Stress can physically affect your waist line and trigger unhealthy behaviors that lead to weight gain. On one hand, stress can affect your cortisol levels, which plays an important role in how your body stores fat. On the other hand, stress can also affect your eating and exercise habits, whether through emotional over-eating or by encouraging cravings for high calorie comfort foods. Luckily, you can keep stress under control along with your belly fat by making a few changes in your daily habits.
Step 1
Schedule at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise into your schedule each week. Consider activities like brisk walks, jogging, swimming, or light hiking. You may also use an elliptical machine or stationary bicycle. Not only does exercise help burn calories, exercise has also been shown to help combat stress. Add strength training at least twice a week as well to increase muscle mass, which helps your body burn calories more effectively.
Step 2
Keep a calorie journal listing not only the serving size and calories per serving of the foods you eat, but also how you feel before and after you eat. The journal will help you identify when you tend to turn towards high calorie foods or larger serving sizes, which can help you recognize and change stressful eating habits.
Step 3
Practice breathing exercises each morning and before you go to bed, as well as during times you feel anxiety or stress during the day. Breathe in through your nose for three to five seconds and exhale through your mouth. Continue this until you feel your body relax and your mind clears.
Step 4
Stretch and relax your body to reduce stress through a weekly exercise class like yoga or tai chi, which both focus on slow relaxed movement, stretching, and connecting the mind and body. These classes also burn calories that could lead to less belly fat.
Step 5
Schedule and appointment with a counselor or psychologist for behavioral counseling. A trained professional can help you determine underlying mental health factors that may be contributing to overeating or stress eating. They can then help you find alternative coping mechanisms to help you control the stress, which in turn can help reduce your calorie intake.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook for calorie journal
References
- Mayo Clinic: How do I control stress-induced weight gain?
- University of New Mexico: Cortisol Connection: Tips on Managing Stress and Weight
- Mayo Clinic: Exercise and stress: Get moving to combat stress
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Stress: How to Cope Better With Life's Challenges
- "American Journal of Epidemiology": Psychosocial Stress and Change in Weight Among US Adults; Jason P. Block, et al.; April 2009
- Mayo Clinic: Tai chi: Discover the many possible health benefits
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