Is Stress Making You Fat?
It's no secret that we live stressful lives. Between work, spending time with family and friends, trying to squeeze in exercise and getting all your household errands completed many of us barely have enough time for ourselves, let alone time to relax and de-stress. It's interesting that as society as a whole has become more stressed out our waistlines seem to stretch out more. Coincidence? Hardly so. The overwhelming amount of stress in our lives is a major contributing factor to the expanding waistlines of North Americans today.

How does stress cause weight gain?
When you're stressed out or feeling pressured your body releases a hormone called adrenaline which helps to deal with stress. During this time your energy levels increases, you may not have an appetite and your blood pressure increases. This is called the 'fight' response to stress. It's your body's first reaction.

When the body undergoes prolonged periods of stress the hormone cortisol is released to help the body cope with stress. It is this hormone that also may be responsible for weight gain.

When cortisol is elevated in your bloodstream your metabolism is slowed down which makes it extremely difficult to burn off the foods you eat. As well, many people will reach for unhealthy choices such as sweets and fattening foods when they're stressed; which further fuels the problem. What's more, greater levels of stress have been linked to an increase in abdominal fat. If that's not bad enough, when you're feeling stressed you'll be less likely to have time to exercise or have the energy to perform an intense workout.

What can be done to prevent stress-related weight gain?
Although we can't control the amount of stress in our lives, here are some tips to make stress more manageable:

• Sleep - studies have shown that getting at least eight hours of sleep a night can cut stress hormones by 50%! What a relaxing way to bring your hormones in balance.
• Drink black tea - take time out for yourself and sip some black tea. Recent research conducted at the University College London and published in Psychopharmacology found that those who drank black tea had 47% lower levels of cortisol. If you don't actually have the time to sit down and savor a cup of tea including it in your busy day can help to de-stress and bring stress hormones back to normal levels.
• Chat with friends and loved ones - socializing and connecting with others has been found to raise the hormone oxytocin which has been found to have a calming effect.
• Snack right - during times of stress many people will give into those unhealthy cravings, but these types of choices will actually lead to more stress and will do nothing for your waistline. Instead, choose healthier options that are high in fiber and rich in whole grains. Making the right choices will provide the energy and nutrients needed to deal with stressful situations.
• Work it out - make time for exercise. Exercise has been proven to effectively help you manage your stress levels. A great workout provides some time away from your stressors, can boost your mood and will help to speed up your weight loss.
• Take RAPIDCUTS FEMME twice a day - RAPIDCUTS FEMME includes the complex Sensorilean to help reduce the stress hormone cortisol. In one clinical study conducted over an 8-week period those taking the key ingredient in RAPIDCUTS FEMME decreased their cortisol levels by 26%! What's more, those who have tried RAPIDCUTS FEMME have actually reported a calming effect while taking it. Research has shown that those who were assigned the key ingredient in RAPIDCUTS FEMME were actually three times less likely to feel irritable than the group taking a placebo.

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