What is Stress Belly?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if stressful moments were just that…. moments? Unfortunately, for many of us, our stressors don’t seem to fade so easily.
As we may all know, stress can be harmful not only to our mental health, but to our physical health as well.
But constantly feeling stressed out can cause a hormone imbalance in our bodies, and lead to excess fat in the abdomen area.
When we’re under chronic stress, our bodies switch to protective mode and cortisol is released. This stress hormone tells our bodies to store fat as a survival mechanism, causing what we call stress belly.
Now imagine if you felt overwhelmed most of the time. Your body would continuously be reserving fat, making stress belly even worse.
Not to mention, abdominal fat has also been linked with severe health issues, so understanding the causes of your constant stress is crucial.
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What Causes Stress Belly
Like the name suggests, extreme stress causes stress belly. Work deadlines, financial problems, a pandemic, etc.. are all situations that can keep us constantly on edge.
When this vicious stress cycle begins, you might start to feel drained, reach for comfort foods and end up overeating.
You may even find you don’t have the mental capacity to prepare a home cooked meal, so takeout is now on the menu.
In addition to this, forming a healthy sleep schedule also gets knocked down on the priorities list, keeping you tired and unable to make healthy decisions.
Thankfully there are ways to reduce and even get rid of stress belly. The combination of mental and physical exercises, as well as a nutritious diet can help us achieve this goal.
Exercises and Activities for Losing Stress Belly
Identify Your Stressors
Take a moment to perform a simple exercise to pinpoint what your stressors are. Write them down and their level of importance in your life.
Chances are, they’re not as significant as you think, and you can start eliminating them one by one.
One of my stressors was always my inability to say no. Once I was able to identify it, I learned how to set boundaries and was able to reduce my stress levels.
Try your best to remove any unnecessary stressors from your plate. In the end, they’re not worth the physical or mental exhaustion.
Reducing stress lessens your chances of any extra cortisol belly fat.
Meditate
Deep breathing exercises are a great way to minimize stress and can change the way you react in a heated situation.
It’s even recommended in some of the most extreme situations. For example, pregnant women can take lamaze classes, where they are taught to breathe a certain way to facilitate childbirth. (I can’t think of anything more stressful!)
Think of it this way, before Cortisol tells our bodies to start storing fat in a stressful moment, we can tell it to calm down and take a more relaxed approach.
By taking charge of our minds, we can beat Cortisol at its own game and avoid the unwanted stress belly.
Practice Self Care
Doing things you love will keep you in a positive state of mind and reduce stress from your everyday life.
- Try not to skip meals by using a food journal to track what you’ve eaten. Be sure to stock up on healthy, mood boosting foods to reach for under stress, drink less alcohol and always keep yourself hydrated.
- Prioritize a healthy sleep routine. Feeling tired can make you form unhealthy habits due to the lack of energy needed to maintain healthy ones. This can cause you extra stress which, can in turn, become abdominal belly fat.
- Try using a gratitude journal to learn how to cope with stress. Gratitude will help you shift your focus away from the stressors and onto the good things that are happening in your life.
Exercise a Little Everyday
Having a simple, yet consistent workout routine is an excellent way to reduce stress belly.
Exercise is a combination of stress reduction and weight management, so you can really target that cortisol belly fat. Yoga and some light cardio may be the best ways to begin.
Intense workouts can bring your stress levels up, which is what you want to avoid. Instead, take a nice thirty minute walk in the morning or attend a yoga class.
In addition to exercise, there are many mood boosting foods that can aid in losing stress belly.
Here Are 10 Mood Boosting Foods to Lose Stress Belly
1. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite go to foods for snacks and meals. They’re easy to prepare and are packed with fiber, which makes you feel full longer.
They’re also high in vitamin B6, which helps our bodies make mood boosting neurotransmitters like serotonin.
There are so many ways you can enjoy sweet potatoes. From sweet potato toast to baked sweet potato fries, and sweet potato mash.
I usually rinse a few of them, wrap them in foil and bake them in the oven. This way, I always have a healthy, filling snack at hand!
2. Blueberries
You will always find a glass container of blueberries in my fridge. These little berries pack loads of antioxidants which fight inflammation and regulate mood.
I use them in salads, to top my yogurt or just as a snack with walnuts. They’re also a great topping for acai bowls!
3. Salmon
Salmon is a healthy fat full of omega 3 and is highly anti inflammatory. It also contains vitamin B12 for an extra boost of energy.
I season the salmon with salt, pepper and lemon, add lemon slices on top, place it in loosely covered foil and bake.
There’s no need to add any extra oil, the lemon juice combined with the oils from the salmon create the perfect amount of moisture. Pair with some roasted veggies for a delicious and healthy meal.
4. Greek Yogurt
Greek Yogurt is high in calcium and probiotics, which helps to maintain a healthy weight.
It has more satiating protein than traditional yogurt to make you feel fuller, keeping you from reaching for unhealthy snacks all day.
You can enjoy it with granola, fruits and nuts. I personally love making Tzatziki with Greek yogurt.
Simply add olive oil, garlic, lemon, dill, shredded cucumber (drain the excess liquid) and sea salt. This makes a great dipping sauce and is also delicious on salmon.
5. Cherry Tomatoes
I add these to just about anything and also eat them on their own as a snack.
Cherry tomatoes can reduce inflammation, which reduces cortisol and water retention. They’re also filled with fat burning amino acids that can help fight abdominal fat.
Toss them in salads, add to a sandwich or make fresh tomato sauce for zucchini pasta or whole wheat pasta.
6. Spinach
Spinach and other leafy greens are loaded with fiber and are high in magnesium, which helps reduce anxiety. Add some to your morning frittata or saute with garlic as a side dish.
7. Tuna
Tuna is a lean fish, also packed with omega 3 for brain health and vitamin B12 for optimum energy.
Prep the tuna with olive oil, oregano, chopped onions, celery, tomatoes, lemon and cayenne pepper. Trust me, you won’t miss the mayo!
Add on whole wheat toast or to celery sticks for a mid-day snack!
8. Kiwi
Did you know that a Kiwi has more vitamin C than an orange? It’s also a great fat burner which is ideal for reducing stress belly.
I’ve recently been adding more of these to my morning fruit salads. They’re yummy in yogurt as well!
9. Quinoa
Quinoa helps boost our metabolism and also burns belly fat. It’s a great base to have at hand for adding to meals.
Try dressing the quinoa with olive oil, shallots, cucumber and tomatoes. Then add chicken and some homemade hummus on the side and wala! You have a delicious quinoa bowl!
10. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is high in protein and low in calories, which is exactly what we want to help get rid of stress belly. It’s a good source of energy throughout the day, and curbs your hunger cravings.
Chop some bananas in while the oatmeal is cooking for a natural sweetener, and top with berries.
Add some nut butter for added protein and cacao for chocolatey oatmeal. (My favorite!)
Final Words
Avoiding stress as best you can, might seem easier said than done, but is crucial for your physical and mental health.
Talking to a friend or even a professional can help you change your thought patterns, and help you cope in aggravating situations.
Remember that stress can cause many dangerous illnesses as well, not just stress belly. Focusing on what we can control, like mindful practices, exercise and mood boosting foods can help keep it at bay.
If practiced daily, these exercises can reduce stress, inflammation and beat cortisone belly fat once and for all!
What are some of your stressors and how do you cope with them? Let me know with your comments!
