5 Ways Stress Keeps You From Losing Fat

It is a fact: all living beings experience stress. This is because stress is not a disease or a special condition, but rather, it is a natural response of our organism to challenging situations that come our way(1).

In fact, certain amounts of stress are necessary and can even be beneficial(1,2). For example, it's thanks to stress that we can react quickly in dangerous situations, achieve a good score during a competition, or perform better when we are up against time.

However, being chronically stressed is a whole different story. Being constantly immersed in stressful situations can have a number of negative consequences for our bodies(1), including making us more likely to have high levels of body fat.

So if your goal is to lower your fat percentage, keep a close eye on your stress levels. We're here to tell you all about how stress could be sabotaging your efforts to lose fat.

How Does Stress Occur?

The first thing that needs to happen is the presence of an external stimulus: the stressor (1). For example, workload, household responsibilities, an important upcoming event, etc. The body then triggers a series of reactions involving three glands: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands (3).

First, the hypothalamus will produce corticotropin-releasing hormone, which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to produce corticotropin. This hormone heads to the adrenal glands, where cortisol is ultimately secreted (3). Cortisol then gets released into the bloodstream, generating the physical and emotional reactions we experience when we are stressed.

Then, once  cortisol levels in the blood rise, the first two glands recognize that  it's time to stop stimulating its production and this is how we are able to self-regulate our physiological response to stress (3). This feedback system is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis).

But, If We are Able of Self-Regulating our Stress, Why Could It Be Harmful?

The issue arises when cortisol production is excessive and prolonged, meaning we're in a constant state of stress. Our self-regulation system gets damaged: we lose sensitivity to the signal that tells us it's time to stop producing this hormone(3). That's when we begin to suffer the negative effects of chronic stress.

Cortisol is the hormone that produces stress symptoms. Our body has a feedback system responsible for producing cortisol when needed and stopping its production when enough has been produced. However, this system gets damaged when we're under constant stress.

How does stress affect fat loss?

Chronic stress can lead to numerous consequences such as a weakened immune system, increased risk of hypertension, depression, anxiety, and others (4).. Moreover, it can hinder or complicate the loss of body fat for various reasons:

1. It alters your appetite regulation.

Ghrelin and leptin are the two main hormones responsible for appetite regulation. The former increases the sensation of hunger, while the latter is responsible for its inhibition.

Both hormones are related to the HPA axis and it has been observed that when this axos is deregulated, the normal concentrations of ghrelin and leptin tend to become disproportionate (5). This means that individuals with chronic stress having a tendency to eat in larger quantities(6).

An increased appetite is likely to produce excessive caloric intake and thus a caloric surplus (causing weight gain).

2. Makes you prefer hyper-palatable foods.

Chronic stress will not only cause you to eat more, but your choices may not be the best. Studies in both, animals and humans, have shown that there is a tendency to choose hyperpalatable foods, which are considered more "exquisite" by our taste and labeled by some as "addictive". This group includes foods such as donuts, hamburgers, sweets, ice cream and "junk" food in general. All of them have the characteristic of being high in sugars, energy and/or fats (5,6,7,8). These foods function as a sort of "relief" from stress, as they activate the reward system of our nervous system(7).

Just like the previous point, this considerably increases our daily calorie intake since hyperpalatable foods are tipically high in caloric density.

3. It reduces your level of physical activity.

Feeling fatigued is another common effect of stress(2). This, in turn, makes it difficult to engage in regular and scheduled physical activity, which is crucial for fat loss.

Additionally, chronically high levels of cortisol are positively correlated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as poor sleep quality. All of these factors diminish the motivation to exercise (7).

4. It's associated to higher levels of body fat

Moreover, several studies have confirmed the association between stress levels (cortisol activity and dysregulation of the HPA axis) and higher levels of body fat, as measured by various indicators (9,10).

Chronic stress conditions also lead to an increase in both the hyperplasia and hypertrophy of adipocytes, meaning the body's fat cells grow in both size and number, boosting the percentage of subcutaneous fat (10). This is because glucocorticoids (like cortisol) stimulate the maturation of of the cells that form adipocytes (10).

5. Makes gaining muscle mass more difficult

Lastly, it has been found that the physiological changes stemming from chronic stress create a metabolic environment that hinders muscle mass gain (10).. Excessive activation of the HPA axis and elevated cortisol levels in the blood affect the proper functioning of muscle cells, specifically their mitochondrial function. This leads to a greater susceptibility to muscle mass loss (sarcopenia) and the infiltration of fat into the muscles (myosteatosis)(10).

We know that when we want to lose body fat, it is essential to increase or at least maintain our lean mass. Therefore, when muscle mass loss occurs, there will be an increase in the body fat percentage, and once again, high levels of stress prove detrimental to the goal of fat loss.

Stress Management Strategies

Fortunately, it's possible to avoid or reverse the effects of chronic stress. While it's true that we can't always control the external factors causing our stress, we can control how we deal with it.

Now that you understand how this can impact your progress, the ideal move would be to start implementing strategies that help you manage your stress levels. Evidence indicates that there are many different methods with beneficial effects (11, 12, 13, 14). So, here is a list of activities/recommendation you can start incorporating to improve how you handle stress:

• Psychological therapy
• Practice yoga and meditation
• Engaging in mindfulness practices
• Attending massage sessions
• Trying music therapy
• Regular exercise (including both strength training and/or cardiovascular workouts)
• Diaphragmatic breathing exercises (deep, controlled breaths)
• Aromatherapy (with candles and/or essential oil diffusers)
• Spending time with loved ones and pets
• Laughing. Yes, simply laughing can help you lower cortisol levels.
• Disconnect from the hustle and bustle and spend time in nature.
• Avoid excess caffeine (coffee, soda, tea, etc.).
• Have physical contact with people you care about (hugs, kisses, etc.).