Mariana Arostegui, nutritionist: “This is one of the great silent saboteurs of metabolism”

Stress is part of everyday life, but when it becomes constant it stops being adaptive and begins to take a deeper toll on health. Nutrition expert Mariana Arostegui warns that many people live in a permanent state of alert without realizing the impact this has on their metabolism. “The problem isn’t occasional stress, which is normal and necessary, but when it becomes chronic and the body has no real space to recover,” she explains.

How stress makes your body hold on to fat

One of the most direct effects of sustained stress is the disruption of cortisol, a key hormone in metabolic regulation. “Keeping cortisol elevated for long periods directly affects glucose, promotes insulin resistance, and encourages fat storage, especially around the abdomen,” says the author of Desincronizados – a book on resetting metabolism and reconnecting with the body’s natural rhythms. In this context, the body interprets the situation as a time to conserve energy rather than expend it.

The impact of stress goes beyond body weight. Arostegui explains that it also disrupts digestion and weakens the gut microbiome. “When we’re under stress, the body prioritizes survival and pushes functions like proper digestion or maintaining a balanced intestinal ecosystem into the background,” she says. This can lead to bloating, heaviness, food intolerances, and increased overall inflammation.

Stress, sleep and metabolism

Chronic stress also directly affects rest. “We sleep worse, the quality of sleep declines, and that reinforces the cycle of hormonal imbalance,” she explains. Lack of sleep, in turn, increases appetite, fuels cravings, and makes decision-making harder, creating a loop that is difficult to break if it is not addressed at its root.

For the expert, reducing stress is not just an emotional matter but a biological necessity. “The metabolism needs signals of safety to function properly. If the body senses constant danger, it won’t release fat or regulate itself correctly,” she concludes. Creating real spaces for pause and recovery is, according to Arostegui, one of the most powerful interventions for improving metabolic health.

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