Can Stress Stop You From Losing Weight?
It’s a question I hear a lot from women doing all the “right” things:
“I’m exercising, eating well, but I just can’t shift the weight. Could stress be the problem?”
The short answer? Stress doesn’t directly stop us from losing fat. But it does make it harder for your body and mind to support the changes you’re trying to make.
What Stress Really Does to Your Body
Stress isn’t inherently bad. Our bodies are designed to handle short bursts of it — that fight-or-flight response releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to help us cope (sometimes, it can be a great thing e.g. that feeling of alertness that comes with the stress of doing a presentation at work. It’s handy!)
Problems arise when stress becomes chronic. Long-term stress keeps your nervous system activated, leaving you with:
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Lower energy for workouts
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Poorer sleep and recovery
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Shifts in appetite and cravings
All of these can make weight loss feel slower or even stall for a while.
Why It Feels Harder to Lose Weight Under Stress
When energy is low and motivation dips, it’s easy to misinterpret your body’s signals. You might:
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Skip workouts or do them half-heartedly as we don’t have the energy or feel we even have time to do them in the first place.
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Reach for comfort foods more often. We reach for that fast, quick energy as our bodies are in a fight-or-flight state. We’re also tired and less likely to make “good” and controlled decisions with our food.
- We can often overeat as an emotional, stress response too.
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Try to “fix” the problem with stricter diets or more intense exercise. Ironically, pushing harder often increases stress further, making the cycle even tougher.
How to Support Your Body During Stress
Here’s the truth: stress itself doesn’t make you gain weight, it’s how we respond to it that matters. The good news? We have the power to choose how we react, what we eat, and how we move our bodies, even when life is chaotic.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about conscious choices. Even small, deliberate decisions compound over time. For example:
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Choosing movement: Even a short strength session or a brisk walk is a choice that supports your energy, mood and our capacity to deal with everything.
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Choosing nourishment: When cravings hit, pause and ask yourself what your body actually needs. Then make the decision that aligns with your goals. Put the power back in your hands.
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Choosing consistency: Keeping meals, workouts and routines predictable doesn’t remove stress, but it gives you control when everything else feels unpredictable. Create a system e.g. working out first thing in the morning at the same time every day (before everything and everyone else needs you).
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Choosing self-compassion: Being kind to yourself when things slip doesn’t undo progress, it protects your motivation to keep going.
Every choice you make is a moment of power. You might feel stressed, tired, or overwhelmed, but the actions you take — how you eat, move, and rest — are always under your control. That’s where real progress comes from.
Moving Forward With Intention
Stress doesn’t mean failure. It’s simply life happening. The difference is in the decisions we make in response: not letting stress dictate your habits, but letting your goals guide your choices.
If you want practical strategies for turning stress into action, rather than letting it sabotage your efforts, I cover this in depth in my latest podcast episode.
🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode here
And if you’re looking for a structured, supportive way to get back on track with your fitness, check out my 6 Week Reboot for Busy Mums — it’s designed to help you build habits that last, even during stressful seasons.
