Does anxiety burn more calories?

[Malton Seadog]

Don't worry, I'm not trying to use anxiety as a route to weight loss!

I'm a 21 year old guy who is 6 feet tall, and I weight 11st 8lb which I think is about right for my age and build.

Since my anxiety began in May, I've been eating slightly unhealthier than usual.

A usual day's diet for me would be:

1 bowl of cornflakes
1 sandwich
1 yoghurt
1 chocolate biscuit
1 main meal (including things such as pizza or meat product and chips/roast potatoes with beans or spaghetti)
1 bowl of cornflakes for supper

To drink, I'd have probably 2 cups of tea and 4-5 biscuits.

Now - I've not put a single pound on in weight despite giving up the healthy regime and gym sessions in May.

When I've eaten, I feel weak and dizzy within a couple of hours.

Now for example (2:13pm) I feel quite weak even though at 12 I had bacon, beans, mushroom, tomato and toast for my lunch followed by an icecream).

Does anxiety burn sugar and fat quicker than usual, and as a result, should we expect to eat more?

[Eva May]

I've often wondered this myself. In the middle of a panic attack I'm shaking and moving around like I'm on fire and this lasts for ages. When I'm anxious the most I will eat is fruit and that is to keep away any hunger

[Captain America]

i hope it can, otherwise i'm in big trouble. i lost 30 pounds in a year and have only started gaining some back after quitting smoking.
i think it's because anxiety keeps the sympathetic nervous system in gear, which is what a stimulant or even exercise does. so since those things cause weight loss, why not anxiety?

[nickieb]

i lost a stone in a week during my poorly anxiety week.

[Anxious_gal]

I tend to lose a few pounds and then put it back on again! my diet is bad too, i tend to just eat dinner n drink tea and maybe have toast later on. i too get dizzy a few hours after eating, i'm not hungry but i feel as if i should eat something. i do take vitamins as i'm also a vegetarian and had low calcium levels too.

[Catwoman]

I am sure it does. I know in some people when they are anxious they don't want to eat so that leads to weight loss. But with me when I am anxious I eat the same but the weight falls off me.
I think I read somewhere the brain as an organ can burn a lot of calories when it thinks, maybe it burns more when it worries?

[sunnydays]

I lost over a stone in weight in about a month. I just couldn't eat properly. I felt sick and bloated just thinking about food. I'm trying to put it back on now but it's really, really hard. I'm sure anxiety burns up huge amounts of calories as it raises our metabolism. I've heard of no end of people losing vast amounts of weight due to anxiety and panic.

love
Sunny

[mabelina]

I wish it did, id have been skinny a long time ago!:D No seriously, something really bad upset me two years ago and it played on my mind so much that i lost 2 and a half stone in a month. Whatever i ate, if i could eat, went straight through me. I did look good at the end of it all though:yesyes:

[nomorepanic]

Malton

Your diet is not very balanced - where is the fruit and veg?

It has a lot of fat in it that won't help.

Maybe look at diet changes to help you.

[dee211]

when im having attacks and anxiety, my weight drops off me and when i start picking myself up my weight goes back to normal, there must be a link between the two .

[xxlisaxx08]

I know that when you have a panic attack when the adrenalin kicks into action it releases all the glucose from your liver for quick energy which is why you feel shaky and weak after a panic attack.

I find that my blood sugar levels drop several times during the day. Just now i'm able to control this by eating every 3-4 hours to keep them stable

[Malton Seadog]

NoMorePanic, I do have fruit and veg with it - that was just the main bulk of the diet.

Honest.

I'm a good boy!

[keepemlaughing]

One could only hope