Stress Can Lead to Weight Gain

In the United States, plenty of overweight or obese people resort to surgery to remove their excess fat. Who can blame them since surgery might be the only solution to their problem? Soon though, there might be another option. Recently, researches at Georgetown University Medical Center have discovered the use of simple and non-toxic chemical injections to manipulate fat in specific areas on the bodies of laboratory animals. They found a way to add and remove fat and this could actually revolutionize the treatment of diseases linked with human obesity, as well as human cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.

The researchers at Georgetown found a mechanism that shows how stress can trigger weight gain in mice and were able to manipulate it too. According to them, this could probably explain why chronically stressed people put on more weight than they should based on the calories they consume. They actually found a connection between stress and weight gain. This is the first study to illustrate the direct effect of stress on body weight, fat accumulation and metabolism.

The experiments involved putting mice in stressful environments, like exposure to an aggressive alpha mouse or extreme weather surroundings, in combination with either a regular diet or a high-fat and high-sugar diet. The results demonstrated that the stressed animals with normal diet did not put on weight. But the stressed animals with the high-fat diet gained more weight than expected given the calories they consumed. The researchers believe that this might be the case with people as well. People who are under a lot of stress can also gain much more weight as expected. This is probably why the number of overweight or obese people is increasing through the years. Fortunately, with obesity surgery and this new discovery, people who want to lose weight have choices on how to go about it.

Surgery should be the last resort though. Going under the knife should be your final option if you could not somehow make that lifestyle change on your own. It is still possible to shed those unwanted pounds if you have the motivation and will to enroll in a weight-loss program. First, change your diet and exercise habits. Eat healthier foods, take some natural weight-loss supplements and exercise regularly. But if stress is the issue, then you should find a way to lessen the stress in your life. You can achieve this through different ways. The easiest way is to go on a vacation. Go to a place where you can relax and just laze away. Or take up a hobby that will help you relax, such as knitting or other arts and crafts activities. Also, exercises like yoga and Pilates can help you be calmer and get you toned as well. Or you can opt for a simple get together with people you love. Surrounding yourself with people you like and who care about you as well can make you forget about the stress that’s in your life right now.