Stress is hard on the body and can crush your weight loss goals. Excess stress leads to a multitude of consequences, including weight gain. Whether the extra weight is a result of overeating, unhealthy food choices or our body’s response to increased levels of cortisol, getting a handle on stress is a priority if we want to prevent stress-related weight gain.

There is SO much truth behind the term “stress eating.” Researchers have linked weight gain to stress, and according to an American Psychological Association survey, about one-fourth of Americans rate their stress level as 8 or more on a 10-point scale. In the short term, stress can actually shut down appetite because the nervous system sends messages to our adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline, which triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response and puts eating on hold. But if stress persists, adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, which increases appetite and ramps up the motivation to eat.

Feeling stressed? It’s *essential* that you track this and everything you consume in a eating diary so you can get a rational understanding of what is driving you to overeat. Armed with this knowledge, when you recognise that you’re in a stressed-out state, instead of reflexively heading to the refrigerator, you can choose from a range of alternative behaviours. Meditation, for example, has been shown to significantly reduce stress-related high blood pressure and heart disease. But it can also help you be more mindful of food choices.