Control Stress to Stop Yo-yo Dieting

Stress can cause an increase in appetite, due to the plummeting levels of hormone Leptin. It can also cause you to gain weight, even when you're eating the same amount of food! Because the stress hormone, Cortisol, can slow down your metabolism, and stimulate glucose production from proteins, which is then converted into fat in the body.

Fat cells in the abdominal area have more stress hormone receptors, and are more sensitive to Cortisol. Cortisol can increase the size of individual fat cells, by encouraging them to store fat.

So, if you're one of the many people who keeps piling on weight despite repeated attempts at dieting, you should know that dieting can actually cause stress, and repeatedly yo-yo dieting over the years can actually make you fatter, especially around the belly!