You wake up to the loud buzz of your alarm clock, followed by the tragic events reported on the daily news. Then off to work with horrible traffic enroute, knowing you have deadlines looming at work. You come home to find that your cat puked on your bed and your kid got an F on his math test. And. . . .repeat. Sounds a bit stressful right? Not to sound extremely negative, but these are the types of things that all of us experience on an often if not everyday basis, and it is no wonder that so many of us are stressed out zombies. Stress causes many reactions to our bodies such as lack of sleep, hair loss, and weight gain which, of course, can lead to more stress and the vicious cycle can easily continue on and on.

In regards to weight, the immediate response to acute stress can be a loss of appetite. However, studies have shown that for some people, chronic stress can be tied to an increase in appetite -- and stress-induced weight gain. The problem lies within our neuroendocrine system and our "flight or flee" hormones. Though today the source of the stress is more likely to be an unpaid bill than a saber-toothed tiger, this system still activates these hormones whenever we feel threatened.

The hormones released when we're stressed include adrenalin -- which gives us instant energy -- along with corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) and cortisol. While high levels of adrenalin and CRH decrease appetite at first, the effects usually don't last long.

Cortisol's job is to help us replenish our body after the stress has passed, and it hangs around a lot longer. If it remains elevated, it will increase your appetite and ultimately driving you to eat more. And to top it off these stress signals can lead not only to weight gain, but also the tendency to store "visceral fat" around the midsection. These fat cells that lie deep within the abdomen have been linked to an increase in both diabetes and heart disease.

Under stress, there's an impulse to do something, and ironically eating often becomes the activity that relieves the stress in the short term. And cortisol brings craving of carbohydrates in the form of sugar and starch. And over time, the behaviors can become a common habit. . . resulting in weight gain.

Now this is not good news, and I have probably made you a bit grumpy by now. . . BUT there are tools to combat stress related weight gain and interrupt the cycle.

This has been found to be the BEST stress buster. It not only burns calories, but when you move your body, you begin to produce biochemicals, which counter the negative effects of stress hormones -- as well as control insulin and sugar levels. But the key is to choose something you enjoy and do not completely exhaust yourself (which can actually increase stress).

Eat breakfast -- and try to have light snacks between meals rather than three huge meals a day. This helps keep blood sugar levels steady, which will lessen insulin production reduce cortisol levels resulting in weight control.

Try foods high in fiber and low in sugar, like oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and fruit. Foods that are high in sugar and simple carbohydrates cause insulin levels to rise, which in turn increases stress hormones and ultimately makes you feel more hungry. But high-fiber, whole-grain foods help keep insulin levels low, which can help control blood sugar levels, and ultimately, hunger.

When we don't get enough rest, cortisol levels rise, making us feel hungry, cranky and sluggish. Which will also make you not want to exercise!

Interestingly enough, relaxing works much like exercise to produce brain chemicals that counter the effects of stress. Again choose an activity that you enjoy whether it be yoga, meditation or even reading or coffee with a friend.

One last thing that I found interesting is that studies have found that one shouldn't go on a strict diet if under chronic stress. In short, the more subjects restricted food intake, the greater their levels of stress hormones, and, ultimately, the more they wanted to eat.

If you find yourself chronically stressed out, try following these tips and be mindful of how you feel when you do. I bet you will feel better!!