E2 – Exercise: Insight of the Week
HOLIDAY SEASON STRESS Can Make You Fat
The Holiday Season can bring many joyous moments but coupled with that comes the additional STRESS of the season. Maybe you spent countless hours or days preparing a special Holiday meal just to have to spend hours in the kitchen cleaning and storing the leftovers; then staying up all night to catch the hottest sales at the mall, which changed their opening hours to midnight on Thursday instead of 6am on Friday. The hectic schedules and busyness of the Holiday season can wreck havoc on your body.
Increased stress depletes the body’s fuel reserves and creates hunger and a lack of sleep only compounds the issue. Your body releases “stress hormones” such as adrenaline, to prepare your body to cope with stress and these hormones increase the storage of body fat in the abdominal area by preventing the response of another hormone, glucagon, which acts as a control mechanism when the body produces too much insulin.
Chronic stress tends to deplete levels of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood. Low levels of serotonin not only cause depression, but also may trigger cravings for sweets and other fatty foods.
The time of year also affects appetite. Many people get depressed in the late fall and winter months, when there is less sunlight, and often tend to eat more. This condition is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Even in those who do not suffer from SAD, the colder weather may prompt them to prefer heavy, hot foods instead of summer fare such as salads.
Just remember, there are millions of people suffering around the world without food and clean water. The holiday seasons are about love of family and your health and wellness is most important. Your health comes first. A good way to prevent overeating and weight gain during the winter months and holiday season is to keep your stress levels under control by getting plenty of sleep, sticking with your workout routine, taking in adequate amounts of fluids and multi-vitamins, and maintaining a manageable schedule, so you can enjoy the precious moments and memories made with your family and friends and not “stress” your way to the New Year.
