How to keep stress from making you overweight?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, the obesity rate in the U.S. was 42.4 percent. In 2008, it cost $147 billion to treat people who were overweight in the U.S. The United Health Foundation found that South Carolina had an obesity rate of 34.3 percent in 2019.

HCA Healthcare reported that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress is a big problem in the world. How much stress someone thinks they are under can change how the body acts. This can cause people to get sick in all kinds of ways.

An article in Eating & Weight Disorder found a link between high level of chemicals in the body and stress. Another study in Biological Research for Nursing showed that stress causes changes in the body. This makes you hungry. You might eat too much and gain weight.

How can you stop gaining weight if you are worrying? You need to figure out how to not worry so much. There are things you can do to help.

Meditation is one way to help. Focusing on what you see, hear, smell or taste can take your mind off the things causing stress. It allows you to focus on right now. You might think about the ocean if you like it. You can think about how it sounds with the waves or how the warm sand feels. This focuses your mind on something besides what you are worrying about. Exercise is another good way to help you worry less. Taking a walk gives you a change of scenery and changes the chemicals in your body, which can reduce stress. Hugging someone you love can cause the body to release “the cuddle hormone,” and makes you feel happy. Sitting quietly to relax your muscles, one at a time, while focusing on your breathing, can direct your mind to a peaceful place. Eating a healthy diet can also help.

Science shows a poor diet – one that is high in fat and sugar, for instance – may make you feel better now; however, it will change your body’s reaction to stress in the long run. Last of all, getting rid of the things in your life that cause the stress, is a good way to get rid of the stress. Spending too much time watching the news, being on the phone or computer, or drinking caffeine are a few things that could be causing you more stress. Getting rid of those things may allow your mind to be at peace.

To help keep weight under control, it requires a conscious effort to control the things you can that cause stress. This can help you stay healthy and be less likely to develop diseases that are caused by being overweight.