave more fatty, salty and sugary foods. This includes sweets, processed food and other things that aren’t as good for you. These foods are typically less healthy and lead to increased weight gain.

Blood Sugar -- Prolonged stress can alter your blood sugar levels, causing mood swings, fatigue, and conditions like hyperglycemia. Too much stress has even been linked to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health concerns that can lead to greater health problems, like heart attacks and diabetes.

Fat Storage -- Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat. Unfortunately, abdominal fat is not only aesthetically undesirable, it’s linked with greater health risks than fat stored in other areas of the body.

Stress and weight gain are connected in other ways:

Emotional Eating -- Increased levels of cortisol can not only make you crave unhealthy food, but excess nervous energy can often cause you to eat more than you normally would. How many times have you found yourself scouring the kitchen for a snack, or absently munching on junk food when you’re stressed, but not really hungry? More on what causes emotional eating.
Fast Food -- Experts believe that one of the big reasons we’re seeing more obesity in our society these days is that people are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home, often opting to get fast food a the nearest drive-thru instead.

Too Busy to Exercise -- With all the demands on your schedule, exercise may be one of the last things on your to-do list. If so, you’re not alone. Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle than we have in past generations, yet our minds seem to be racing from everything we have to do. Unfortunately, from sitting in traffic, clocking hours at our desks, and plopping in front of the TV in exhaustion at the end of the day, exercise often goes by the wayside.

**IWANTITNOW** · April 2nd, 2008, 01:24 AM

Good luck on your weight-loss. i read your other thread.. i really wish you luck, im sure u and doc will get it right. things should pick up after your son's problem has been resolved, which should be soon. glad ur taking care of your self after everything
I took zoloft for panic disorder and somehow it made me gain weight but the panic went away for good when i was 19 so it was well worth it.

**gothprincess** · April 2nd, 2008, 11:49 AM

Thanks for the support! After writing some of my stress problems on here, I'm realizing that my major stress started in 2006. I spent 18 days straight(7am-11pm) at the hospital with my Grandma. All we could do was sit with her(she had no idea we were even there) and wait for her to pass away. I kinda took charge..swabbing her mouth, trying to get her to drink when she was awake, held her hand, talked to her, etc. I was the only one that could 'stomach' staying in the room when the nurse would change the dressing on her wound because the skin was gone(sorry to be gross). The dr. had no idea what caused the wound. Anyway, everyone(there was at least 10 people in her room all day) left to go get something to eat(except me/my mom/my cousin) and no more than 10 min. after they left, she passed away. I was holding her hand when she took her last breath. It was Christmas Eve 2006.

Sorry everyone, I'm starting to ramble more and more

**A6Duchess** · April 2nd, 2008, 01:38 PM

WOW, my weight problem started when my Grandmother had a heart attack. She was the only person in this world that loved me unconditionally. I was so close to her. When I got the call, I became dizzy and couldn't breathe. She seemed fine at the hospital and was laughing and saying everything was alright. I was relieved until a nurse took me outside the room. She said, that, she wasn't fine, and that this was a huge heart attack. They were going to send her to a larger hospital. My Grandmother laughed and worried about her purse as they put her on the gurney. I remember following the ambulance and thinking, how much of my own heart was up ahead of me. She got settled into that hospital, and had tests, (of which, she wouldn't tell me the results of). We had a wonderful Mother's day in her hospital room. I brought so many flowers and balloons. We talked and asked each other so many questions. I had never known a lot of answers to the simple things that she loved. So, I guess you could say, we got to know each other as woman to woman that day. It was 8 years ago this year.
So, sorry to vent like this, but, Goth, I was just feeling you. I do know how you feel, and don't mind rambling, as that's what this site is for, right?
Anyway, the next day I was called as I was getting ready to go to the hospital. She had another heart attack and was being taken into surgery. I sat in that waiting room by myself holding the cross she had worn on her neck for so many years. The doc came out and took me into a room, and told me, that she would be on life support, and most likely wouldn't recover. Well, she never did. She died a few days later, never waking up, but, I do believe that she maybe knew I was there. I played recordings of my children singing the songs we had used to sing, and I read her the Bible. I just remember looking at her hand, and not wanting to let go after they turned off the life support. I loved those hands that did so much for me. I too was all alone. It was two years before I really recovered. I had gained so much weight, and was so depressed that I don't remember much of it. (my poor kids).
I hope nobody really wants to read this, or have made it this far........... I just haven't told anyone that whole story. Not even my husband of 20 years knows how hard this all was. He thought he did, but, as people that have been there before, no one else can "get it".
Sorry, everyone have a wonderful week and go hug your Grandmother if you have one.

**Angela C** · April 2nd, 2008, 01:43 PM

That's interesting.Good luck hon.

**Catpace** · April 2nd, 2008, 01:45 PM

I understand, my mom passed away on Jan 16 of this year. I stayed in the hospital with her from Sat to Wed when she passed. I too was in the room with her when she passed. If you ever need to talk about it please don't hesitate to write. My mom was the strongest person I know and I didn't want to see her take her last breath. I kept leaving the room, but she did while I was there. I know how hard it is. Take care and remember love is forever especially a moms love.

**gothprincess** · April 2nd, 2008, 03:52 PM

I started back on my gen. xanax today and can already tell a difference in my mood. Thanks everyone for sharing and feel free to keep on talking. Maybe if we get our 'emotional' baggage out, we'll do better with our weight loss...just a thought

**scatanafas** · April 2nd, 2008, 04:35 PM

thanks for that information....it really is interesting and I'm also sure that my mom got her metabolic syndrome from the stress in her life...hard word and a handicapped child is enough to make anyone lose it....

**gothprincess** · April 2nd, 2008, 05:14 PM

When I told the NP yesterday that I was watching calories and exercising but was still gaining weight, that's when she mentioned stress. She knows I've been stressing alot lately(major fighting with hubby) so she said I needed to start back on my gen. xanax right away.

**gothprincess** · April 3rd, 2008, 02:55 PM

BUMPED for everyone who is stressing!!

**mom of two crazy boys** · April 3rd, 2008, 04:15 PM

I did know about cortisol and weight gain. I mentioned before in another thread that 4 years ago my husband lost his job out of the blue. His line of work is prone to lay off often, even though he was working for a guy with his own business (my husband was his main worker). I had to work every night to make extra money. 3 months later, I lost my job. We lived in our house that we built that was so beautiful and our sons were growing up in. I got another job that paid less. My husband did odd jobs here and there meanwhile looking for a full time job. We struggled for 3 years and eventually lost our house to foreclosure.

All of this was devastating to me. My son also has severe behavioral and learning disabilities. He is very verbally abusive to me. For 5 years I have been called stupid, idiot, I hate you, etc.-since he was two. I never spoke to him this way. Cartoon movies have a lot of hidden words that you don't realize are there until your child starts saying them. Anyway, I know he can't help it. As angry as I get, I feel sorry for him. I ended up medicating him cause he became violent with me and putting holes in the wall with his toys. I had tried every method I could before I chose to do that. He is 8 now, and we are still tweaking his meds. I get verbally abused one minute, then he loves me and I am the greatest the next. This takes a toll on me. It's hard to watch your child go through things that you just want to take away to make things better for them.

All this time, I have eaten for comfort. I gained 65 lbs in less than a year. My body hurts cause of the weight. Plus my job is stressful. I have people's lives in my hands. Anything bad can happen at any moment. So I am sure I gotta lot of cortisol serging through my veins!

I never had anyone to talk to about it cause I didn't have any friends. I just made one in the last 6 months. I also started therapy which helps also. I have to try to take one day at a time, cause i never know how my sons moods will be, and with other things I get ahead of myself and worry about 2 months from now.

That's my short version of my current stressors.

**gothprincess** · April 3rd, 2008, 04:27 PM

Vent all you want!! On my other thread: 'Dr. took me off Phen', I talked about my clotting disorder and that got RoxanneRoxanne to start talking about hers. You name it, I've probably been through it..lol. I'll more than happy to listen and offer any advice I can. I've told people on this board more about myself then even my hubby knows.

I'm home all day and am becoming addicted to this site. I check it often. I can longer work because of my clotting disorder and have to live with the fact that it could kill me at any time so talk all you want and about anything you want and I'm here to listen when you need an ear..

**RickC** · April 3rd, 2008, 05:34 PM

Stress has the opposite affect on me,I dont want to eat or be near anyone,I hide from the source of the stress and become a hermit.

**gothprincess** · April 3rd, 2008, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by RickC

Stress has the opposite affect on me,I dont want to eat or be near anyone,I hide from the source of the stress and become a hermit.

I'd love to go back to not having an appetite. When I went off Phen for 3 months, it came back and hasn't left since. I'm a hermit all the time, I rarely go anywhere anymore.

**A6Duchess** · April 3rd, 2008, 11:20 PM

Mom of two, I'm so sorry for you. I do know about some of this as I have a niece a lot like your son. My sister finally put her on meds. She really didn't want to do that either.
I feel like most of your are kindred spirits in a way. My Hub. doesn't know know a lot of this either. I would die before I let him know my weight.
Goth, I'm home all day too. I don't want to be either. I'm going to start getting certified to sub after spring break. I've had 8 surgeries in the past 5 years. I feel like such a slug.
I've got to lose weight. I'm scared for my health. I'm scared that my husband won't want me, and I'm embarrassed to be so big.
Goth, I tried to go on your myspace, but, it was set to private. I love your normal people scare me thingy. Everyone has always said my family and I are crazy. My kids always pretend to have a movie camera and to record me dancing or doing something weird. One of them is so shy and can't understand how I can talk to just anyone. She loves that I'm crazy, and I remind her that she's very lucky that I am. I always threaten to send her to live with normal parents, like....... so-in-so's mother, who has no since of humor.
I love it here. I expect that even after I'm off Phen, I'll come back.

**gothprincess** · April 4th, 2008, 11:24 AM

A6DUCHESS: I'll go on and change it so it's not private. My hubby tells me all the time that he thinks I'm beautiful. I just don't take compliments very well(never have). He said I don't need to lose weight cause he loves me no matter how I look. Told him I was losing it for me.

Staying home all the time does get boring, but hubby doesn't want me to go back to work. He's afraid to get a phone call that something happened with my blood clots and I'm in the hospital or dead. I babysit 2 little girls(sisters) and sell on Ebay to help with the boredom.

Thanks, I like that saying too. Hubby says I'm twisted. Little does he know just how twisted...LOL.