1. Sleeping difficulties

When you are stressed, your body produces cortisol, a hormone that makes you alert, awake and motivated. Usually, this hormone is high in the morning, however, when you are stressed it could remain high for the whole day, rather than decreasing thought it. When levels of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are higher than normal, you will face difficulties sleeping, or even staying asleep. You will find yourself waking up very early. Not only that, but your weight maintenance is also affected because not sleeping enough has an effect on the ghrelin and leptin levels, which are the hormones that command feelings of hunger and fullness.

2. Increased cravings

People who have a stressful schedule can find it hard to stick to a healthy diet. It could be particularly hard for them to form or commit to new eating habits. This is because stress can make you go back to the older habits with which you are more familiar. Furthermore, stress affects moods, sleep, and digestion and this contributes to cravings of carbohydrates and sugar. Therefore, many people would consume much more calories during their stressful days than on the days when no specific stressors are triggering them.

3. Digestive disorders

Stress is considered one of the major causes of some digestive problems such as diarrhea and constipation. This can be caused by the increase of inflammation level in the body, caused by stress and which can damage the tissue in the gastrointestinal tract leading to improper nutrient absorption and other symptoms of gut discomfort. This will make you feel uncomfortable consuming foods rich in fiber, or whole foods with are important for a healthy weight loss process. Therefore, not consuming the needed nutrients can increase your appetite to fuel your body with the needed vitamins.

On the other hand, stress can cause overeating which can lead to digestive discomfort, which can mess up the signals that your body sends to your brain alerting it that it is hungry or full.

4. Difficulties in staying active

As we mentioned before, stress increases inflammation in the body which weakens the immune system. It can sabotage the intention of being active and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You will suffer from a lack of energy, frequent illnesses, have a slowed workout recovery, and could develop some pains in your joints and muscles.

These are not the only effects of stress on the body, but suffering from these can be enough to have negative drawbacks on your fitness life. To overcome the consequences, consider being active and sticking to a workout routine, as this will reverse stress’s effects. Do not do so alone, but instead take advantage of StepChain’s features, where you can create your workout plan, connect with other users, and track your progress.

Source:

https://www.runtastic.com/blog/en/effects-of-stress-on-weight-loss-and-hormones/