Kummerspeck

Kummerspeck ("sorrow bacon"): German has an extra word for the weight you gain when you are feeling down

Literally: “sorrow bacon” / meaning: excess weight gained from emotional overeating

I am sure we have all had our fair share of painful breakups. More often than not, the grief is so strong that it moves from the soul into the body and becomes apparent in the form of drastic weight changes.

Whether the pants start to pinch or sag depends on the individual type. Some release so much adrenaline from psychological stress that they are unable to feel hunger. Others, on the other hand, produce vast amounts of cortisol and get one ravenous appetite attack after another. The consequences: a close friendship with the food delivery guy. And a juicy portion of Kummerspeck that slowly but surely spreads around their hips.

As a synonym for fat, the German word Speck can also be found in other beautiful word creations, like Winterspeckor Babyspeck. In a narrower sense, it refers to the fatty cut of pork which is internationally known as bacon. And which, just like a breakup, is quite hard to digest.

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