7 Ways To Beat Stress Fat

Anxiety is a powerful biological trigger for weight gain. Here's how to stop it - fast. By Nancy Kalish

For most of us, stress is a fact of life. Unfortunately, recent research reveals that it's also a fact of fat. "Even if you usually eat healthfully and exercise, chronic high stress can prevent you from losing weight - or even add pounds," says Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, a Prevention advisor and the author of Body for life for Woman. But you can fight back!

Here's what happens: Your body responds to all stress - physical or psychological - in exactly the same way. So when you have a stressful day, your brain acts as though you're in physical danger and instructs your cells to release potent hormones. You get a burst of adrenaline, which taps stored energy so you can fight or flee. At the same time, you get a surge of cortisol, which tells your body to replenish that energy even though you haven't used many calories, making you hungry. And your body keeps on pumping out cortisol as long as the stress continues.

Sadly, few of us reach for a carrot sticks in these situations. "Instead, we crave sweet, salty, and high-fat foods because they stimulate the brain to release pleasure chemical that actually do reduce tension," explains Elissa Epel, PhD, a researcher on stress eating at the University of California, San Francisco. This soothing effect becomes addicting, so every time you're anxious, you reach for fattening foods.

In addition, with your adrenal glands pumping out cortisol, production of the muscle-building hormone testosterone slows down. "Over time, this drop causes a decrease in yoiur muscle mass, so you burn fewer calories," explains Shawn Talbott, PhD, author of The Cortisol Connection.

Cortisol also encourages your body to store fat - especially visceral fat, which is particularly dangerous because it surrounds vital organs and releases fatty acids into your blood, raising cholesterol and insulin levers and paving the way for heart disease and diabetes.

Obviously, getting rid of all anxiety isn't an option. But by taking these steps to beat stress, you can get your corisol levels and your weight under control while improving your overall health.

1. Drop and Do 10

   That's right, power out some pushups. "Moving your muscles is an effective, instant stress reliever. It actually fools your body into thinking you're escaping the source of your stress," says Talbott. "Exercise makes your blood circulate more quickly, transporting the cortisol to your kidneys, and flushing it out of your system." Even a stroll is beneficial. In one study, Talbott found that 18 minutes of walking three times per week can lower the hormone's levels by 15%.

2. Go Slowly at Meals

   Under stress, we tend to scarf down even healthy food, and research has linked this to bigger portions and more belly fat. But Epel hypothesizes that slowing down and paying attention to feelings of fullness may lower cortisol levels along with decreasing the amount of food you eat, thereby shifting the distribution of fat away from the belly.

3. Stop Strict Dieting

   Research shows that constant dieting can make cortisol levels rise as much as 18%. In addition, when your cortisol levels spike, your blood sugar goes haywire, first rising, then plummeting. This makes you cranky and ravenous. When your brain is deprived of sugar - its main fuel - self-control takes a nosedive. "The only way around this is to stop rigid dieting," says Peeke. She suggests eating healthy meals and two snacks spaced evenly throughout the day so that your blood sugar stays level: "You won't be hungry, you won't be stressed about being hungry, and you'll still drop the extra pounds."

4. Give In to Cravings

   When stress drives you toward something sweet or salty, it's okay to yield a little. "It's much better to indulge in a small way and cut off your cortisol response before it gets out of control," says Epel. "Have a piece of chocolate. You will feel better. Just stop at one. "If you have trouble restraining yourself, take precautions so you won't binge. Buy a single cookie when you're out instead of keeping a box at home.

5. Curtail Caffeine

   Next time you're under duress, choose decaf. Combining stress with caffeine raises cortisol levels more than stress alone. In one study by the University of Oklahoma, consuming the equivalent of 2 ½ to 3 cups of coffee while under mild stress boosted cortisol by about 25% - and kept it up for 3 hours. When aubjects took 600 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of 6 cups of java) throughout the day, the hormones went up by 30% and stayed high all day long. You'll experience these effects even if your body is accustomed to a lot of lattes. And because high cortisol levels can contribute to stress eating, you might want to quit caffeine altogether.

6. De-stress Breakfast

   Deficiencies in B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium are stressful to your body, leading to increases cortisol levels and cravings, says Talbott. He suggests eating a breakfast that's high in these nutrients: OJ, a grapefruit, or strawberries to supply vitamin C; 6 to 8 ounces of low fat yogurt, which contains calcium and magnesium; and whole grain toast with peanut butter. Whole grains have B vitamins, while peanut butter packs fatty acids that can lower the production of stress hormones.

7. Sleep It Off

   The most effective stress-reduction strategy of all: Get enough shut-eye. "Your body perceives sleep deprivation as a major stressor," says Talbott. A University of Chicago study found that getting an average of 6 ½ hours each night can increase corisol, appetite, and weight gain. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours per night. As if that weren't enough, other research shows that lack of sleep also raises levels of ghrelin, a hunger boosting hormone. The good news: A few night of solid sleep can bring all this back into balance, and getting enough regularly helps keep it there.

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