How to Lose Weight by Eliminating Stress

I’d like to tell you about my friend, K.

You see, K used to be in his ideal weight. But just lately, he has been gaining weight rather quickly – all this without much change to his food intake. The only one thing that stands out about his lifestyle at the moment is that he is on his last year at college, and currently in the midst of a very stressful IT internship.

K is also someone who takes any job given to him very seriously (which is a good thing), but he likes to bring work back home, work overtime (even if he doesn’t get paid for it), and worry himself about everything else at work.

Just last week, he told me he needs new pants cos his existing ones are getting tighter.

Here are some of his other habits:
1. Approximately 4 hours sleep every day (sometimes even less) – even on weekends
2. Too occupied with work that he sometimes eats 2 very large meals
3. His mind is constantly pre-occupied with work (stress).
4. He gets zero exercise – his excuse? No time.

Looking at his lifestyle – it truly is a recipe for disaster. He is only 22 – which is probably why he’s been able to pull this off so far.

Is K’s lifestyle starting to sound familiar? Does it sound… like yours?

Looking beyond what’s obvious

Many of us are quick to blame our food intake and lack of exercise when we experience weight gain – but forget to take into account that a poor lifestyle such as the one above can also contribute towards a decline in one’s health and an unhealthy increase in bodyweight.

The culprit

Cortisol – a hormone in the human body that is produced in higher levels during stress.

A huge emphasis was placed on the effects of Cortisol and weight gain last year during one of the sessions by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) at the Asia Fitness Convention 2009. According to Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist and spokesperson for ACE – “Stress increases the circulation of cortisol (also known as the stress hormone), and Cortisol is associated with an increased fat storage in the waist line.”

There’s a strong link between abdominal fat and increased health risks. Weight gain and an unpleasant appearance aside, those who carry their extra weight in their abdominal area are more prone to heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. According to the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the risk of serious health problems increases with a waist
measurement of over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women.

What does your waist measure?

The Solution

1. Eliminate your source of stress (but easier said than done)
2. Get more rest
3. Exercise! (Regular physical activity is key for controlling stress levels)

When you lose weight overall, you’ll lose the belly fat as well.

One real life example is my own story.
The last few months of my stressful IT job saw me working long hours – I’d leave the office at 1AM, only to return again by 8AM for an early morning meeting. When I first quit my job, and started to work at my own leisure, I managed to shed a lot of bodyfat without really putting in any extra effort. I simply maintained my exercise routine and eating habits.

So the question I’d like to pose today is this:

Are you stressed?
Is your work life taking a toll on your health?

Read my blog post “Is Stress Holding You Back?” which I wrote in June 2009.

If your answer is yes to any of the above, then won’t you do something about it?

In health,
DailyMuscle

This post was written by...

Noel Chelliah

Noel Chelliah, ACE-CPT, ACE-LWMC, has been recognized as one of the Top Transformation Experts in Malaysia. No stranger to being overweight himself, Noel has gone through a life-changing transformation himself, from fat, to fit. In 2010, Noel founded the DailyMuscle Body Transformation Camp, which today helps hundreds of individuals exercise and practice healthier habits. In his spare time, Noel serves the community with various programs that promote a healthier lifestyle, and enjoys playing with his dogs.