Stress eating or rather overeating due to stress

April 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Tax Day (which falls on April 18 this year) is quickly approaching. I don't know about everyone else out there, but doing my taxes stresses me out!

Most of us deal with stress every day: deadlines at work, paying the bills, family obligations, etc. And how do we deal with that stress? Well, sometimes I take a bubble bath or try to curl up with a good book. But, let's face it; one of the most common ways we deal with stress is by eating - overeating, actually - and we're not "stress-eating" vegetables.

For most of us, stress-free living isn't an option. We have to go to work, we have to take care of our families, and we have to file tax returns. Granted, some of these stressors are more enjoyable than others. But the bottom line is, we are under stress, and stress-eating can lead to weight gain.

While it's easy to blame our emotions for overeating when we're stressed, it has actually been proven that stress produces a physiological response that causes us to overeat and gain weight.


Blame Cortisol

When we are under stress, our bodies release Cortisol, the "stress hormone," which stimulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism for a quick burst of energy. Cortisol also stimulates the release of insulin, and helps maintain blood sugar levels. That doesn't sound so bad, right? You need energy, and you want to maintain your blood sugar...

The problem is, the result of this energy boost and release of insulin is an increase in appetite. Chronic stress can actually be a big factor in weight gain.


So, what's the answer?

As I said before, living a stress-free life is unlikely. Even if you win the lottery, move to Maui, and spend your days lying on the beach, chances are you're still going to deal with stress of some kind (even if it's only the stress of deciding what kind of cocktail to drink by the pool).

Stress management is actually a part of many weight loss programs. In fact, losing weight in itself reduces stress (see where I'm going with this?) Exercise, relaxation and meditation techniques, and just learning when to say no, can go a long way to reducing your stress levels - and therefore, reduces the likelihood of stress-eating, or rather overeating.

And, since we've already determined that stress, to some degree, is inevitable, you're going to have cravings sometimes. And, yes, most of the time you're going to crave the stuff that you know is not good for you. But, the good news is that you can satisfy your need for something decadent without going calorie-crazy.

Think about it... Wouldn't preparing your tax return be a lot more tolerable if you were snacking on a Marshmallow Chocolate Cookie Bar?

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Stress management is actually a part of many weight loss programs. In fact, losing weight in itself reduces stress. Exercise, relaxation and meditation techniques, and just learning when to say no, can go a long way to reducing your stress levels - and therefore, reduces the likelihood of stress-eating, or rather overeating.