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A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Has anyone lost weight just through stress?

51 replies

Stressedstresser · 04/12/2019 19:44

I popped on scales for first time in few months today and have lost half a stone! Was in healthy weight range and still am so still ‘healthy’.

No change to diet or exercise level, only difference is I having been feeling really stressed (work and home issues) recently. Has anyone else lost weight just through stress?

I’m amazed and also slightly concerned that there could be a hidden cause?

OP posts:
pickletickled · 04/12/2019 21:57

Yip almost 4 stone in around 6 or 7 months.
Lack of appetite/not eating definitely played a part but I also felt on edge quite a lot during that time too.

EL8888 · 04/12/2019 21:58

Yep a good half a stone when my marriage broke down

Pinkcloud88 · 02/01/2020 00:45

Yes I've lost weight when stressed OP. How are you feeling now? Has your weight loss stabilised?

ParkheadParadise · 02/01/2020 00:55

Yes I've lost weight when stressed.
I lost over a stone when pregnant with dd2.
After she was born I went straight back into size 10 clothes.
By the following year I was a size 6-8.
I looked awful.

EBearhug · 02/01/2020 01:02

I found the terminally ill parent diet very effective. When I am a bit stressed, I tend to comfort eat and put on weight, but more extreme stress means I lose my appetite and can't eat properly. I also lost weight through work stress at one point.

I found it a bit distressing that on top of everything else I couldn't control, my clothes were literally falling off me because of the weight loss.

AutumnRose1 · 02/01/2020 01:08

A stone and a half in about six weeks! Sadly it didn’t stay off.

MellowMelly · 02/01/2020 08:13

Yes about 1 1/2 stone a few years back in about two months. It was the stress of two deaths in one week and an abusive relationship. When I’m stressed I definitely snack less and then the Adrenalin of just trying to cope seems to burn my weight off rapidly.

Pinkcloud88 · 02/01/2020 09:44

@ParkheadParadise that's a lot of weight for you to drop to a 6-8. How tall are you? I lost a lot after bereavement, took a while to gain it back. Unfortunately I'm overweight now and trying to lose it. Did you gain it back?

Babdoc · 02/01/2020 10:02

Half a stone in a week when my DH died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. The stress of wondering how I would support two babies on my own, plus grief at losing my soulmate, meant I hardly slept and struggled to eat.
I wouldn’t recommend it. And I still miss him 28 years later.

Pinkcloud88 · 02/01/2020 10:09

@babdoc so sorry

ParkheadParadise · 02/01/2020 12:56

@Pinkcloud88
I'm 5'5. I'm now back in a size 10. I was always a 12.The last 4yrs have not been good stress wise.

fastliving · 02/01/2020 23:11

Yes I lose weight when I'm very stressed (I thought this was very common).
I feel full of nervous energy, lose my appetite, can't sleep, don't socialise with food & drink so much, go running more to try and release the tension - you can see how it adds up to equal weight loss.
I have only been stressed like this twice in my life so far, they were very difficult times and I hope I don't have to go through similar ever again.

Pinkcloud88 · 03/01/2020 08:40

@fastliving yes its normal I think. I've had similar in the past. It can happen quickly too which can be alarming

Pinkcloud88 · 03/01/2020 08:41

@ParkheadParadise glad you've managed to put some weight back on. Hope 2020 is better for you 🌸

Januaryjanuary · 07/01/2020 16:39

I've lost loads down to stress and going through a difficult time. Found it impossible to eat and lost weight quickly. Also hard to put it back on

Bluntness100 · 07/01/2020 16:43

Yes, I had a stressful busy period at work a few years back and lost a shit ton of weight , in fact I recall one colleague bringing in a protein bar and saying, eat! I hadn't really realised, nor noticed I was visibly loosing weight. But others had.

Marleyj8 · 10/01/2020 23:13

I have, after having my DS. Went from a 14 to a 8. I looked ill

Lausch95 · 24/04/2020 17:58

Struggling with this at the moment, suffer from anxiety and haven't been eating properly for about 6 weeks! I haven't weighed myself but my skinny jeans are a bit loose on the waist so I think I've lost weight. Problem is that I don't have much on me to begin with.

fairyfingers · 24/04/2020 22:47

Only once when I had pnd but that was when I physically couldn't eat. Lost 7lb in 10 days.

I have been hideously anxious and flooded with adrenaline, on a high state of alert for weeks. I have stopped sleeping, had massive brain fog etc. But as long as I could eat (which I almost always can) no weight loss and in fact the opposite.

I have never forgotten to eat either.

Frankiefree · 26/04/2020 15:16

Yes I most half a stone in a week at the beginning of my divorce. I was eating much less, but it’s strange, I could almost feel the weight coming off through some type of adrenaline.

Lausch95 · 26/04/2020 18:47

@frankiefree half a stone in a week is a lot! Poor you. Hope you gained it back and are OK now. Stress can do such strange things

Frankiefree · 26/04/2020 19:49

Yes I lost a pound a day! I've actually managed to keep it off. I look better slimmer and I'm determined to keep it off as I know it'd be really hard work if I wanted to lose the weight again in a normal situation.

Frankiefree · 26/04/2020 19:52

But I did need to lose the weight as I'm normally an emotional eater. The weight loss didn't last for long for me and I think I would have worried and worked hard to eat more if it had gone on for longer.

TheUnquestionedAnswer · 03/05/2020 06:57

Yes 7 years ago after the end of ltr with emotionally abusive ex. I went from about a size 16/18 to a size 10. I didn't know what I weighed. I was so stressed that I had to be prescribed anti-anxiety medication as well as sleeping tablets. My heart was constantly racing.

I started to feel the same way recently when I thought my mum was going to die in hospital, but it only lasted about a week. Not sure what I lost but definitely felt thinner.

Each time, I had an incredible thirst and food would just go straight through me, which is unusual for me, as I normally the other end of the scale in that department.

Daybydaybyday87 · 08/05/2020 01:35

@theunquestionedanswer sounds like me, I'm quite underweight at the moment due to anxiety and having no appetite.