Quote:
Originally Posted by MauiKai
I read that study as well, and I was a little surprised. I must just react differently, but when I am harassed about my weight it makes me self conscious and I don't eat as much out of fear of hearing MORE rude remarks.
Maybe you do react differently, or maybe you don't. The study didn't really prove that people eat more when harassed, only that they gain more.
Stress hormones are known to adversely affect metabolism. Insomnia and sleep deprivation also reduces metabolism.
It's quite possible that even people who eat less when stressed would be susceptible weight gain due to the metabolic suppressing effects of stress hormones.
Regardless of the effect on weight, chronic stress causes a wide range of harmful and damaging effects. Even for those who lose weight in response to stress, I would doubt that it ends up being beneficial weight loss. I suspect that the damage outweighs any potential benefit.
I'm certainly finding that true. For the first time ever, I'm learning to lose weight without the negative self-talk (my self-harassment has always been far worse than any bully could dish out).
I don't just think, I know that reward works far better than punishment. I've known this since freshman year psychology classes (I have a BA and MA in psych).
Behavioral Psych 101 teaches this - and that punishment rarely extinguish behaviors, at best they generally only temporarily suppress the behavior, and when a behavior is rewarded and punished simultaneously, the reward usually trumps the punishment.
In fact, it can even strengthen the behavior. If two sources of food are available to rats, but to obtain one the rat receives a shock, initially the rats will avoid that food, but most will "take the shock."
In humans, and in rats the perceived risk can even be a stronger reward. A food that's difficult or painful to acquire is often perceived as more rewarding (it becomes more valuable because it's difficult or painful to acquire).