Hey guys, I’m not sure this is the right place to post, but I’ve become increasingly irritated with how little my body seems to want to give up excess weight. I had lost a lot of weight around the start of the pandemic, but then being far away from family, an abusive boss at work, and health issues all popped up in my life, and I spent a good part of the past 2 years being highly stressed out. Some days I would have to call out of work due to the depression/anxiety I felt about life.

Now I’ve gained some weight back, but most of it is in my stomach and won’t seem to shift regardless of calories consumed or any exercise I’ve done. My belly is bigger now than it’s perhaps ever been, even though I’m still a ways off from my heaviest weight. My thyroid tested normal, but my weight still won’t shift. The only answer I can find is that chronic stress can encourage the body to hold onto fat in the abdominal area. 

Is that actually possible? Thank you in advance. I just want to figure this situation out so I can lessen some of the issues that make me anxious in my  life.