How Cortisol Causes Your Belly

Cortisol and weight gain go hand in hand. Yup, you can thank our friend, cortisol for that fat belly. Like insulin and growth hormone, cortisol is one of those hormones you need to be aware of when beginning any belly fat or abdominal fat reducing, weight loss program.

Cortisol, traditionally known as the stress hormone, responds to those very frequent, stressful situations in your life. It is said that back in the era of the caveman, cortisol was released as the flight or fight response.

Now days, we don't have stress like that - we have bills! Yes bills, blackberrys, children, aging parents, pollution, and a failing economy are our stressors. These constant anxiety causing problems are said to stimulate a continuous production of cortisol and at high levels.

The caveman would either run from his food or fight his food and that one situation would cause a burst of cortisol. Instead, we have continuous worries that find us through our cell phones and email which allow for a continuous production of cortisol. Take a look for yourself. Are you hunched over - shoulders tight, headache, stomach growling. These are all signs of stress.

Higher cortisol levels overtime causes so many negative effects on the body. For example, high levels of cortisol cause the storage of fat to be deposited directly on your abdomen or belly. That fat belly releases an enzyme that binds to cortisone to make even more cortisol. And the cycle repeats.

If that wasn't reason enough to hate cortisol alone - cortisol causes an increase in your appetite. Cortisol causes you to crave forbidden sugary and fatty foods equating to more belly fat.

You can't get rid of cortisol. The amount of cortisol is highest in the early morning and the hormone is at its lowest, three to five hours after you start to sleep. So although you can't get rid of it, you can keep your levels low. The easiest things to do - are stay away from caffeine and get at least eight hours of sleep.

Early morning exercise like running, jogging, or any other cardio activity will help to optimize that early morning cortisol. Yoga and meditation are excellent for stress relief. The less stress and anxiety - the less cortisol in your body.

Remember to stay away from the sugar as sugar feeds the fat that feeds the cortisol.

See What Insulin Does to Your Belly