Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for The Advanced Women’s Health Podcast
The Advanced Women’s Health Podcast · July 2 · 24 min

Episode 87: Why Is Stress Making Me Gain Weight?

If you gain weight in your middle when you're stressed, can't tolerate things you used to, and feel like diet and exercise are making things worse, this episode explains why. In This Episode, We Answer: Why do I gain weight when I'm stressed even if I'm not eating more? Why is my belly fat not responding to diet and exercise? What is cortisol actually doing to my weight? Does stress cause fat storage? Why do I feel flat, unmotivated, and burnt out all the time? Key Takeaways: Stress causes your liver to release glucose into your bloodstream. When you're sitting at a desk, that glucose has nowhere to go except fat cells. This is called auto-generating fat, and it happens completely independent of what you eat. Eating less and exercising more can make this pattern worse. If your body reads calorie restriction and intense exercise as additional stressors, it generates more fat, not less. Cortisol isn't the whole story. The initial stress response (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) runs on epinephrine and norepinephrine. Cortisol comes about 20 to 30 minutes later. Both matter, and they affect your metabolism differently. Quick Answers (FAQ): Q: Why do I gain weight when I'm stressed even if I'm not eating more? A: Cortisol signals your liver to release glucose into the blood. Since you're not moving, that glucose converts to fat. It's independent of food. We go deeper into this at 13:45. Q: Why is my belly fat not responding to diet and exercise? A: If stress is auto-generating fat, no amount of calorie restriction or cardio will outrun it. You need to address the cortisol and liver piece first. We go deeper into this at 14:30. Q: What is cortisol actually doing to my weight? A: Cortisol on a healthy circadian rhythm is beneficial. When it stays persistently elevated, it drives glucose dysregulation, fat storage, and eventually hormone and immune dysfunction. We go deeper into this at 12:00. Q: Why do I feel flat, unmotivated, and burnt out all the time? A: After years of chronic stress, the body starts to shut down the stress response because it isn't helping. That shows up as flatness, low drive, and feeling switched off. It's a physiological pattern, not a personality problem. We go deeper into this at 16:00. Resources Mentioned: Advanced Metabolic Rehab program: advancedwomenshealth.ca Clinically guided programs inquiry: info@advancedwomenshealth.ca Advanced Men's Health: advancedmenshealth.ca Heart rate variability tracking: Oura Ring, WHOOP, Fitbit (mentioned as tools used in-clinic) Continuous glucose monitors (CGM): used in-clinic for real-time stress and glucose tracking Related Episodes: Episode 86: Metabolic Rehab Type 1, insulin and insulin resistance Metabolic Rehab Type 3: Fat and Inflammation, coming next in this series Metabolic Rehab Type 4: Perimenopause and Visceral Fat, coming this summer Connect With Us: Website: advancedwomenshealth.ca Advanced Men's Health: advancedmenshealth.ca Instagram: @drsarah_nd | @advancedwomenshealth Book an appointment: advancedwomenshealth.ca Clinically guided programs: info@advancedwomenshealth.ca Leave a review: wherever you're listening, it helps other women find this episode

0:00-24:01
Play in podnod

transcript

No transcript — this publisher did not publish one.

show notes

If you gain weight in your middle when you're stressed, can't tolerate things you used to, and feel like diet and exercise are making things worse, this episode explains why.

In This Episode, We Answer:

  • Why do I gain weight when I'm stressed even if I'm not eating more?
  • Why is my belly fat not responding to diet and exercise?
  • What is cortisol actually doing to my weight?
  • Does stress cause fat storage?
  • Why do I feel flat, unmotivated, and burnt out all the time?

Key Takeaways:

  1. Stress causes your liver to release glucose into your bloodstream. When you're sitting at a desk, that glucose has nowhere to go except fat cells. This is called auto-generating fat, and it happens completely independent of what you eat.
  2. Eating less and exercising more can make this pattern worse. If your body reads calorie restriction and intense exercise as additional stressors, it generates more fat, not less.
  3. Cortisol isn't the whole story. The initial stress response (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) runs on epinephrine and norepinephrine. Cortisol comes about 20 to 30 minutes later. Both matter, and they affect your metabolism differently.

Quick Answers (FAQ):

Q: Why do I gain weight when I'm stressed even if I'm not eating more?
A: Cortisol signals your liver to release glucose into the blood. Since you're not moving, that glucose converts to fat. It's independent of food. We go deeper into this at 13:45.

Q: Why is my belly fat not responding to diet and exercise?
A: If stress is auto-generating fat, no amount of calorie restriction or cardio will outrun it. You need to address the cortisol and liver piece first. We go deeper into this at 14:30.

Q: What is cortisol actually doing to my weight?
A: Cortisol on a healthy circadian rhythm is beneficial. When it stays persistently elevated, it drives glucose dysregulation, fat storage, and eventually hormone and immune dysfunction. We go deeper into this at 12:00.

Q: Why do I feel flat, unmotivated, and burnt out all the time?
A: After years of chronic stress, the body starts to shut down the stress response because it isn't helping. That shows up as flatness, low drive, and feeling switched off. It's a physiological pattern, not a personality problem. We go deeper into this at 16:00.

Resources Mentioned:

Related Episodes:

  • Episode 86: Metabolic Rehab Type 1, insulin and insulin resistance
  • Metabolic Rehab Type 3: Fat and Inflammation, coming next in this series
  • Metabolic Rehab Type 4: Perimenopause and Visceral Fat, coming this summer

Connect With Us:

Leave a review: wherever you're listening, it helps other women find this episode


links4

more episodes

All episodes