🤦‍♂️ Stress Is Killing Your Results—Here’s How to Fight Back

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Stress Is Killing Your Results—Here’s How to Fight Back

You can train hard and eat clean, but if your stress is high, your results will suffer.

Why?

Because elevated cortisol (your primary stress hormone) does things like:

• Inhibits fat loss (especially belly fat)

• Disrupt sleep and recovery

• Increase cravings for sugar and carbs

• Decrease in testosterone over time

• Wreck motivation and mental clarity

You don’t need to eliminate stress—but you do need to manage it better.

Your game plan:

• Lift 3–4x/week, but don’t overtrain

• Walk 20+ minutes daily—especially after meals

• Practice 5 minutes of deep breathing or meditation

• Get to bed on time (cortisol drops when sleep improves)

Stress is part of life. The key is building the body and mind that can handle it.

Performance Tip: 3 Stress-Reducing Habits That Support Fat Loss and Recovery

Here are three daily habits that help you feel better and get leaner:

1. Morning sunlight: 10–15 minutes outside early boosts serotonin and sets your circadian rhythm

2. Cold shower or face splash: Lowers anxiety, increases alertness, and improves resilience

3. Evening mobility + breathwork (5–10 minutes): Drops cortisol and primes your body for recovery

When you control stress, you regain control of your cravings, energy, and recovery.

Question from Our Readers:

"How do I know if my cortisol is too high?"

– Eli, 48, from San Antonio, TX

Great question. Elevated cortisol isn’t just about “feeling stressed”—it shows up in your body.

Common signs:

• You're wired but tired (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep)

• You’re holding fat around your belly, despite dieting

• Your energy crashes mid-afternoon

• You crave sugar or salt when under pressure

• You feel sore for days after workouts, but you used to recover from easily

Best place to start: track your sleep, hydration, and walking—then layer in stress-reducing habits like breathing and better food timing.

If symptoms persist, get labs and work with a trusted provider.

Fit Trivia: Which Hollywood actor credits daily meditation and a strict daily routine for his longevity and lean physique?

Answer: Matthew McConaughey! Known for staying lean year-round, McConaughey credits structure, consistency, daily walks, and mindfulness for staying physically and mentally dialed in—even during demanding roles and travel.

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Publisher: Ryan Engel

Editor: Michael Pender

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