Stress - Impacts on Belly

Your Belly isn't Lazy, it's just Stressed! (I call it Madhya Pradesh 😄)

How stress makes your belly grow faster than your mom's grocery list?

Let me drop some truth bombs about why this happens...

Your body has this sneaky hormone called Cortisol (yes, that's your stress hormone!).

Between managing grown-up children, aging parents, health reports, and household responsibilities - your body is silently fighting against your weight loss goals.

When you're stressed
→ Your body holds onto fat like your dadi holds onto her favorite grandchild
→ Your metabolism slows down faster than Sharma ji's son can complete his homework
→ You start craving samosas and mithai like it's Diwali every day
→ Even your healthy khichdi doesn't get processed efficiently.

Here's what nobody tells you about managing cortisol

1. Timing matters more than duration
→ 10 minutes of pranayam in the morning beats 1 hour of random meditation
→ Eat your heaviest meal when you're most relaxed (not during work calls!)
→ Your body releases the most cortisol between 6-8 AM, so don't stress yourself with intense workouts then.

2. The Desi Cortisol Reset Routine (save this!)
→ Wake up → 5 deep breaths before checking WhatsApp
→ Morning surya namaskar or balcony sunshine for 5 minutes
→ Protein-rich breakfast (paneer/eggs/sprouts) within 90 minutes of waking
→ 2-minute pause before every meal to say a small prayer/gratitude
→ No Instagram reels 30 minutes after waking and before sleep

3. Stress-Proof Your Environment
→ Keep roasted chana/makhana at your stress spots
→ Create a designated worry time (I call it the "tension window")
→ Use the 5-5-5 rule - When stressed about relatives' comments or work pressure, notice 5 things you see, 5 things you hear, 5 body parts you can relax

The most important lesson I've learned - Weight loss resistance is often your body's way of saying 'I don't feel safe enough to let go.'

Make your body feel safe first.
Results will follow.

Save this post. You'll need these reminders during family functions and Monday meetings.

Drop a 👍 if you're ready to make peace with your stress levels this week.

Courtesy: Dr. Malhar Ganla, Dr. Pramod Tripathi