If this has happened to you then you are a victim of stress, honey. Stress is bad. Not only does it rack our senses but it also makes our body release an awful hormone called cortisol.  This hormone slows down your metabolism so that even if you aren’t eating any more calories than you used to your body isn’t as adept at burning them and they get stored as fat.  Studies also show that the majority of this fat stored due to the release of cortisol goes right to the midsection.

Stress can also lead to emotional eating and crazy cravings.  When stress factors in, many turn to food for comfort. I don’t know about you but I don’t find much comfort in a nice fresh salad. I’d swing for a pint of ice cream or fried chicken wings. If there is a pattern of this the result is obvious: we gain weight.

If your stress comes from a busy schedule, then it can pile on even more pounds. There is so much to be done in one day that we don’t have time to cook a nice home-cooked meal with vegetables and lean meats. Uh-uh, we swing through the drive through and grab ourselves a yummy greasy hamburger.  Don’t even get me started on exercise! When are we supposed to fit that in? Impossible I say.

If this article is stressing you out more, stop! Don’t fret. It’s not too late! You can reverse the weight gain due to stress but it will take some changes in your lifestyle. Think about the things in your life you have committed yourself to. Are they all a priority or can some of them be eliminated? When you feel stress creeping in try a new stress relief technique until you find one that works for you.  Turn on some tunes, maybe something from your childhood with good memories. I always remembered jumping on my bed to Cindy Lauper. Meditation, yoga, and aromatherapy are all good. Take a hot bubble bath with scented candles. Get together with a friend that makes you laugh. Make it a weekly thing. The list is endless.

Here is a crazy idea that works. I know the last thing most want to do when stressed is exert themselves but exercise has been proven to combat stress. Not only is it a good outlet for your frustrations but it also decreases that nasty hormone we were talking about, cortisol, and it releases endorphins. Endorphins are the opposite of cortisol. They are good hormones that make you feel happy and carefree. Exercise also has been known to make you better able to handle any future stress you may encounter. So try a nice run in a scenic park and empty your mind. Relieve the stress and recover your abs!