Decreasing Calories Can Increase Stress Level
By: Jen Mueller,
DailySpark Blogger
4/16/2010 3:09 PM
: 91 comments
: 19,532 Views
Let's face it: Dieting can be stressful. Especially when you begin to change your eating habits, there are lots of things to think about. It can be hard to count calories, track food, read labels, and do it all with a "lifestyle change" instead of "diet" mentality. New research is showing that it's not only mentally stressful, but can also be physically stressful on the body to restrict calories.
The study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, found that people who cut calories have an increased level of the stress hormone cortisol. Participants were divided into 4 groups: those who ate 1,200 calories per day and tracked their food, those who ate a pre-packaged diet of 1,200 calories per day (and didn't have to track food), non-dieters who counted calories and non-dieters who did not count calories.
Participants were given surveys and saliva tests before and after the study to measure their stress levels. According to the researchers, "Participants who cut calories had higher levels of cortisol than before they started the plan and higher levels than non-dieters in the study." So it wasn't tracking food that mattered when it came to stress levels- it was the physical act of cutting calories.
Cortisol has a number of functions in the body. People who are pregnant, depressed, sleep-deprived or very athletic, for example, can have high levels of cortisol. High levels of this hormone can stimulate your appetite, leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. It's not as simple as saying cutting calories was the only reason for the increase of cortisol levels in this study, but it's an interesting theory to explore further.
Although you can't completely control your body's reaction to dietary changes, there are some things you can do to make the process a little easier. Consider all of the changes you're making to be permanent lifestyle changes instead of a temporary diet. If you're making changes you don't think you can live with long-term, reconsider them. Also keep in mind that small changes can add up to big results over time. So you don't need to completely overhaul your diet overnight.
It's hard to be patient when we want to see fast results. But losing weight slowly can help you keep it off for good and also make the process as stress-free as possible.
What do you think?
The study, published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, found that people who cut calories have an increased level of the stress hormone cortisol. Participants were divided into 4 groups: those who ate 1,200 calories per day and tracked their food, those who ate a pre-packaged diet of 1,200 calories per day (and didn't have to track food), non-dieters who counted calories and non-dieters who did not count calories.
Participants were given surveys and saliva tests before and after the study to measure their stress levels. According to the researchers, "Participants who cut calories had higher levels of cortisol than before they started the plan and higher levels than non-dieters in the study." So it wasn't tracking food that mattered when it came to stress levels- it was the physical act of cutting calories.
Cortisol has a number of functions in the body. People who are pregnant, depressed, sleep-deprived or very athletic, for example, can have high levels of cortisol. High levels of this hormone can stimulate your appetite, leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. It's not as simple as saying cutting calories was the only reason for the increase of cortisol levels in this study, but it's an interesting theory to explore further.
Although you can't completely control your body's reaction to dietary changes, there are some things you can do to make the process a little easier. Consider all of the changes you're making to be permanent lifestyle changes instead of a temporary diet. If you're making changes you don't think you can live with long-term, reconsider them. Also keep in mind that small changes can add up to big results over time. So you don't need to completely overhaul your diet overnight.
It's hard to be patient when we want to see fast results. But losing weight slowly can help you keep it off for good and also make the process as stress-free as possible.
What do you think?
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Comments
It's hard to adapt...but if I want to change my weight and my health, I have to change what I eat. Ultimately, for me, substitituing the cookies, chips and ice cream with veggies and fruits is really making the transition easy (and smart!)
And now, almost halfway to my goal--I feel great! Keep up the great work fellow Sparkers! - 4/19/2010 3:36:00 PM
Teenyweenie - 4/19/2010 2:41:38 PM
Since beginning my training for my first half-marathon I've been stuck within in the same 3 pound range. After talking with many of the experienced Spark runners cortisol is to blame. I've been tearing my body down while building mileage. Even with the extra calories and rest my body is taking a beating.
Thanks for the insight. - 4/18/2010 8:41:07 AM
I agree with EWATER's comments - the more restricted you are with your intake, the more stressed/hungry you will feel, and 1200 is the lowest recommendation possible by any healthy weight-loss standard. Thank goodness for SP and their sensible, healthy approach! - 4/18/2010 8:17:25 AM
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I plugged in my GOAL weight to the basal metabolic rate calculations and discovered the high end of my calorie range (1650) is where I should be eating if I did NO activity whatsoever. Since part of the Spark lifestyle approach is to exercise 3-5 days/week consistently, Sparkers are creating an even greater caloric deficit to result in 1-2 pounds per week of loss. In addition, we are monitoring the ratio of our protein/carb/fat intake. I have found since consuming enough protein, my overall daily stress levels have plummeted. I still have self-image/self-esteem stress associated with my appearance but that is always there and is separate from the stress of caloric restriction. I think this study is insufficiently detailed, and 1200 calories seems extremely restrictive for even a shorter woman like me even if I did absolutely no exercise. In my case, before discovering Spark, I was indeed unknowingly "undereating calories" most days of the week, more irritable, and generally more stressed. And I definitely was not getting enough protein. This meant I had blood sugar spikes and valleys and I believe despite a probable intake of around 1200 calories, my metabolism had gone into a near "starvation mode" and slowed to a crawl. - 4/18/2010 2:25:55 AM
I would think that if you were worried about the cortisol, instead of paying attention to whether the changes you're making are things that can be permanent you'd be better off adding activities that are well known to be good for stress (and cortisol) control. Cuddle your pets, meditate, do highly repetitive tasks that create a relaxation response (like simple knitting), etc. - 4/18/2010 12:19:21 AM
My choices are healthy, I am running 3-5 k 3 times per week since sept.
When I start trying to loose weight, tracking food to below 1500 cal a day, well balanced, well distributed and all, I find I can't sleep.
I may go tp bed around 11, typically, I may sleep about 2 hours but then I wake up and cant go back to sleep. My legs are restless , I feel itchy, restless.
A really weird feeling.
I try to read, to relax, to listen ti quiet music. Nothing helps.
Last summer, when this started,I thought I was going tru menopause.
I was following a good plan, my weight was slowly dropping, I wasn't hungry but the night were awfull.
After 10 days, I was on vacation, I was starting to become desperate from lack of sleep.
I would fall back asleep around 4 to 10, so it was livable.
One night, I ate a piece of cheese and a piece of bread and within 30 min. I was asleep.
I've tried many time to decrease intake below 1800 calories and the same thing happens.
I'd like to have more info about cortisol levels at night to see if it could explain it and how I can prevent this
It happenend again recently when I was trying to go with a glycemc load approach. I ''backtracked ''my food the next day and was surprised about how many calories I actually ate.
I am not trying to loose quickly so I don't understand this - 4/17/2010 8:46:01 PM
IT'S WORSE FOR ME WHEN I SEE SOMETHING I REALY WANT TO EAT AND KNOW I SHOULDN'T. I'VE BEEN DIETING NOW LONG ENOUGH I HAVE PRETTY MUCH COME UP WITH A TREASURE TROVE OF YUMMY SNACKS THAT ARE OK TO INDULGE IN SPARINGLY.
JEANNE IN GA - 4/17/2010 7:58:20 PM
Of course, the problem is that we've been taught that the only way to lose weight is to starve ourselves. Which is wrong. Starving doesn't work. As this study now proves, eating too little increases our stress. which is no good.
Personally, I've become a firm believer in eating as a means to lose weight. Quality of the food over quantity.
- 4/17/2010 2:14:17 PM
'Stress' is the body's way of dealing with change. Some of the methods are positive long-term, others not, but 'stress' isn't the culprit any more than 'food' is.
Having said that, I wonder if the results would have been different if there had been a group whose calorie intake was reduced--but they didn't know about it? Or, conversely, if a group THOUGHT their calorie intake was reduced, but it wasn't? Then it might be clearer just what the psychosomatic component in this particular stress/diet relationship might be. - 4/17/2010 12:24:32 PM
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