Hi Reader
Welcome back to 1UP,
my weekly newsletter where I share all things health and mindsets to help you get stronger, feel younger and live longer.
Comfort food directly grows belly fat
Wait... What?
While preparing episode 27 of the podcast, I came across this scientific publication showing that in rats (confirming something that had been observed in monkeys), insulin in the presence of gluco-corticoids, reorganizes energy storage from subcutaneous fat to abdominal fat.
Less known than cortisol, gluco-corticoid is a stress hormone, and can be just as bad a player.
This means that when we eat food for comfort when we are stressed, in particular foods that increase blood sugar and insulin, the calories we bring in directly grow belly fat.
🤯
And friend, I don't want you to feel bad for using food for comfort, or self-soothing, because the truth is,... It works.
If you are someone who often stares inside the fridge looking for a pick-me-up,
or if you are the type to dig into that tub of ice-cream when someone said something that hurts,
or if you know that you have a pattern of eating your feelings, especially the negative ones,...
I first want to say that you are not alone, and that you shouldn't top the ice-cream with guilt sparkles or shame chips.
The same scientific publication describes that there is a feedback loop from the body to the brain that helps alleviate the negative feeling of stress.
This means, it really helps feel better.
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Most of us figure this out at some point in our life, and if we never learn to acknowledge and process stress, sadness, or feeling hurt, that just becomes the thing we do.
But our feelings are not always the best thing to rely on.
In our 40s, it's time to stop relying on feelings, and rely on wise choices, good habits and discipline.
I want to invite you to recognize if this tendency of using food for comfort is truly supporting you and your health, or if it is causing belly fat.
And if it is, then it may be time to learn healthier ways to manage stress. I will go deeper into this topic in the new year.
With this episode of the podcast, I want to offer you ideas for alternatives to this coping strategy.
This episode is jam-packed with ways to find comfort, especially in the winter when we crave cozy vibes, that will not set you back on your health and weight loss goals, but that will instead help you stay on track with a lean, strong body, with ideal body fat.
So for the practical tips on how to find comfort without sabotaging your health, tune in to episode 27 of the podcast:
Make sure you listen to this episode as we are in the Holiday season, and you will get super actionable tips.
And please reach out if you want more support in managing stress, making wiser food choices and getting a lean body.
Love you!
Jihane