Less stress, weigh less – micah

Posted by naturallynotverythin on August 18, 2010 · 2 Comments 

Earlier this year, I spent a weekend with my best friend in Houston. I was in the midst of my calorie-counting attempts, but since I was on a mini-vacation, I decided to let myself off the hook for a few days. My best friend is a fabulous cook, so she treated me to enchiladas one night for dinner and homemade beignets on my final morning. It was so good. Another friend took me to her favorite French bakery, and we shared a few of the pastries. Needless to say, I expected to have gained a few pounds when I returned to my normal life, so color me surprised when I stepped on the scale at home and found I’d lost three pounds over the weekend.  What?!?  How could that be?  Except for some leisurely walking, I hadn’t worked out at all, and I’d eaten far richer foods than I was used to. 

I thought about the weekend for a long time, trying to figure out how I lost those three pounds. I could only come up with one possible factor – stress.  At home, I have two jobs, bills and a number of other responsibilities. Over that weekend, all I had to do was hang out with two of my closest friends and enjoy live music. I was completely happy and stress-free. That had to be the reason for my unexpected weight loss.

Resarch backs up this theory. A 2000 study found that women may be at particular risk of stress-induced eating and weight gain. Obviously, I relate to this.

I tend to be an emotional eater. When I’ve had a day from hell, I want comfort food – pasta, ice cream, chips and salsa, etc. I want everything that’s bad for me when I’m feeling my worst.  Of course, after I eat these things, I only feel worse, not better. But in the moment, I don’t really care. I just want to chase the stress, hurt or anger – whatever I’m feeling.

But not all stress-related weight gain is related to overeating. Another study I found said that high amounts of cortisol are released into the blood stream when we are stressed. Cortisol is a stress-related hormone that is drawn to receptors in the abdomen, triggering fat storage there. In addition, excess cortisol may actually cause the metabolism to slow down. What?!?  So while I’m chowing down on slice-and-bake cookies after an overwhelming day at the office, my metabolism is slowing down??  That’s not a good combination at all.  More like a double whammy.

The easy answer to avoiding all this is eliminating stress. The hard part is actually eliminating stress. I’m not sure it’s possible to completely erase worry from everyday life, but I do believe it’s possible to reduce it.

Lately, running has become a real release for me.  I leave my Blackberry at home and head out. The 30-minute training session is a great way to clear my head and flush out the emotions of the day.

Here are some other suggested stress relievers:

• Take a 15-minute walk. Some days, I feel chained to my desk for eight-plus hours. I have such a pile of things to do, I find myself eating at my desk and only leaving it to use the restroom. By the end of the day, I’m drained and tense.  Next time this happens, I will find fifteen minutes to step away from the computer and take a quick walk down the street.
• Color. I’m not kidding. Buy a coloring book and crayons and simply lose yourself in this carefree childhood activity.  I did this a lot in college, and it did wonders before big exams and presentations.
• Meditation or yoga. I’ve never tried either of these, but I have friends who swear by a five- or ten-minute session of quiet time.
• Sex.  I haven’t tried this one either, but it was high on a few lists I found online.  If you have the means, the energy and the time, give it a whirl.
• Laugh. Save funny e-mails from friends. Bookmark your favorite youtube videos. Keep a David Sedaris or Dave Barry book handy at all times.  Whatever it is that makes you smile, make sure it’s accessible.

 What’s your favorite way of dealing with and minimizing stress?

Filed under micah