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Expert explains why stress can cause weight gain. Ahead of National Stress Day on 6 November, Carol Standing, Chief Marketing Officer at The Slimming Clinic, explains why stress causes weight gain, and offers advice on how to tackle it. Comfort eating. It is common for people to gravitate towards heavier foods when they feel stressed and then gain weight as a result. To avoid this, the expert recommends being mindful of your food choices. She advises: "Not all comfort foods need to be high-calorie or carb-heavy. You can try things like salty popcorn, nuts or dark chocolate to see if it takes the urges away for comfort food and your negative mood.” Fight or flight. Cortisol, the hormone released when you are stressed, can also cause your appetite to increase. ”Cortisol stimulates glucose to be released into your bloodstream to create adrenaline in your body, to help give you the energy to escape whatever is causing your stress - your 'fight or flight' response.” To combat this, try to manage your stress with regular exercise. She suggests: "It could be a gym class, or just a 15-minute walk in the fresh air, but regularly incorporating movement into your day can significantly reduce stress levels.” Slow metabolism. Cortisol also slows down your metabolism during times of stress, meaning your body won't break down your food and convert it into energy as quickly as usual, which may cause weight gain. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so make sure you stay hydrated.
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