Is My Job Making Me Fat? Well, Actually, it's the Stress!

Well, I have been saying for years now that my job is making me fat. Sound crazy? Well, bear with me. It is a well-known fact in the fitness/nutrition world that too much stress creates an excess of cortisol, which in turn creates an excess of fat centered around the abdomen. It is true ... my job is making me fat! Well, unfortunately, I can't place the blame entirely on my job.

Other factors come to bear, as well, like overeating, of course, and not enough exercise (sigh!) But I do believe that stress is definitely a factor in my excessive weight gain. 

Teachers are known to have one of the most stressful jobs out there, and I am a teacher. So, what to do? Quit teaching? I have, a couple of time, exactly for the reasons that I have been describing. But I have an education degree, a passion for kids, and even what I believe is a calling on my life to teach. 

It's what I do, and love to do. But it cause me stress, and my body does not handle stress very well at all. My body, by all appearances, seems to go nuts with cortisol when I am stressed.

So, I have been constantly on the lookout for more information about how to stop this pattern. I found an interesting article that talks about the stress-cortisol-body fat connection that I would like to share:

http://www.elite-wellness-coaching.com/cortisol-belly-fat.html

This articles emphasizes the importance of de-stressing in different ways. As a Christan, I should not be so stressed. The Bible says to "fret not," but I do not obey that one. I do fret, a lot. 

And that is why I went back to teaching. I realized that the stress is primarily from my own lack of coping skills with life ... and that I need to overcome this, no matter what my profession. Yes, teaching is stressful, but so is being unemployed, or underemployed, or employed in a career that I despise.

So, I will continue to try to understand the whole process of how my body and mind work. And trying to get healthier, and thinner.