Why your body composition isn't changing

Listen to the podcast episode here

You're doing all of the things: eating intuitively and/or balanced, following general exercise recommendations, and overall making wise choices for your health to increase muscle mass % and decrease adipose (fat) tissue %.

THIS could be your missing link: cortisol

Cortisol is an essential hormone produced by your endocrine system that when produced at normal levels can:

-lower inflammation

-balance blood pressure and blood glucose levels

-helps your body use fats, carbs, and proteins

-supports a healthy metabolism

-regulates stress levels

-supports sleep

I mean, WOW-cortisol does a lot of good. So if this is the case shouldn't we want a lot of it?

Nope-too much or too little cortisol both have negative and damaging long term effects.

TOO MUCH leads to:

-excess adipose tissue (fat) particularly in the face and belly

-abnormal blood glucose levels that eventually lead to Type 2 diabetes

-high blood pressure

-abnormal hair growth in females

-osteoporosis

TOO LITTLE leads to:

-fatigue

-weight loss

-low blood pressure

How do you promote balanced cortisol levels? Cortisol is produced in response to your body's inflammation and stress levels. If you're constantly experiencing high levels of stress and inflammation on a daily basis your cortisol levels could potentially be out of control. And if you can't change your stressful circumstances at the moment (work, financial stress, relationship stress) you CAN change the way your body responds to it.

-stress management techniques

-daily deep/diaphragmatic breathing

-meditation

-prioritizing sleep

-regulating circadian rhythm-eyeballs to sunshine first thing in the morning

-vagus nerve stimulation (read our blog post on this)

-low impact exercise (balanced exercise routine)

-participating in activities in nature that are joyful

If you're doing alllllllll of the things to improve your health and body composition but not addressing your stress levels-we hate to say it but progress will feel impossible.

Looking for a low impact exercise routine to support your cortisol levels-Studio Stream considers all of this in the weekly plan. Sign up here.

Read more on cortisol here.