Not so lean circus machine. cortisol fat panic.

I was skinnier as a raw food vegan. fact. 

I'm not overweight in any way, quite the opposite. But coming from a gymnastics background, and being a flyer in the circus, my size is not an issue I can easily put to the back of my mind.

Just to be clear though, my big diet switch had 95% to do with health and alternatives to medication, and 5% for weight control issues.

BOOOOOOM!

I'm short, so I notice when I grow slightly wider, and I'm kind of ashamed to say, I freak out when it happens.

Around six weeks ago I went Paleo. I follow the rules on what to eat, for training I've found eating meat and eggs again brought me sudden extra strength and explosive power.

All you need to know about primal eating

but if anything on the Paleo shopping list can be eaten raw, I eat it raw. I still don't believe in cooking my veg, I found too many life improvements after switching to raw to ever switch back. 

Basically, and I'm trying to be quick to get to my point. Running body from fat and not carbs means you should lose fat and get lean. Brilliant!

Here's my point...............A couple of weeks ago, I swapped training clothes to my usual skinny jeans for a change and could barely get into them! Funny at first, soon followed by panic and confusion.

My muscles got bigger for sure, but at the same time did I lose any fat? pinch test done and bmi checked on swanky machine........If anything, I gained fat. INSERT SCREAMING OBSCENITIES HERE!!!!

So, what the fuck happened? I keep my balance spot on, I never cheat, I'm the most active person I know, I should look like Olive oil right now (popeyes wife, not extra virgin).

A guy who knows a lot about the whole deal suggested over training, under sleeping and stress could make my cortisol levels freak out or something, and something else about adrenal fatigue, making weight loss impossible and weight gain pretty likely. shit.

how stress made me fatter.

I am sleep deprived. I am stressed. I am training more than ever.

Little white flag waved. Feeling pretty defeated right now.

I just wanted to add, the above issues are due to lifestyle, working hours and such, I'm going to try to change a few things, try power naps to compensate for working late hours, cut out a few training sessions, try to relax. See if I feel a change.