| High Cortisol? Weight Gain? Stubborn Belly Fat and | | | | the body? |
| Constant Fatigue? These are some of the side | | | | Higher cortisol levels are associated with weight gain. |
| effects of our stressful routine. As it turns out | | | | However, cortisol fat is not evenly distributed in the |
| constant stress triggers the secretion of the the so | | | | body. It is concentrated in the abdominal area. |
| called "stress" hormone-cortisol. Elevated cortisol, in | | | | Abdominal fat differs from other types of fat found |
| turn, results in weight gain, accumulation of belly fat | | | | in the body. One of the major differences is that it |
| and chronic fatigue. The presence of high cortisol | | | | has far more cortisol receptors and is easily |
| levels in the body makes losing belly fat almost | | | | influenced by fluctuations in the level of cortisol. Real |
| impossible. Here are a few reasons why: | | | | health risks accompany excess fat in the |
| 1. Dieting and cortisol. The vicious circle. | | | | abdomen-like increased chances of developing |
| Proper diet and strict exercise regime are important | | | | diabetes and heart disease. |
| for long term weight loss. However, dieting is a | | | | 3. Weight gain is just one side of the story. High |
| stressful phenomenon for most people. The physical | | | | cortisol affects your body in numerous other ways. |
| and emotional stress that comes with dieting results | | | | Weight gain is just one of the side effects of |
| in the oversecretion of cortisol. Elevated cortisol | | | | elevated cortisol. The effects of adrenal dysfunction |
| increases blood sugar level and triggers the deposition | | | | can be profound: fatigue and weakness, suppression |
| of visceral abdominal fat in the midsection of the | | | | of the immune system, muscle and bone loss, |
| body. In other words dieting complicates the weight | | | | moodiness or depression, hormonal imbalance, skin |
| loss process by adding more stress in the picture and | | | | problems. The list of possible damage is long. |
| increasing the cortisol present in the body. People | | | | High cortisol, weight gain, belly fat accumulation, |
| who have dieted on and off for years often get | | | | fatigue -they all seems to be interrelated in a |
| caught in that vicious circle. No matter how strict | | | | complex puzzle. While the medical world is still learning |
| their diet is, they find losing belly fat almost | | | | about the high cortisol-weight gain relationship, one |
| impossible. | | | | thing is certain-proper diet doesn't always solve our |
| 2. More cortisol equals bigger waistline. Why does | | | | weight loss problems. A smart dieter should always |
| cortisol affect the belly area and spares the rest of | | | | consider lowering cortisol levels first. |