Did you know that chronic stress can lead to abdominal weight gain? This post is your ultimate guide on how to lose stress belly fat.
Let’s face it, life can be extremely demanding. And while trying to get through the hustle and bustle of every day, you may notice a new roundness in your tummy area that wasn’t there before.
This unexplained weight gain is commonly known as stress belly fat. As the name suggests, stress belly fat is excess stomach fat that results from chronic or prolonged stress.
Thankfully, there are some simple ways to reduce stress-related belly fat. Read on to learn more!
Ways that Stress Causes Belly Fat
How does stress lead to excess belly fat?
Evolutionary speaking, the body’s stress response is required for survival. In the early days, the body adopted various ways to escape dangerous situations by stimulating the adrenal glands to release cortisol.
Cortisol triggers the organs and muscles of the body to release energy to escape danger. Chronic stress leads to an increase in cortisol levels, which can cause a cortisol imbalance.
This imbalance leads to stress belly fat and the following symptoms:
Excess hunger and uncontrollable eating
When the body is in a state of fight or flight, it needs as much energy as possible to protect itself. This triggers the body’s hunger receptors.
This is why after a stressful day at the office, you might notice yourself eating more than you’re used to – particularly stuffing in high calorie foods.
Impulsive food choices
When the body is stressed, you are more likely to crave food such as cakes, fried food, and sweets that are high in calories and sugar.
Eating all these unhealthy foods won’t only worsen belly fat, it can ultimately cause other health issues.
Disrupted sleep
The adult body needs at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep to repair itself. Unfortunately, stress can cut into your regular sleep cycle which can further increase your cortisol levels.
With time, the disrupted sleep can manifest in your body as hypertension, and of course as stress belly fat.
Slower metabolism
As you become more sedentary, experience a distorted sleep pattern, and binge eat fatty foods, your body’s metabolism changes.
This makes it even harder for you to lose weight you may have gained.
7 Ways to Get Rid of Stress Belly Fat
When too much cortisol is released by the body, it leads to the newfound softness around your midsection. Luckily, there is a solution.
Here are 7 ways to reduce stress and get rid of stress belly fat:
1. Gentle exercise
Exercising is great at reducing overall body fat. However, intense exercises such as HIIT or CrossFit can trigger the release of cortisol, which makes exercising counterproductive.
Instead, go for gentle exercises like yoga that will calm your mind and reduce the body’s release of cortisol.
2. Get more sleep
As you get older, your body needs lots of rest to repair itself after the day’s stress.
Failure to get at least eight hours of sleep can lead to the development of abdominal fat. This is why you need to rest your body to get benefits such as hormonal balance, and mental and muscular repair.
3. Meditate
As an adult you have responsibilities that you can’t run away from. And while not everyone can ‘eat pray love’ their way through life, there are other ways you can alleviate your stress.
A simple one is meditation. Not only is it good at making you feel at peace mentally, but it can also help in getting rid of stress belly fat.
4. Reduce alcohol
Happy hour and TGI Fridays are a great way to let loose after what seemed like a never ending week! But, doing it regularly isn’t going to help you get rid of stress belly fat.
Your favorite cocktail is very high in calories and drinking them every Friday night can lead to the build-up of adipose tissue along your midsection.
Cutting back on your consumption of alcohol and taking water or sugar-free beverages is what’s best for you health-wise, and in ridding yourself of your belly fat.
5. Fill up on stress-reducing food
When you’re stressed, you might notice yourself having an increased appetite and craving foods that are high in calories. The bad news is that these foods can cause inflammation, which leads to fatty tissue developing in your midsection.
Instead, try filling up on healthy, anti-inflammatory food, and meals rich in vitamin B.
Not only are they stress-reducing but they are filling and nutritious options. Examples of stress-reducing food are nuts, fish, green tea, turmeric, chamomile, and yogurt.
6. Try dry brushing
Dry body brushing is one of the oldest forms of skincare. This detoxifying treatment is a great way to stimulate circulation and lymph flow in the body.
It’s also very relaxing and helps to reduce stress. An additional benefit is that brushing the stomach helps stimulate the digestive system, which is important for reducing belly fat.
Using a natural bristle brush like the Tone & Glow Body Brush, brush over dry skin for several minutes before showering. Regularly practicing dry brushing can help get rid of stress belly fat.
7. Apply Tummy Sleek
Applying skincare products can be a self-care ritual that helps reduce stress, improves skin texture, and makes you feel better about yourself.
You can get even more benefits by applying a product specifically made for the belly area, like Tummy Sleek. This tummy tightening serum helps firm the skin in the abdominal area, while reducing puffiness with caffeine and circulation-boosting botanical ingredients.
Bye-Bye Stress Belly!
If you notice that you’re starting to develop stress belly fat, then it’s a sign that you’ve been overworking yourself and need to de-stress!
The benefits of reducing stress go way beyond wanting to make it on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Being less stressed can improve every single aspect of your life and prevent you from burning out or developing health issues.
A great way to jumpstart your journey to get rid of stress belly fat is by using our Toned Tummy Kit.
The Toned Tummy Kit isn’t your regular flat belly solution. It includes tools that will increase the effectiveness of your stress belly-reducing routine. The complete firming & smoothing regimen includes Tummy Sleek and the Tone & Glow Body Brush.
