Weight Loss
Adrenal imbalance and weight loss resistance
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
For many years we’ve known that the high cortisol levels that result from chronic
stress can be linked with weight gain. Yet, from what I see in my practice, this
is not usually connected to overeating. Sure, some women may eat more to get a boost
of energy when they’re feeling tired and frazzled, but when stress goes unchecked
and the adrenals are out of balance, it doesn’t really matter how many calories
we take in! Whether you eat a lot or a little during stressful situations, your
body goes into survival mode and stores fat — a holdover response from when food
was hard for humans to find. That means we become weight loss resistant — because
the body won’t let go of that fat reserve until the stress that triggered the fat
storage is gone or reduced.
A 2003 study looked at the links between stress and weight gain. The authors propose
that over time, the release of stress hormones, like cortisol, can do three major
things to cause weight gain:
- First, it excites the central nucleus of the amygdala, the major part of
the emotional brain
- Second, it magnifies the satisfaction you get from pleasurable or compulsive activities,
such as eating sugary foods, which can actually act like drugs in some people
- Third, it increases the amount of fat deposited in the abdominal area.
The third finding is what I’ve seen most often when I work with women who have adrenal
imbalance.
What’s wonderful is that we can ease the body away from holding on to extra weight
by healing the adrenal glands, which are responsible for dealing with stress and
releasing cortisol. My book, The Core Balance Diet, contains meal plans
and a detailed discussion on balancing your adrenals, overcoming weight loss resistance,
and reaching your best, natural weight. (You get this book as part of our
Personal Program for Weight Loss Resistance — click here to see what else is included.)
In particular, we talk about what to eat, and also when to eat— because the timing
of meals and nutrients is a key factor in helping to reset your adrenals.
Energy is also a key component of adrenal imbalance. When your energy is low, you’re
more likely to make unhealthy food choices and have less desire to get out and exercise.
But it’s so important for women with adrenal imbalance to eat foods that sustain
their energy throughout the day. That’s why you should try not to worry about weight
loss until your adrenal glands are healed. That will help create the conditions
for natural, lasting weight loss. The weight will come off, I promise!
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Last Modified Date: 12/01/2011
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP