Unfortunately, recent research shows that you can crunch until you crumble and diet till you're drained of energy, but if your days are full of stress, the perfect six-pack -- or even a flatter midsection -- will continue to elude you.

Ab flab is not the only price you'll pay for chronic stress (the kind created by a marriage that's unraveling, a job you hate, problems with your health -- rather than, say, tension caused by a traffic snarl). Chronically high cortisol levels also kill neurons in the brain and interfere with feel-good neuro-transmitters -- such as dopamine and serotonin -- which can lead to depression and feeling more stressed.

More stress = more fat
In short, the whole issue of abdominal fat goes far beyond how you look . The fat at your waist -- what researchers call central obesity -- is associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer. And while it's true that heredity plays a role in overall body type (that is, whether you are more of an "apple" than a "pear"), says Brenda Davy, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, "genetics accounts for only 25-55 percent of the tendency to develop the most serious diseases associated with abdominal fat -- the remainder is lifestyle."

The best diet to lose ab flab
All of this means there's one simple place to start: If you want to get rid of the fat at your midsection, begin by introducing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, exercise and deep breathing. The Mind/Body Medical Institute in Chestnut Hill, Mass. -- founded by Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response (Quill, 2000) and an expert on the harmful effects of stress -- utilizes all of these techniques in its Lighten Up program, in which participants learn to manage the stressors that trigger the hormone changes that play a role in weight gain.

The Lighten Up program has one other component that's essential to successful weight loss: Participants follow the Mediterranean Diet, which emphasizes nutritious foods such as fish, nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables. Unlike the typical American diet, the Mediterranean eating plan eliminates or limits saturated fats and processed foods and includes a moderate amount of healthy fats, especially omega-3 essential fatty acids. (The best sources of omega-3s are fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel; if you don't like fish, try flaxseed or walnuts.)

The Mediterranean Diet appears to have what researchers call an anti-inflammatory effect on our bodies' many systems and organs, meaning that it fights the destructive effects of chronic stress.

True anti-stress foods
Eating so-called "comfort foods" (carbohydrate-rich fare such as cookies, bread and pasta) may help you feel calmer in the short term, but proceed with caution. Over time, the price you'll pay for trying to reduce your stress with low-fiber, high-carb (and high-calorie!) foods is more abdominal fat.

While experts do know that high cortisol levels contribute to abnormal accumulation of abdominal fat and the subsequent development of life-threatening diseases, they haven't yet come up with a magic nail to permanently deflate your spare tire. In the long term, adopting habits such as regular exercise, relaxation techniques and a Mediterranean-style diet are the keys to creating a healthy, happy life -- and not just the antidote to ab flab!

 

 

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