What is stress-induced fat – and the tell-tale sign I have it?

Feeling like you’re carrying extra weight around lately? Here’s the dead giveaway that it might be stress-induced fat rather than the regular kind.

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Stress-induced fat…

Your investments. Your in-laws. Your never-ending to-do list. We get it – life is hard. But anxiety can produce extra cortisol, a hormone that encourages the body to store fat, particularly in your tummy. According to researchers at Yale University, your midsection is four times as likely as the rest of your body to store stress-induced fat. Help keep anxiety in check by taking little breaks from work every 90 minutes.

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How to I stop it?

Another way stress sabotages your abs: When tension runs high, we reach for fattening foods. To keep your hand out of the office sweetie jar, keep it out of reach. In one study, participants who had to walk two metres to reach the chocolate ate up to seven fewer chocolates per day than when the jar was located at their desk.

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