Not Able to Lose Weight? Stress May Be the Culprit.

It happens to all of us. We’re running late for work and grab a donut instead of the oatmeal and Greek yogurt we were planning to eat.

Meetings ran late into lunch and we only have five minutes to scarf down some cold pizza left over from a group that was catering their lunch today. Made it to daycare just in time to grab the kids and feeling exhausted you swing by a local fast food joint to grab a bucket of fried chicken.

Don't feel guilty or embarrassed. With today's long hours and hectic schedules, it's hard not to let life’s daily stress contribute to our selection of poor and unhealthy food choices. Ironically though, these poor and unhealthy choices may actually be contributing to our stress levels.

Bad Food Choices and the Stress Cycle

There is a psychological component to our cravings for sugar, carbs and generally unhealthy food choices. "People eat to feed their souls," says Dr. Christian VanDenBerg, director of the Executive Health Program at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. "You find the person who is stressed out picks the candy bars, the chips, and this and that throughout the day, and they just take in more calories than they need and gain weight. And that often aggravates the general problem, because it affects your body image and you get more stressed out."

In the long run, high levels of stress can change how your body digests food, putting you at greater risk for weight gain or even diabetes. While we may be drawn to sugary snacks while stressed, these types of foods will not provide lasting fuel, leaving us feeling even more run down. "Sweet and fatty foods are a quick pick-me-up, but they don't energize in the long term," says Fred Luskin of the Stanford Forgiveness Project. "You get an immediate sense of relief, followed by a crash and burn."

Additionally, relying on other forms of energy, such as an extra cup of coffee to get you through the day can compound the strain to your system. Caffeine "can mimic some of the effects of stress," explains Carolyn Lopez of the American Academy of Family Physicians. "It might increase your heart rate; it can affect your blood vessels." Also, adds Lopez, intaking high amounts of sodium as found in most unhealthy snacks "can actually cause you to work both your kidneys and your blood vessels more."

Keep your diet clean

Over time, all these stress cravings can contribute to a vicious cycle. If you continue to eat unhealthily, your body will become more vulnerable to stress often leading to the potential for increased weight gain, sickness, and depression.

The cleaner and healthier your diet, the easier it will be for your body to handle and protect itself from stressful situations.

So, while we are not advocating for you to never have a salty or sugary snack, just remember the cleaner your diet, the better chance you have of protecting your body from all of life’s stressors.

Next time you're having a stressful moment and about to reach for that candy bar, grab a piece of fruit instead. Find foods that fuel you and taste good!

With Love & Kindness,

Justin & Leah

Leah Scott and Justin Andrade founded Upgrade Your Joy. A program that educates you on how to bring more joy and wellness into your relationships through small daily actions. They live in Carlsbad, CA with their 3 boys and are enjoying life and having fun one day at a time.

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