If your body feels stuck…
a little puffy…
tired by mid-afternoon…
or like nothing is really changing…
It might not be your workout.
For many women — especially busy women balancing work, family, and full calendars — the issue isn’t overtraining.
It’s stress.
The Quiet Stress We Don’t Talk About
Not dramatic stress.
The quiet kind.
The calendar juggling
The mental load
The decision fatigue
The broken sleep
The coffee-and-go mornings
The skipped lunches
The constant “on” feeling
Your body doesn’t separate emotional stress from physical stress.
It simply asks one question:
Are we safe?
When stress stays elevated for long periods of time, your body adapts — not because it’s failing, but because it’s trying to protect you.
What Elevated Cortisol Can Do
When cortisol (your primary stress hormone) remains high, your body may:
Hold onto weight — especially around the midsection
Slow recovery from workouts
Increase inflammation
Disrupt sleep
Create energy crashes
Make fat loss feel harder than it used to
And here’s the important part:
You don’t have to be overtraining to be overstressed.
You can be working out moderately, eating “pretty well,” doing your best — and still be carrying a high overall stress load.
Why “Push Harder” Isn’t the Answer
When progress stalls, most women assume they need more intensity, more restriction, or more discipline.
But a stressed body doesn’t respond well to more pressure.
It responds to support.
Often, the shift looks like:
Intentional, well-programmed strength training
Adequate protein and balanced meals
Walking and restorative movement
Improved sleep rhythms
Nervous system regulation
When your body feels supported, it behaves differently.
It stops protecting and starts responding.
A Different Way to Think About Results
If nothing is changing, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re doing something wrong.
It may mean your body needs a different approach.
Less punishment.
More precision.
Less guessing.
More strategy.
The goal isn’t exhaustion.
The goal is resilience.
And resilience requires both strength and recovery.
Ready to Identify What Your Body Actually Needs?
If you’ve been feeling stuck, tired, or like your body isn’t responding the way it used to, I’m currently offering a few Cortisol & Strength Clarity Calls.
In this 30-minute session, we’ll look at:
Your daily stress load
Your fueling habits
Your movement patterns
Where small adjustments could create meaningful change
No pressure. No extreme plans. Just clarity.
If you’d like to schedule one, you can choose a time on my calendar here
Sometimes your body doesn’t need more effort.
It needs a smarter plan.
—
Priscilla