Saturday, October 4, 2008

More Stress = Larger Stomach?


I really can't figure out why stress makes me overeat. I mean, my stomach hasn't grown along with my stress levels, so where is it all going? A few weeks ago before all of my anxiety occurred, I was content and always felt full with a "normal" serving. Now, it seems as though I am always hungry and I can't ever seem to fill the hole.

According to what I have experienced and read on other blogs, it appears that this is a common trend amongst most of us.

If anyone would like to shed some light on this mystery, I would greatly appreciate any insight. It has always made me scratch my head. I would love to hear your opinions.

6 comments:

elife said...

It's a hormone thing - stress makes certain hormones that make you hungrier.

I'm sorry you're stressed :(

Cristina said...

Ditto what she said.
I just read an article on Women's Health (Oct issue) on this subject. Cortisol. Research suggests that cortisol and stress can interfere with the signals that control appetite. It can suppress our brain's normal reward system, and feeling tense can make you crave dessert even after a big meal. Check out the article is you can (p.142)

Anonymous said...

Yep, cortisol is mean stuff. It also can cause you to store fat around the belly, which is more dangerous for the heart. Stress is a weird thing, and not fun at all. I hope you are feeling better soon. *Hugs* Wish there was something I could do to help...
~Bethany

Lynn said...

Several of you have referred to cortisol being a not-so-good hormone. I have had issues with cortisol in the past, and I completely agree with the havoc it reeks on our bodies.

However, what I am wondering is...where does all the extra food go? My stomach is only so big, so why can I eat all day long? :)

Natalia said...

I don't know about any of this. Though the more I exercise the hungrier I am. I hate being hungry.

Sorry that your stressing so much!

Karen Butler Ogle said...

It sounds more psychological to me. I am seeking weight loss surgery and have been researching it endlessly. There is a phenomenon called "head Hunger" that happens even to a person who has had their stomach resozed to only hold 2 ounces. The hunger comes not from an empty stomach but from the "head". Somewhere along the line, people can learn to use food as comfort and even though they may not be physically hungry, the crave the comfort of eating certain things. I believe some types of sugar maybe chocolate, cause endorphins to be released. I saw something on discovery health about some testing that is being done. Anyway, I'm a stress eater too. When, I'm stress free, I have no problem at all controlling my appetite. I can lose a significant amount of weight but then when things get stressful, I start gaining it back.
I wish you the best.
Sunshine