Guess what? Feeling angry all the time can make you fat

Tired of taming your anger? Then there's another reason to keep it under check because feeling angry all the time can make you gain weight.
anger issues
Increased anger could also be a symptom. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Nikita Bhardwaj Updated: 16 May 2021, 10:18 pm IST
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What makes you angry the most? Is it the people around you? Unrealistic deadlines? Or are you short-tempered in general? Well, the reason behind your short fuse doesn’t matter, because whatever makes you angry will make you fat as well. Shocked? So, were we!

Anger doesn’t just affect your mind but also shakes your hormones. Basically there are two types of anger that you usually deal with:

1. Clinical or occasional anger: This one is incidental in nature. It comes and goes and is easier to handle.

2. Chronic anger: This kind of anger sticks to you and is more lethal in character. As a result, you tend to feel angry all the time.

But how is anger even remotely related to weight gain? Let’s hear it from the experts
Anger makes you hungry (yes, we mean hangery) or it makes you starve. In both cases, you gain weight. Let’s tell you how.

“It is a part of evolution. When a baby cries the mother mostly feeds as a way to offer comfort, even if the baby isn’t hungry. This gets engraved in our brains in such a manner that we take to eating as a coping mechanism, when we are angry, sad, or anxious”, says Dr Sonal Anand, psychiatrist at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai.

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She adds: “Anger is an impulse control issue and so is eating. They work on the same brain path and that’s why when we get angry the only solve we see is food which ultimately leads to weight gain.”

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You heard it from a psychiatrist now let’s see what a dietician has to say
“Yes, anger can lead to weight gain. When you get angry your body releases the stress hormone cortisol. Due to this you either have massive cravings or don’t feel hungry at all,” explains Dr Ashima Chopra, a dietician at Paras Hospital, Panchkula.

According to her, when you are angry and are struck by food cravings, your hormones can only be subdued by high carbs and sugar-rich meals. Unfortunately, none of the healthy stuff is going to come to your rescue. In fact, it might aggravate your temper further. Eating carb-rich food swill of course lead to weight gain.   

Another problem is that when you get angry you feel low on energy because of your hormones going haywire internally. So you tend to eat food to get recharged instantly. And sadly that food is all high calorie in nature which further leads to weight gain.

“On the flip side, some people don’t feel like eating anything at all, when they get angry. And this again results in weight gain. Basically, when you starve your body it sends a signal to your brain that it needs to store energy for future use. Due to this your body starts storing visceral fat which mostly gets deposited in your lower abdomen and arms,” she suggests.  

Also, listen:

The bottom line? You should focus on controlling your anger
Anger makes your heart pound faster. And if you are really short tempered, then you should always keep a water bottle handy. Gulp it down whenever you start feeling angry so that you can take control of your heart rate and keep your calm.

“Also, regular exercising and venting out are two simple ways to keep your anger in check” suggests Dr Chopra. So ladies, keep your anger and your weight in check. 

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About the Author

Six-pack abs are all that Nikita needs, along with her daily dose of green tea. At Health Shots, she produces videos, podcasts, stories, and other kick-ass content. ...Read More

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