
How stress works in the human body, to make or break us - ALee
https://aeon.co/essays/how-stress-works-in-the-human-body-to-make-or-break-us
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mattbgates
There is some insane things the body can do with stress depending on how you
use it. Long story short: I had always been overweight as a child and
teenager. Struggled to lose weight. If I did, it was a roller coaster ride.
I'd lose 5 or 10 pounds and looking at a donut or something seemed to put it
right back.

Anyways, my girlfriend and I had broken up at the time, and I was upset about
it, but used the opportunity to get away from all influences of food from
others. I was living alone and never went out, and within 3 months of pretty
much resorting to a chicken breast a day with some salad as well as working
out (No, I never went to the gym), I was able to lose about 30 pounds.

By working out, I mean I forced myself to ride my bike to work everyday at 2.5
- 3 miles each way.

Most people would probably say: You're not eating enough, you need to eat
more! That advice is what probably got me fat in the first place. Listening to
what your body wants and eating when you are hungry -- eating so that you can
function, not living to eat, is something that certainly changed in my life
and perspective. The body lets you know exactly what it needs. It's an
evolutionary tool that has been designed to burn fat and it will do its job
and do it more efficiently when you give it the proper nutrition to do so.

I think between the stress of not having that person who had been my best
friend for so long, the eating, and the exercising, I was able to lose some
weight.

On the other hand, I have also seen people break up with boyfriends or
girlfriends and gain 30 pounds. It is all in how you choose to manage the
energy of that stress.

