Cortisol and Weight Gain

For the majority of women with PCOS, trying to lose weight is a real issue.  I know it is for me, it has been a problem for many years.  I have always carried extra weight ever since puberty began just before my 12th birthday.

The first place the extra fat began to accumulate was on my belly.  And guess what I have discovered these last couple of weeks?

High cortisol levels cause belly fat!

Okay, so what exactly IS cortisol?

Cortisol is the stress hormone produced by the adrenal gland in response to anything that the human body perceives as a threat (whether that threat is real or not) or anything that we interpret as a stressful situation.

Things like money worries, job losses, family issues - anything that becomes a chronic stress - will cause the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.

This is why it is imperative that we manage our stress levels.  There is no point cutting carbs or counting calories to try to lose weight if you are stressed out, your body is going to fight you all the way.

Try to look at it this way.

Jon Gabriel describes these chronic stresses as a type of FAMINE response.  Our bodies, our adrenal glands, our brains....  they don't know the difference between a real and a perceived threat, but they react exactly the same way.

Facing a job loss or financial loss produces the same kind of stress as not having enough food to eat or anything that feels like it is LACKING from your life.

So how can you reduce cortisol?

Increase the following nutrients by adding foods or taking supplements :

Omega 3 fatty acids (eg fish oil)
B complex vitamins
Vitamin C
Green tea (L-theanine is the active compound that helps to reduce cortisol, so if you don't like the taste of green tea you can buy green tea or L-theanine in capsule form)

Add in new lifestyle habits:

Yoga
Relaxing activities
Music therapy
Meditation
Massage
Improve your sleep
Regular exercise
Stabilize your blood sugar (adding green leafy vegies is a great way to do this!)

All of the above are proven techniques to help you lower your stress hormones and reduce belly fat.

If you are new to meditation, here is a fantastic website that can help you get started:

One Moment Meditation

I am up to Day 3 and it is amazing how quickly one minute goes by, just by closing my eyes and focusing on nothing but breathing.  Time just seems to go by even faster each time I try it!