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6 Cortisol is the wronG train, GoinG in the wronG DireCtion!

s Cortisol releases one of the human body’s most powerful appetite
stimulants, NPY – neuropeptide Y. 2

Cortisol turns on your appetite for comfort foods – foods high in fat, sugar or
both. You don’t just think about food more, you’re physically hungrier. That
means more calories are consumed.

When cortisol hits your system, the appetite center in the brain goes into
overdrive. Food, especially dense, high calorie food, tastes too good to resist.
Forget willpower, forget dieting and “trying to be good.”

What you need is a new plan.

SEND YOUR BODY DIFFERENT SIGNALS.

The appetite from long-term high-cortisol levels is real, because hunger

hormones are real. When hormones take control, you feel it all over. It’s like
you’ve been programmed to overeat.

Hunger hormones like NPY play a fierce game—and NPY always plays to win.
NPY is the same signal your brain gets if you’re starving to death. When NPY
hits, you want to eat. The flavors, the richness, the sweetness … it’s all suddenly
so good. Of course it tastes great; your own brain is 100% on board, telling you
how much you want it.

Next, cortisol gets rid of one of the best friend your body has. Leptin.
3
Leptin keeps your appetite quiet and happy. Leptin stimulates at least four

neuropeptides that signal your hunger OFF instead of ON. But when there’s too
4
much cortisol, leptin goes away. You’re on your own, alone with NPY.

Cortisol also programs your body to build fat, especially around the abdomen
and waist. And it weakens muscles because it breaks down your body’s protein.

You need strong muscles to burn fat.

So yes, all the hype about excess cortisol is true. Fat builds. Appetite burns. 5,6,7