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Gaining weight but have no reason why? If you have been following your diet religiously and exercising regularly but are still gaining you may be puzzled. The answer could be stress. Stress not only increases your risk of getting sick by weakening your immune system but it can also rob you of sleep and lead to weight gain.

The hormone cortisol is released in your body when you are stress. It is produced by your adrenal glands and helps regulate blood pressure and the immune system. It is naturally released when a sudden event occurs which requires you to “fight or flight”. The problem is that when you are stressed, your body is always in this mode. Your body starts to produce this hormone in excess and this can kick your survival gear mode into high gear. Too much cortisol leads to the problems associated with stress – sleep difficulties, depression; blood sugar unbalanced, and weight gain.  Cortisol also makes you crave fatty foods and make you feel as if you are always hungry.  So how do you keep cortisol levels at bay?  Besides avoiding stress, exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce cortisol levels. Exercise makes your blood circulate more quickly, which transports the cortisol to your kidneys and flushes it out of your system. Even walking for 20 minutes 3 times per week can lower this hormone’s level by around 15%. Another way to reduce cortisol levels is to stop strict dieting. Ironically enough, restricting your calorie intake too much can make your cortisol levels spike as well as make your blood sugar levels go unstable.  Instead of depriving your brain of sugar, eat what you crave, but in moderation. Snack throughout the day and try to eat more often throughout the day, in small portions.

Although stress can never be completely avoided, following these tips to lower cortisol levels will help keep your weight under control, no matter what your stress level.