Cortisol And Belly Fat

Cortisol and belly fat

Usually known as the stress hormone, cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland. It increases blood sugar and blood pressure and also reduces immune responses. The levels of cortisol are highest in the early mornings and lowest around midnight. In today's hectic life, cortisol has a great effect on belly fat.

You not only need a diet rich in monosaturated fats, but also a plan to deal with everyday stress in order to lose cortisol belly fat. Most people know that cortisol belly fat is caused due to stress. When individuals have too much stress, the production of hormone cortisol also increases. The more stress people have, the more likely they are to gain weight in their belly region.

Lessen Stress for Losing Belly Fat

It's difficult for people to lose weight and keep it off by restricting their calories. A recently conducted research suggests that the production of cortisol is increased due to cut in calories. When a person restricts the intake of calories, it puts more stress on the body which in turn leads to increase in the production of cortisol. The recent study of 120 women also suggests that the levels of cortisol increase in those women who don't diet and only count calories. Dieters who count calories need to balance the strain of losing weight with activities that encourage emotional well being since restricting or burning more calories consumed each day promotes loss of weight. According to a study, continuous stress leads to prominent hormones such as cortisol, reduced serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, which have been associated to depression.

Monosaturated Fats and Exercise to Lose Cortisol Belly Fat

A research suggests that people can get rid of their belly fat by eating monosaturated fats like avocados, olive oil and nuts. People would not only extend their life by following the Mediterranean diet, but would also lose inflexible belly fat. There are 2 types of belly fat, one being the visceral and the other being subcutaneous. Surrounding the organs, visceral fat resides deep in the abdomen while subcutaneous fat lies just under the skin.

Physicians also state that visceral fat compared to subcutaneous fat has four times the cortisol receptors. Luckily, as per a study, the belly fat cortisol can be managed by individuals by exercising, to lessen belly fat and to deal with stress. There are several aerobic and non aerobic exercises which have been proven effective to lessen stress and help people lose weight, particularly from the tummy area. Exercise programs such as yoga have proven to be effective in lessening stress as well as belly fat.

Cortisol Effects on Human Body

After stress, cortisol helps in restoring homeostasis. It promotes the breakdown of lipids and proteins and counters insulin. Hypergllycemis is also caused by excessive secretion of cortisol. Having low testosterone levels has been linked to having high cortisol levels. Cortisol also tends to promote fat storage, particularly in the belly area.

The body enters a catabolic state when an individual performs intensive strength training. Due to insufficient supply of carbohydrates, the body breaks down more and more muscle proteins as fuel. Thus, cortisol is released and it begins to break down the amino acids for the process of protein synthesis.

Tips for Losing Cortisol Belly Fat

  • Lessen or eliminate stress from your daily life. In order to do this, you might require giving some of your responsibilities to others or lessening your work load in some other ways. Seek counseling to help resolve or ease the issues, if emotional stress is a factor.

  • Try to get at least eight hours of sleep as lack of sleep as a common stressor could be easily rectified. People generally tend to produce higher levels of cortisol if they sleep for less than eight hours. Natural remedies like valerian root, chamomile tea and melatonin might be of great help if you have difficulty falling or staying asleep.

  • Always consume healthy foods and lessen or eliminate caffeine as it stimulates the production of cortisol. Make sure that you are getting sufficient amount of fiber, greens and proteins. This is vital as cortisol might restrict the intake of healthy foods and increase belly fat since it promotes cravings of fat and sugar.

  • You must avoid a calorie restrictive diet as the body would be stressed by a deficiency in calories which would eventually trigger a fat retention effect by producing more cortisol.

  • Exercising regularly for 4 to 5 times a week could naturally lower your cortisol levels and maintain a healthy weight. Ensure that you don't over exercise as this can increase the cortisol levels and this is frequently seen in highly trained athletes.

  • Try using herbs as herbal therapies such as madnolia officinalis and ashwagandha could help lessen anxiety and cortisol levels. The supplements such as phosphatidylserine and L-theanine are highly beneficial in lessening anxiety and stress by increasing alpha waves in the brain.

  • The adrenal glands must be nourished with vitamins B and C. When cortisol levels are high, vitamins such as Vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) are easily used up. Other minerals and vitamins such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and potassium are essential for proper cortisol regulation.

Thus, from the above it's evident that cortisol and belly fat go hand in hand and you need to have a proper belly fat diet along with some fat burning exercises in order to keep cortisol levels under control.






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