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How stress works in the human body, to make or break us
- mattbgates 9y agoThere is some insane things the body can do with stress depending on how you use it. Long story short: I had always been overweight as a child and teenager. Struggled to lose weight. If I did, it was a roller coaster ride. I'd lose 5 or 10 pounds and looking at a donut or something seemed to put it right back. Anyways, my girlfriend and I had broken up at the time, and I was upset about it, but used the opportunity to get away from all influences of food from others. I was living alone and never went out, and within 3 months of pretty much resorting to a chicken breast a day with some salad as well as working out (No, I never went to the gym), I was able to lose about 30 pounds. By working out, I mean I forced myself to ride my bike to work everyday at 2.5 - 3 miles each way. Most people would probably say: You're not eating enough, you need to eat more! That advice is what probably got me fat in the first place. Listening to what your body wants and eating when you are hungry -- eating so that you can function, not living to eat, is something that certainly changed in my life and perspective. The body lets you know exactly what it needs. It's an evolutionary tool that has been designed to burn fat and it will do its job and do it more efficiently when you give it the proper nutrition to do so. I think between the stress of not having that person who had been my best friend for so long, the eating, and the exercising, I was able to lose some weight. On the other hand, I have also seen people break up with boyfriends or girlfriends and gain 30 pounds. It is all in how you choose to manage the energy of that stress.