Struggling with stress belly? Here’s why…
- Janis Saffell Team
- Aug 20
- 2 min read
When it comes to building lean muscle and losing stubborn fat, we often think of calories, workouts, and protein intake, but there’s another key player we can’t ignore: cortisol.
Cortisol is our body’s stress hormone. While it plays an important role in energy, metabolism, and recovery, too much of it for too long can stall fat loss, break down muscle, drain energy, and disrupt sleep. High cortisol keeps our body in “fight or flight” mode, making it harder to recover, build lean muscle, and burn fat effectively.
The good news? There are simple daily habits that can help bring cortisol back into balance so your body can recover faster, gain lean strength, and shed unwanted fat.
3 Everyday Tips to Reduce Cortisol Naturally
1. Prioritize Sleep Like It’s Part of Training Poor or inconsistent sleep spikes cortisol the next morning, keeping you stuck in a stress cycle. Aim for 7–8 hours of deep, quality sleep. Try a calming evening routine—dim the lights, stretch, or use breathwork to signal your body it’s time to rest.
2. Balance Blood Sugar With Smart Eating Excess sugar and processed foods lead to cortisol spikes. Instead, focus on balanced meals with lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and slow-digesting carbs. This steadies your blood sugar, reduces cravings, and keeps cortisol levels stable throughout the day.
3. Train Smart, Not Just Hard Intense workouts are fantastic for building strength, but overtraining without proper recovery keeps cortisol elevated. Mix your resistance training with mobility, yoga, or low-intensity cardio days to allow your body to adapt, recover, and thrive.
By making these three shifts, you’ll not only improve recovery and muscle growth, you’ll also help your body tap into fat stores more efficiently.
Ready to train smarter and feel stronger?
Your body will thank you with more energy, faster recovery, and a leaner, stronger physique.
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