Stress is directly linked to weight gain....

Most of us associate excess body fat over eating and lack of exercise but stress has both a physiological and psychological effect on you when it comes to fat loss!

Firstly, many of us don't even realise we are experiencing stress but if you have a busy lifestyle, a family to look after or a busy career then its likely you experience it in some way shape or form almost daily.

Clues of stress might include feeling like you rarely have a good night sleep, iritibility, lack motivation to eat well or exercise and needing copious amounts of coffee to just get through the day.

Stress makes it extremely hard to have any will power to say no to the chocolate or the wine or to get up off the sofa to go and workout.

From working in fitness for over 10 years I have consistently seen clients who were doing really well until a stressful situation arose at home or work and the first thing they have done is ditch the healthy diet and often stop their training.

When we are stressed, exercise and diet motivation slips down the priority list and we are prone to reach for the comforts of alcohol or sweet foods.

A couple of reasons for this are...

Increased levels of cortisol - Cortisol is a stress hormone produced in the body when we are experiencing stress and research has shown that higher levels of cortisol affect a persons appetite levels.

Higher cortisol levels can lead to increased insulin levels that then drop blood sugar causing cravings for high calorie fatty or sugary foods.

Remember hormones do not directly cause weight gain - ONLY a surplus of calories beyond our requirements can make us increase weight. But hormones can affect our appetite levels which can contribute to us over eating and therefore over consuming calories.

Emotional or stress eating is one of the biggest reasons for people slipping up with their diets so managing stress should not be overlooked by anyone who is trying to lose weight and get fit. 

Another way stress can impact you is through lowering the quality and quantity of sleep. Sleep is the brains way of resetting, repairing, organising and processing all of its data after each day and a plethora of research has been carried out into the importance of sleep for health. 

Research has shown that healthy sleep patterns reduce appetite levels and can also reduce risk of many diseases including heart disease. Sleep also has a physiological affect on your hunger hormones Leptin and Ghrelin...

Leptin is a hormone responsible for decreasing hunger while Ghrelin is responsible for increasing hunger. Reduced quantity of sleep leads to a decreased output of Leptin and increased levels of Ghrelin which is a sure fire way to give yourself a very large appetite!

Ok so we have covered why stress keeps us fat but lets face it, its unlikely you can give your kids up for adoption or tell your boss to go to hell when they are pushing more work on you...So what can you do that's quick and effective to combat stress?

The easy win or the first one to tackle should be;

Get more Sleep...

Its not some secret unknown life hack but more sleep can and will help reduce stress so it should be the first thing to aim to improve. I get that if you have young kids this will be tough but it doesn't mean it can't be worked on.

Most people have routines for their kids bedtime...why? Because kids sleep better and function better with a good sleep routine and so do adults! Having definitive bed times and sleep routines can help you get sleepy in the evenings. 


Look I am not perfect with my sleep but I have noticed a big difference in my stress and happiness by getting to be bed at my set time and getting enough sleep.

Make some 'YOU' time...

This can include listening to your favourite relaxing music, having regular massages or reading a book in the bath - This just needs to be 5-15 mins in your day where you can just do something for you - mega important if your are super busy!

Mindfulness meditation...

I've saved this one until last because this is a game changer! Mindfulness has been proven to reduce stress and improve focus in those that practice this for as little as a few minutes per day. 

Plus when it comes to weight loss, a systematic review of all the studies up to 2018 concluded that:

"mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) are effective in reducing weight and improving obesity related eating behaviours in people who are overweight or obese"

So if you struggle with emotional/ stress eating, this is a really important finding and should encourage you to try mindfulness meditation and it has never been easier to do. 

Apps such as Headspace or Calm allow you to do 3-5 minute mindfulness sessions that can promote relaxation and will in turn reduce stress and its negative side affects when it comes to losing weight.

Do you have any stress busting routines?