Stress and Weight Gain: Understanding the link between Stress and Weight Gain

Stress and Weight Gain: Understanding the link between Stress and Weight Gain

The Stress - Weight Management Issue

Stress is the way a person responds to pressure from various situations and it affects mental, physical, psychological and emotional well being.

Most of us are victims to stress. We cannot change our surroundings but we can definitely change a few things in our lifestyle!

The demands of a job, relationship with colleagues, personal ambition, and competition are other reasons for stress in the lives of most people now a days. Especially at such places, stress is also linked to many addictions like overeating, smoking, drinking, and drug abuse.

Physical problems associated with stress range from something as common as a headache to long term stress diseases like, digestive problems including ulcers, insomnia, fatigue, high blood pressure, nervousness, heart disease, strokes and even cancer.

It may even lead to emotional disturbances like, anxiety, anger, depression, irritability, frustration, over-reaction to everyday problems, memory loss and a lack of concentration for any task and psychological problems like withdrawal from society, phobias, compulsive behaviors, eating disorders and night terrors

Stress Management

Stress management involves a complete behavioral change including a change in the lifestyle and attitude.

Stress is known to induce eating disorders and addictions. Diet management is an important part of a lifestyle modification and a well nourished body is less prone to the ill effects of stress.

Processed foods, fast foods, stimulants and addictions make and stressful condition worse.

Another problem that people may face during stress is that of overeating. During a stressful condition, hormones are released in the body and these cause an increase in the utilization of the stored fats and carbohydrates for instant energy.

Once the stressful condition subsides, these hormones continue to stay in the body leading to an artificial craving for food. That's when we end up consuming an unnecessary amount of fat and carbohydrate rich foods.

Stress often leads to stomach cramps, constipation and digestive problems. 

A diet rich in vegetables provides not only fibre but also amino acids which produce seratonin; a compound that has a soothing effect on the brain. 

Apart from this, maintaining fixed meal timings and having small frequent meals also help in beating the stress!

Check out our Packages for Weight Loss the Right Way:

My Indian Dietitian Online Weight Loss Packages

Sweta Uchil

Online Indian Dietitian

Thank you all for your support and feedback.

By popular demand, we are NOW OFFERING ONLINE DIET CONSULTATIONS: Customized Indian Diet Plans

Indian Weight Loss Diet, Indian Diabetic Diets, Indian Diets for PCOS, Indian Low Carb Diets and many more diets at our brand new website: JOIN NOW
MY INDIAN DIETITIAN: www.myindiandietitian.com

What are Carbohydrates?

What are Carbohydrates?

Wondering what are carbohydrates? What's the big deal about Low Carb Diets?
Carbohydrates are obtained from staple diet and provide energy to body. Carbohydrates are the main source of calories in our meal. Carbohydrates are divided in two categories: Simple and Complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugar and starches. Complex carbohydrates are obtained from vegetables, whole grains and pulses. 
Carbohydrates have been targeted by various diet communities as the culprit of obesity. Well, this may be true but “all carbs are not bad’. They have to be eaten wisely. Firstly, differentiate between the simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrate energy is obtained from sugar. Other sources are:

Biscuits, 

Cakes and pastries

Chocolate 

Honey and jams Jellies 

Brown and white cane sugar 

Pizzas 

Prepared foods and sauces 

Soft drinks 

Sweets and snack bars.

Complex carbohydrates are found in:

Barley 

Beans 

Brown rice

Chickpeas 

Lentils 

Nuts 

Oats 

Parsnips 

Potatoes 

Root vegetables 

Sweet corn 

Wholegrain cereals 

Yams

How many calories does Carbohydrates provide?

Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 Kcal. 

How much carbohydrate does one need? 

Recent studies have shown that excess of carbohydrates which are not used up by the body is converted into fat and stored in the body which is one of the main culprits of weight gain as well as cholesterol problems.

That's right-cutting carbs can have a three fold benehit:

1. Helps in weight loss

2. Helps in reducing sugar lvels in diabetics

3. Helps in reducing the cholesterol levels

 In a low carbohydrate diet, the calories will be made up by fat and protein.

 Which carbohydrates should you skip? 

It is best to avoid the easily digested refined carbohydrates obtained from refined grain flour (maida/suji): white bread, white rice, as well as pastries, sweetened beverages, highly processed foods. These contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease. 

Which carbohydrates can you eat? 

When and if you do eat carbohydrates, it's best to eat whole grains like brown rice, dalia/broken wheat, poha, oats, barley, millets like ragi rather than refined carbohydrates.

Sweta Uchil

Online Indian Dietitian

Thank you all for your support and feedback.

By popular demand, we are NOW OFFERING ONLINE DIET CONSULTATIONS: Customized Indian Diet Plans

Indian Weight Loss Diet, Indian Diabetic Diets, Indian Diets for PCOS, Indian Low Carb Diets and many more diets at our brand new website: JOIN NOW

MY INDIAN DIETITIAN: www.myindiandietitian.com 

It's Time to Spring Clean........Your Diet!!!

Spring is in the air and that means it’s time to clean up…your diet!! That’s right,it’s high time you took charge of your health and got it back on the right track by making little changes in the way you eat and of course by being more active. To know more check out my article published in an Australian Magazine called Indus Age:

 It’s Time to Spring Clean…. your diet!!!

Pump Up Your Iron Consumption!

My article on iron published in the Times of India's Indiatimes website:
Have you been feeling tired, fatigued, weak, dizzy or breathless too easily of late? It could be possible that you are not getting enough iron in your diet! Read more at: 
Pump Up Your Iron Consumption!