Cortisol + Stress: Why Your Stressful Day is Making You Fat and Tired

To my athletes, fitness enthusiasts and new readers.

Welcome to The Lab.

Your regular dose of training, mobility and nutrition guidance.

Today’s agenda: Cortisol, stress and how both are impacting your weight and sleep.

Let’s dive in.

Have you ever wondered why despite sticking to a strict diet and exercise regimen, you still struggle with weight gain and constant fatigue? The culprit might not be what you eat or how much you exercise, but rather the stress hormone cortisol wreaking havoc on your body during your daily grind.

Understanding Cortisol:

Cortisol is often dubbed the “stress hormone” for its role in the body’s stress response. It’s released by the adrenal glands in response to stress, whether it’s physical, emotional, or psychological.

In small doses, cortisol is essential for our survival, helping regulate metabolism, blood sugar levels, and immune function. However, chronic stress can lead to chronically high cortisol levels, which can have detrimental effects on our health.

The Cortisol-Weight Gain Connection:

When cortisol levels remain too high for extended periods, it can lead to increased appetite, particularly for high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods — think a whole tub of Ben & Jerry’s after a stressful day kind of vibe.

This craving for comfort foods is the body’s way of seeking quick energy to cope with stress. Unfortunately, indulging in these foods can contribute to weight gain, especially around the abdomen — a phenomenon commonly known as “stress belly”, “cortisol belly” or my favourite: “skinny fat”.

Moreover, cortisol promotes the storage of fat, particularly visceral fat — the type of fat that surrounds organs and increases the risk of various health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The Cortisol-Fatigue Cycle:

Aside from weight gain, chronically elevated cortisol levels can also leave you feeling constantly tired and fatigued. While cortisol initially provides a surge of energy to deal with stress, prolonged elevation can disrupt your sleep patterns, leading to insomnia or restless sleep. This lack of quality sleep increases cortisol, stress and fatigue, creating a vicious cycle.

Breaking the Cycle:

So, what can you do to combat the cortisol-stress cycle and reclaim your health and vitality?

1. Manage Stress: Add some stress-management techniques into your routine. Ones to try:

• Meditation
• Breath-work
• Yoga
• Journaling
• Subconscious Reprogramming/Hypnosis
• Some of these outlets for stress are things you might not be familiar with, but they really help lower cortisol levels and control its negative effects on your body. Go search some of these techniques on YouTube and try them for yourself.

2. Prioritise Sleep: Make sleep a priority by establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and optimising your sleep environment. Yes, this means lights off, no screens, no food minimum 3 hours before sleep. Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night to support optimal cortisol regulation and overall well-being. (We’ll go over the sleep science another time — but this is a good start)

3. Eat a Balanced Diet: Focus on consuming a balanced diet (check out our Sample Meal Plan) rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats…you get the idea. we need to try and minimise processed foods, refined sugars, and seed oils as much as possible. Create a diet that Eddie Abbew would be proud of.

4. Stay Active: Regular exercise and movement can help reduce cortisol levels and improve your mood. Find something active you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine, whether it’s walking, weights, running, functional fitness, or combat sports. It can be ANYTHING — have fun and move your body.

• If you need guidance, check out our Desk Athlete Workout Routine

5. Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to get support from your circle. Family, friends, colleagues, even a therapist — whoever you’re comfortable with. Talking about your feelings and experiences can be very relieving and help you develop healthy coping strategies.

By taking proactive steps to manage stress and support your well-being, you can mitigate the harmful effects of cortisol and break free from the cycle of weight gain and fatigue associated with chronic stress.

For more, check out our Rest, Recovery and Stress Management Guide!

Remember, your wealth, health and happiness are worth prioritising!

Until next time.

(P.S., you can subscribe to our newsletter with more fitness, nutrition and recovery tips here)