Why cortisol belly happens and how to get rid of it
Maintaining a positive body image is important at every stage in life, and managing belly fat helps to prevent related health conditions such as heart disease. While you might have heard about cortisol belly, it’s common to be unsure of what this condition involves. Exploring how cortisol belly develops and what you can do about it empowers you to take charge of your health.
What Exactly is Cortisol Belly and Why Does It Happen?
Cortisol is a hormone that your body naturally releases more of during times of stress. While you need cortisol to fuel your body with energy if you encounter danger, too much of this hormone for prolonged periods can also create issues for your physical health.
In the past, people blamed weight gain around the belly on a poor diet or sedentary lifestyle. Today, science shows that there is a correlation between elevated cortisol levels and increasing weight around your midsection.
Other hormones, such as androgen, progesterone, HGH, and estrogen, can also impact your body composition. Exploring how hormonal changes lead to cortisol belly can help you determine if you could benefit from HGH therapy.
What Are the Signs of Cortisol Belly?
When you first notice weight accumulating around your belly, it might be hard to determine the cause. Watching for these signs of cortisol belly helps you know when you might need to consider hormone replacement therapy to improve your well-being.
- Gaining weight mostly in the midsection
- Finding it difficult to lose weight despite practicing healthy habits
- Having cravings for salty or sugary foods
- Dealing with fatigue or low energy in the afternoon
- Struggling with poor sleep or frequent wakings
- Experiencing mood swings, irritability, or anxiety
Why Does Cortisol Target Your Midsection?
Cortisol is designed to help your body survive during stressful times. Once your body goes into survival mode, it begins holding on to more fat as a protective mechanism. Cortisol specifically stimulates an increase in lipoprotein lipase. This is an enzyme that stores fat in your abdominal cells.
You should also know that cortisol breaks down muscle, which might be why all of those crunches aren’t working to trim your middle. Cortisol also slows down your metabolism and disrupts other hormones such as estrogen, HGH, and insulin. When you put it all together, it’s easier to understand why you can’t just lose weight through dieting and exercise alone sometimes.
How Do You Shrink Cortisol Belly?
Fortunately, you have options for reducing your cortisol belly and rebalancing your body. Targeting the root cause of cortisol belly involves a multifaceted approach that also enhances your overall health.
Manage Daily Stress
Stress management is a lifelong practice that includes using multiple strategies to help you relax and your body stay calm. Use these ideas to begin regaining control over your daily stress levels.
- Practice deep breathing, yoga, and meditation
- Prioritize getting quality sleep
- Minimize screen time before bed
- Take regular breaks during the day to help your nervous system reset
Balance Your Blood Sugar
Maintaining proper blood sugar levels helps your body avoid holding on to belly fat by keeping cortisol in check. These strategies help promote good blood sugar regulation.
- Include protein in every meal
- Avoid extreme fasting and skipping meals
- Try to limit processed foods and refined sugars
Incorporate a Gentle Exercise Routine
Overstraining your body can lead to higher cortisol levels. To combat cortisol belly, choose gentle movement that you can easily include throughout your day. For an added boost, some people also use supplements before exercise to support energy and endurance without putting extra stress on the body. Here are some ideas to get started:
- Walking
- Pilates or mobility work
- Resistance training
Support Hormonal Health
Unfortunately, chronic stress impacts more than just your body’s cortisol levels. When you’re dealing with high stress for long periods, it can also disrupt your entire hormonal ecosystem.
HGH is one hormone to pay attention to when you have a cortisol belly, since it also helps to support fat metabolism, good muscle tone, and tissue repair. If this hormone reaches low levels, then it can also make belly fat harder to lose.
In some cases, human growth hormone therapy is recommended for adults who have clinically low HGH. When your care is guided by a healthcare provider, this form of hormone therapy can help to support your body’s metabolism, improve your sleep, and reduce that stubborn belly fat. HGH therapy is especially beneficial for stress-prone individuals who face ongoing challenges with symptoms such as weight management.
Explore Adaptogens and Nutrient Support
Supplements are also beneficial for people who are dealing with hormonal fluctuations and belly fat. Ashwagandha, rhodiola, vitamin B-complex, and magnesium are a few supplements that are helpful for regulating your stress response naturally.
As always, you’ll want to consult with a healthcare professional before you begin a natural supplement regimen. This is especially important if you are already taking medications or have known health conditions, such as diabetes, that can impact how your body responds to supplements.
Many people also find that using a combination of natural stress relief methods and hormone replacement gives them the best of both worlds for conquering stubborn belly fat.
Throughout life, stress, aging, and hormonal fluctuations can all have significant impacts on your overall well-being. Finding ways to improve your mental health can help smooth the path toward feeling better physically. Targeting the root cause of cortisol belly with hormone therapy can also boost the effects of your healthier lifestyle. By focusing on all aspects of your physical and mental well-being, you can improve your body composition and stave off the effects of aging.
