Can you realistically lose your cortisol belly fat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, of course you can.

Except for a tiny percentage of people who actually have a legitimate disease, "cortisol," "metabolism," "genetics," are all excuses people make because they can't or won't follow CICO. Yes, some of these factors can actually affect the rate your body burns calories, but that is completely irrelevant to weight loss, because all that means is you have to readjust your CICO calculation.

Literally all you have to do is eat fewer calories than you burn. It doesn't matter where on your body the fat is, it doesn't matter how you gained it. If you eat fewer calories than you burn for a sustained period of time you will lose the fat eventually. It's basic thermodynamics. Your body is not a exception to the laws of physics. If you "are eating fewer calories than I burn and still aren't losing weight," there's not some magic situation happening, you're calculating CI or CO wrong and need to eat less or exercise more.

Nobody in the medical field who treats overweight/obesity still parrots CICO except doctors who haven't bothered to learn anything about nutritional biochemistry - which is many of them granted, since they aren't taught anything about this in medical school.

Yes in a general sense you must burn more than you consume to lose weight. BUT, the quality and type of energy that you consume matters massively in cultivating healthy weight loss. Our bodies use different calories differently - the slurry turned to processed food products that make up 60-70% of the American diet is processed differently by the gut than whole fiber rich real food is. Eating clean 90% of the time is the key to healthy weight loss - not just fewer calories of Big Macs and Little Debbie snack cakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cortisol did not make you fat. Your fork did. Put it down and move more.

WRONG.

Elevated cortisol most definitely makes you fat - it drives cravings that are impossible to overcome by willpower alone.

I spent my 40s in a toxically high stress job (prosecutor) working very long hours and suffering chronic insomnia from perimenopause, so both stress and insomnia were driving my elevated cortisol and I packed on dozens of pounds in a short period of time - and no, I was not binge eating.

Hormones are HUGE when it comes to weight gain.

OP, I stepped on the scale this morning and was so happy I came here to post a thread about it but yours was a great place to fit my success story.

I have now lost 50 lbs from my all time high weight. I have a long way to go still, but there is no question my body is healing and that is what is required before your body can start releasing weight.

What I did:

Got on HRT to solve the chronic insomnia.

Managed my stress and cultivated a much healthier work/life balance.

Healed my gut and ended my food cravings by adopting a high fiber, whole foods, clean 90% processed food free diet. I eat very clean 6 days/week and one day allow myself to indulge - Chinese take out, Thai take out, pizza.

I get at least the RDA of fiber every day, some days more. I address cravings for sweets (which are much minimized since I ditched most all sugar and added sugar processed foods) with very dark chocolate (high fiber, antioxidants) or figs or dates, or fruits which are fantastically sweet once you've ditched all the super sugary processed foods and treats.

50 POUNDS GONE, at 53! A year from now it will be 100 more and then I'll be in maintenance mode.

I also walk daily and do weight lifting but nothing intense - no intense cardio, which actually drives hunger/cravings and excess calorie intake. Walking is terrific for weight loss, and lifting weights to get back that muscle mass that has atrophied since you turned 30 is the key - because muscle burns fat while you're sitting and sleeping.

You can do this OP.

I didn't stress it enough so just to add: YOU MUST PRIORITIZE SLEEP OVER ALL ELSE. Your body must get adequate rest for your hormones to have any chance of balancing, and for you to have any chance of managing your stress in a healthy way. You may need to engage in other techniques like meditation, yoga, other breathing exercises - but without adequate sleep NOTHING will work to help you lose weight and keep it off.

My other advice is, don't aim for dramatic loss. My weight has come off slowly but speeding up since I really starting upping my walking and weight lifting game but primarily the clean eating. The cleaner I eat, the more I lose. When I have a bad week and backslide and eat crap, I gain a few pounds each time. The quality of what you're eating is everything, not just the quantity. And of course you can eat a lot more veggies and whole grains and fruits and nuts and seeds and BEANS (they are SO GOOD FOR YOU!) than the other junk for a lot fewer calories.

[Anonymous]

Most very stressed people are thin. So, of course.

[Anonymous]

I’d start with sleep.

I finally broke and got help With my sleep and I dropped 10 lbs pronto.

Do 1 thing at a time.

Once you get sleep under control move to correct 1 more thing, like no more caffeine.

Then no more alcohol.

Then… different for each person.

Stop thinking about weight and body fat, think health.

Sleep, community, family, enjoyment, etc

Worry about vanity later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most very stressed people are thin. So, of course.

Tell me more factless stereotypes, please! Like, what kind of people are cheap, and what kind drink too much, and what kind make good accountants?

[Anonymous]

OP I have a small belly. I don't think it's stress -- I think it's from pregnancy and childbirth. I take excellent care of myself and am in great shape. I wear a size 2 and have good proportions other than the belly. I lift weights 5 days a week and play tennis twice a week. I walk a lot. I eat healthy -- tons of veggies and whole grains and lean proteins. I rarely eat out. I feel good and my body is strong and I have good endurance. I've successfully addressed two orthopedic issues (lower back and knees) via exercise to get me the core and lower body strength to prevent reinjury.

There may be a level of diet and exercise that would eliminate my belly but I think I've just decided that whatever it is just isn't worth it for me. I don't want to go hungry all the time. I do plenty of core work but I could always do more -- I just don't want to. I've accepted that my 45 year old body has this one issue and have made my peace with it. I console myself in my Obama-esque arms and back and my great butt and legs and the fact that my body just feels good most days and my clothes fit well and I like what I see in the mirror.

So I guess my answer to you is: you should bother with exercise and a good diet even if it never does anything about your belly (which could be from stress or something else -- I don't know and you probably don't either) because taking care of yourself has a myriad of benefits beyond fixing one stubborn aspect of your body you don't like. I do not thing you will regret getting in great shape and being healthy just because you still have a bit of a belly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m always stressed, intense. No matter how much I try not to be stressed, I meditate, do yoga, breathing, therapy, that’s who I am. Should I even bother to do sit-ups and watch what I eat?

What’s the alternative? Not caring about what you eat and not exercising? Answer seems obvious, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, of course you can.

Except for a tiny percentage of people who actually have a legitimate disease, "cortisol," "metabolism," "genetics," are all excuses people make because they can't or won't follow CICO. Yes, some of these factors can actually affect the rate your body burns calories, but that is completely irrelevant to weight loss, because all that means is you have to readjust your CICO calculation.

Literally all you have to do is eat fewer calories than you burn. It doesn't matter where on your body the fat is, it doesn't matter how you gained it. If you eat fewer calories than you burn for a sustained period of time you will lose the fat eventually. It's basic thermodynamics. Your body is not an exception to the laws of physics. If you "are eating fewer calories than I burn and still aren't losing weight," there's not some magic situation happening, you're calculating CI or CO wrong and need to eat less or exercise more.

CICO makes you lose weight, not just fat. You have to eat and lift in a way to prioritize retaining muscle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did on Ozempic. Nothing else helped. A1 c numbers down, cholesterol down, thyroid back to normal.

Did it for me too! The only place i gained weight was my midsection. I had 6 lbs to lose and I gained 5 additional pounds (having done nothing different) the 6 months leading up to my 50th birthday. It all went to my belly. I exercise and eat pretty well. I just couldn't lose it. I started Ozympic and lost 6 lbs the first three weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cortisol did not make you fat. Your fork did. Put it down and move more.

WRONG.

Elevated cortisol most definitely makes you fat - it drives cravings that are impossible to overcome by willpower alone.

I spent my 40s in a toxically high stress job (prosecutor) working very long hours and suffering chronic insomnia from perimenopause, so both stress and insomnia were driving my elevated cortisol and I packed on dozens of pounds in a short period of time - and no, I was not binge eating.

Hormones are HUGE when it comes to weight gain.

OP, I stepped on the scale this morning and was so happy I came here to post a thread about it but yours was a great place to fit my success story.

I have now lost 50 lbs from my all time high weight. I have a long way to go still, but there is no question my body is healing and that is what is required before your body can start releasing weight.

What I did:

Got on HRT to solve the chronic insomnia.

Managed my stress and cultivated a much healthier work/life balance.

Healed my gut and ended my food cravings by adopting a high fiber, whole foods, clean 90% processed food free diet. I eat very clean 6 days/week and one day allow myself to indulge - Chinese take out, Thai take out, pizza.

I get at least the RDA of fiber every day, some days more. I address cravings for sweets (which are much minimized since I ditched most all sugar and added sugar processed foods) with very dark chocolate (high fiber, antioxidants) or figs or dates, or fruits which are fantastically sweet once you've ditched all the super sugary processed foods and treats.

50 POUNDS GONE, at 53! A year from now it will be 100 more and then I'll be in maintenance mode.

I also walk daily and do weight lifting but nothing intense - no intense cardio, which actually drives hunger/cravings and excess calorie intake. Walking is terrific for weight loss, and lifting weights to get back that muscle mass that has atrophied since you turned 30 is the key - because muscle burns fat while you're sitting and sleeping.

You can do this OP.

I didn't stress it enough so just to add: YOU MUST PRIORITIZE SLEEP OVER ALL ELSE. Your body must get adequate rest for your hormones to have any chance of balancing, and for you to have any chance of managing your stress in a healthy way. You may need to engage in other techniques like meditation, yoga, other breathing exercises - but without adequate sleep NOTHING will work to help you lose weight and keep it off.

My other advice is, don't aim for dramatic loss. My weight has come off slowly but speeding up since I really starting upping my walking and weight lifting game but primarily the clean eating. The cleaner I eat, the more I lose. When I have a bad week and backslide and eat crap, I gain a few pounds each time. The quality of what you're eating is everything, not just the quantity. And of course you can eat a lot more veggies and whole grains and fruits and nuts and seeds and BEANS (they are SO GOOD FOR YOU!) than the other junk for a lot fewer calories.

You seem very stress free since YOUR SHOUTING IN ALL YOUR POSTS.

[Anonymous]

The accumulation of abdominal fat is complex and doesn't happen just because of cortisol. But yes, you should lose the weight; fat in that region is highly problematic. I would concern myself less with sit ups and more with dietary changes that will allow weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, of course you can.

Except for a tiny percentage of people who actually have a legitimate disease, "cortisol," "metabolism," "genetics," are all excuses people make because they can't or won't follow CICO. Yes, some of these factors can actually affect the rate your body burns calories, but that is completely irrelevant to weight loss, because all that means is you have to readjust your CICO calculation.

Literally all you have to do is eat fewer calories than you burn. It doesn't matter where on your body the fat is, it doesn't matter how you gained it. If you eat fewer calories than you burn for a sustained period of time you will lose the fat eventually. It's basic thermodynamics. Your body is not a exception to the laws of physics. If you "are eating fewer calories than I burn and still aren't losing weight," there's not some magic situation happening, you're calculating CI or CO wrong and need to eat less or exercise more.

Yeah, that's not "completely irrelevant to weight loss" when one's metabolism has slowed down to burn about 1300 calories a day. Someone who burns 2000 calories a day can drop down to 1500 and lose weight and it's very doable. Someone who has to drop down to 800 calories a day -- and yes, these folks exist -- can lose their mind.

So you actually sound ignorant with this condescending "It's basic thermodynamics" and "Your body is not an exception to the laws of physics" stuff. Can you argue that what you are saying is technically accurate? Sure. Is it judgmental and more importantly so misleading as to be completely unhelpful? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did on Ozempic. Nothing else helped. A1 c numbers down, cholesterol down, thyroid back to normal.

Same. Wegovy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cortisol did not make you fat. Your fork did. Put it down and move more.

WRONG.

Elevated cortisol most definitely makes you fat - it drives cravings that are impossible to overcome by willpower alone.

I spent my 40s in a toxically high stress job (prosecutor) working very long hours and suffering chronic insomnia from perimenopause, so both stress and insomnia were driving my elevated cortisol and I packed on dozens of pounds in a short period of time - and no, I was not binge eating.

Hormones are HUGE when it comes to weight gain.

OP, I stepped on the scale this morning and was so happy I came here to post a thread about it but yours was a great place to fit my success story.

I have now lost 50 lbs from my all time high weight. I have a long way to go still, but there is no question my body is healing and that is what is required before your body can start releasing weight.

What I did:

Got on HRT to solve the chronic insomnia.

Managed my stress and cultivated a much healthier work/life balance.

Healed my gut and ended my food cravings by adopting a high fiber, whole foods, clean 90% processed food free diet. I eat very clean 6 days/week and one day allow myself to indulge - Chinese take out, Thai take out, pizza.

I get at least the RDA of fiber every day, some days more. I address cravings for sweets (which are much minimized since I ditched most all sugar and added sugar processed foods) with very dark chocolate (high fiber, antioxidants) or figs or dates, or fruits which are fantastically sweet once you've ditched all the super sugary processed foods and treats.

50 POUNDS GONE, at 53! A year from now it will be 100 more and then I'll be in maintenance mode.

I also walk daily and do weight lifting but nothing intense - no intense cardio, which actually drives hunger/cravings and excess calorie intake. Walking is terrific for weight loss, and lifting weights to get back that muscle mass that has atrophied since you turned 30 is the key - because muscle burns fat while you're sitting and sleeping.

You can do this OP.

Here is the thing - you don't have to give into cravings. No one is making you. Just because you have a craving for something does not mean you have to eat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, of course you can.

Except for a tiny percentage of people who actually have a legitimate disease, "cortisol," "metabolism," "genetics," are all excuses people make because they can't or won't follow CICO. Yes, some of these factors can actually affect the rate your body burns calories, but that is completely irrelevant to weight loss, because all that means is you have to readjust your CICO calculation.

Literally all you have to do is eat fewer calories than you burn. It doesn't matter where on your body the fat is, it doesn't matter how you gained it. If you eat fewer calories than you burn for a sustained period of time you will lose the fat eventually. It's basic thermodynamics. Your body is not a exception to the laws of physics. If you "are eating fewer calories than I burn and still aren't losing weight," there's not some magic situation happening, you're calculating CI or CO wrong and need to eat less or exercise more.

Nobody in the medical field who treats overweight/obesity still parrots CICO except doctors who haven't bothered to learn anything about nutritional biochemistry - which is many of them granted, since they aren't taught anything about this in medical school.

Yes in a general sense you must burn more than you consume to lose weight. BUT, the quality and type of energy that you consume matters massively in cultivating healthy weight loss. Our bodies use different calories differently - the slurry turned to processed food products that make up 60-70% of the American diet is processed differently by the gut than whole fiber rich real food is. Eating clean 90% of the time is the key to healthy weight loss - not just fewer calories of Big Macs and Little Debbie snack cakes.

Turns out both of you are right because the intersection between people eating way out of energy balance and people eating big piles of garbage is extremely high. So high it’s 99% of the problem with people carrying too much weight anyways, which is actually a biological mechanism to have you roll around with extra energy for lean times. But now there are no lean times because people eat random shit at random times because they are “stressed”, bored, or undisciplined and unorganized or a combination of all of that.