Stress and weight?

[suckedinbyinstagram]

Is high cortisol a thing? I keep getting Instagram ads to beat cortisol which means that you will finally be able to shift the weight
I have def gained weight due to stress 6/7 years ago made worse by covid
And haven't been able to shift it since

Don't drink much at all or smoke. Food is my comfort
Am a size 16 and weigh nearly 14 stone
☹️

I've also been seeing articles/adverts about recently but I'm not sure what the 'treatments' for reducing it are? I'm now late 40s and have been fairly stressed over the last few years and have put weight on. Like you I don't smoke, drink very little but food has been my comfort. Exercise wise I have taken up swimming again over the last few years but it hasn't shifted much weight.

My understanding is that cortisol is a hormone that slows down/blocks weight loss, it comes from the adrenal gland and when stressed that gland goes into overdrive. I've also read that once women get into their 40s when exercising, cardio workouts (with running being the most punishing exercise) aren't as 'good' for us as they were in our 20-30s as it can stress our bodies and make us release more cortisol. The articles I've read suggest swimming is the best exercise for not stressing your body and to do it little and often which is what I do and I have noticed when I am swimming frequently and watching what I eat I do lose a bit of weight but things like Christmas, Birthdays and holidays I tend to put back on but since swimming I've not gone over what I weighed when I started out, just yo-yoed.

Would be good to hear from anyone more knowledgeable. My understanding is from articles that I've read but there's that much information out there you don't know what's true and what's bullshit.

I've decided over the next three months I'm going to really track my calories in and out (although I'm pretty sure I'm already burning more calories than I'm eating) and then in September if I'm still not losing weight I'll speak to my GP about it.

Exercise reduces cortisol levels.

But how?
If exercise, especially intensive ones, cause stress on your body, how does it stop that gland from producing more cortisol?

I don't understand the science but I 100% believe my weight is linked to stress and my mis management of it. I can maintain my weight with normal life stress but when things get difficult I rapidly gain, when all is going well I lose it with effort, this takes all my mental energy which is why i can't focus at other times. I still don't know how to cope with stress other than eating so the only solution is find ways to reduce daily stress and accept that there will be times when things go off plan. I gave up the weigh ins for a while and got reflexology, started yoga and some cbt therapy. Progress is slow but it had been more successful than focusing on food.

@Alalalalalongalalalalalonglonglilong look into my deep brown eyes!!!! I will be singing your user name all night now😂😂😂

I also struggle with stress eating and "being good" takes all my mental focus which I am struggling with.

I feel like when I'm stressed, the first thing I do is eat less and lose weight! I'm at the brink of being classed underweight so it's not even a good thing lol

Afternoon bump

Cortisol is caused by emotional stress - it is the hormone preparing you for for fight or flight response. Being physically active is the equivalent of the fight or flight response so the cortisol is basically being used as fuel rather than remaining in your body.

@DatingDinosaur

DrunkenKoala
But how?
If exercise, especially intensive ones, cause stress on your body, how does it stop that gland from producing more cortisol?

Cortisol is caused by emotional stress - it is the hormone preparing you for for fight or flight response. Being physically active is the equivalent of the fight or flight response so the cortisol is basically being used as fuel rather than remaining in your body.

Thank you for explaining.

As PPs have said cortisol is the stress hormone, so if you are very stressed your body is flooded with cortisol and is in permanent fight or flight mode. When your body goes into this mode your body hangs on to calories/fat, as an ancient reflex to sustain the body in crisis.

Prolonged and heavy exercise can stress the body and so trigger cortisol production, so too much exercise can be counterproductive if you are trying to lose weight.

I really recommend Dr Rangan Chatterjee's book Feel Great Lose Weight, he explains it really well.

And what about all this "somatic" stuff? Is that snake oil?