Cortisol, which is your primary stress hormone, could be a likely cause for your weight loss resistance.

While cortisol plays an important and necessary role in our body on an acute basis, it can have detrimental side effects when it remains at chronically high levels.

Let’s talk about some things that cause cortisol to be released…

Weight training, work stress, lack of sleep, too much caffeine, relational stress, cardio, social media, etc.

I listed a couple different exercise modalities on here because I think it’s important to realize that while exercise is extremely beneficial, it does still release cortisol. And if stress levels are not controlled, you may be exasperating the issue of excess cortisol by training too hard.

Just a few of the negative side effects you might feel if your cortisol levels are out of whack include:

Reduced energy, weight gain, bloating, reduced testosterone, increased belly fat, decreased immunity, difficulty losing weight, difficulty sleeping, increased cravings, reduced muscle mass, etc.

Like it or not, these factors will impact your ability to lose weight. It doesn’t matter how much of a caloric deficit you create, if you’re battling the above list, weight loss will be more difficult to come by.

It’s important to start shifting your paradigm towards a holistic style of health and fitness. This means incorporating a solid sleep routine, meditation, exercise (at the appropriate intensity), and creating a sustainable schedule.

If you’re struggling to lose weight, I highly encourage you start by evaluating your perceived stress and incorporate incremental changes.