Anxiety can make you gain weight because it causes changes in the production of hormones, reduces motivation to have a healthy lifestyle and causes episodes of binge eating, in which the individual ends up eating large amounts of food in an attempt to improve their mood and reduce anxiety. .
Anxiety is the feeling of fear that occurs as a temporary, natural and normal response of the body to situations that cause a lot of stress, resulting in symptoms such as constant worry, lack of appetite, difficulty relaxing and concentrating, for example. Additionally, some people may have a greater desire to eat during an anxiety attack.
Therefore, it is important that anyone who has gained considerable weight without having been diagnosed with another disease consults a psychologist so that the cause can be identified and the most appropriate treatment can be initiated with the aim of promoting weight loss. symptoms of anxiety and depression and, consequently, weight gain.
Main causes
Anxiety can cause weight gain in both younger people and adults, due to the way people respond to stressful and anxious situations. This happens due to the confusion of emotional states with the feeling of hunger and anxiety and the way it is relieved, with food consumption being the main way.
It is important to mention that hunger and appetite are not the same thing. Hunger is the organic need for energy to maintain the body’s basic functions, while appetite is the desire for foods mainly rich in sugar and/or fat. This is why anxiety combined with appetite tends to promote weight gain.
1. Anxiety causes Binge Eating
Anxiety causes moments of binge eating, with an increase in consumption especially of sweets, bread, pasta and other foods that are sources of simple carbohydrates and sugar. This naturally causes a large increase in calorie consumption, leading to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.
These moments of bingeing happen because sweet or carbohydrate-rich foods stimulate the production of serotonin, a hormone that generates a feeling of well-being in the body, momentarily alleviating obesity.
2. Anxiety decreases motivation
Anxiety also reduces the individual’s motivation to pursue a healthy lifestyle, making them less willing to practice physical activity and eat well. This happens mainly due to excess cortisol, a stress hormone, which also leaves the body feeling tired and out of spirits.
What to do
To reduce anxiety, you can use simple strategies such as walking outdoors daily and doing relaxation activities, such as practicing yoga and meditation. Getting a good night’s sleep and practicing physical activity regularly also help relieve stress and reduce the body’s production of excess cortisol.
To control episodes of binge eating, you must have a balanced diet and eat every 3 or 4 hours, as this reduces hunger and helps reduce the desire to eat. Furthermore, being monitored by a nutritionist helps you choose meals that improve your mood and reduce the desire to eat sweets.
To have more motivation, you can use strategies such as going to practice physical activity outdoors or with a friend for company, participating in groups on social networks that are made up of people who are also going through the weight loss process. and ask friends and family to also try to have a healthy routine to serve as encouragement.
Regularly consuming foods rich in omega-3, such as sardines, salmon, tuna and chestnuts, and foods rich in tryptophan, such as bananas, oats and brown rice, also help improve mood and keep motivation high. Establishing real weight loss goals together with a nutritionist also helps to maintain a healthy weight loss pace and reduce personal pressure to lose weight quickly.
Watch the video below and check out more tips on what to do to combat stress and anxiety:
