HOW DO I GET RID OF STRESS BELLY FAT?

We often get asked, “How do I get rid of stress belly fat?”

Gaining weight due to stress is a very common problem. A lot of people in high-stress jobs or environments suffer from increased hunger, cravings, and fatigue as a result of the pressure they’re under. Stress makes it harder to rest well and make smart dietary choices, and can interfere with daily exercise time.

All of this leads to—yes, you guessed it—weight gain.

But if you’re wondering “How do I get rid of stress belly fat?” you’ve come to the right place.

In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at what stress belly fat is, what causes it, and what you can do to counteract it—and lose a lot of what you’ve gained!

How Do I Get Rid of Stress Belly Fat: Looking at Cause and Effect

Let’s start by taking a closer look at stress and how it causes you to gain weight…

Stress causes your body to produce more cortisol (also called the “stress hormone”), a hormone produced in your adrenal gland. Cortisol plays a role in a number of internal functions, including your metabolism and blood sugar regulation. When you experience a stressful situation, you get a “fight or flight” response, with your body producing a lot of adrenaline and cortisol to have more energy to deal with the stressful situation.

In the short-term, cortisol and adrenaline aren’t bad. They’re what help you to fight or flee. However, over time, elevated cortisol (as a result of stress) can trigger a number of negative internal reactions, including keeping your blood pressure raised, increasing the amount of sugar in your blood, and, unfortunately, causing your body to store more belly fat. That is why stress has been linked to obesity and abdominal weight gain.

Cortisol can interfere with healthy blood sugar regulation, making it harder for your body to control your appetite. With your blood sugar naturally higher, you’ll often feel like you’re hungry or craving something sugary or fatty (comfort foods) in order to maintain those cortisol-elevated sugar levels. Your metabolism will also slow down, causing you to produce less energy and store more fat.

Over the long-term, stress can lead to serious problems with your blood sugar, your body fat, and, of course, your metabolism. You’ll often feel more fatigued due to stress, no matter how much you eat. This isn’t the fault of the food—it’s because of the cortisol depressing your metabolism.

The answer to the question “How do I get rid of stress belly fat?” starts with eliminating stress. That is absolutely the first step in the process.

Easier said than done, I know! Stress feels like it’s just a normal part of life, and sometimes, you feel unable to do anything to reduce the stressors you encounter every day.

Here are some tips to help you manage your stress:

• Be more active. Exercise is an amazing stress-reducer. Not only does it help to balance out your hormones (and reduce cortisol), but it can actually relax your mind and body. The repetitive nature of exercise (running, rowing, cycling, etc.) can have a self-hypnotic effect that will clear your mind of stressful thoughts and restore a calm mental balance.

• Sleep more. Sleeping helps to raise your metabolism, increase overall relaxation, and counteract stress. After all, you can’t think stressful thoughts if you’re fast asleep. A lack of sleep can often contribute to increased fatigue and stress levels, so it’s imperative that you prioritize a good night’s rest every night.

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  Meditate. Meditation is incredibly calming and can help you to manage your stress in a productive way. There are countless meditative practices that will help you to process the emotions and feelings that are causing your stress in a way that is both healthy and relaxing.

• Keep a journal. Taking a few moments to write down your thoughts, feelings, worries, and stresses every day can make a world of difference! Being creative, even just in writing a few words, is very de-stressing, and journaling can give you an outlet for a lot of your pent-up tension.

Once you’ve taken the steps to reduce your stress, it’s time to focus on the fat-burning part of the process. You’ve already got the “be more active” part down—exercise is the best way to lose weight! Now, there are a few other things you can do:

• Fight cravings. You’re going to get cravings—they’re a normal part of life—but it’s imperative that you fight them. Avoid temptation, stay away from unhealthy foods (and restaurants), and anytime you get a craving, distract yourself by doing something healthy or productive. The cravings will typically go away in 10-15 minutes.

• Eat healthy. Cut back on fats and sugars, and focus on eating a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy plant-based fats. Stick to a healthy caloric intake and resist the urge to overeat to compensate for a stressful day!

How Do I Get Rid of Stress Belly Fat: Try Get Yoga Lean

If you want to get rid of both stress and belly fat, then Yoga Lean is exactly the course you need!

Yoga Lean incorporates the mental and physical benefits of Yoga into a highly effective weight-loss, fat-burning program that will push you to the limits of your fitness and help to combat the stress in your life. You’ll find that it’s an amazing workout that will also calm your mind and enable you to better manage the pressure that has contributed to your weight gain.

The answer to the question “How do I get rid of stress belly fat?” is, in our opinion, definitely going to be by trying Yoga Lean!