Meet Cortisol: Your New Frenemy After 40

If you’ve been feeling more anxious, wired at night but dragging all day, or watching belly fat creep in even when you’re eating healthy, you’re not imagining it. Something is shifting and for many women in perimenopause and menopause, that something is cortisol.

Let’s break it down.

What Happens in the Peri-to-Post Transition
As estrogen and progesterone levels begin to decline, the body’s stress response changes. Progesterone, in particular, is known as a calming hormone. It plays a big role in keeping cortisol (your main stress hormone) in check. But when progesterone drops, the body often leans harder on cortisol to manage energy, blood sugar, and inflammation.

Estrogen also has a hand in regulating your nervous system. So as it fluctuates, things like sleep, mood, and temperature regulation can all feel disrupted. This adds more stress on the body and the cycle continues.

What That Feels Like

• Waking up between 2 and 4 a.m. and not being able to fall back asleep

• Feeling “tired but wired” all day

• Gaining weight, especially around your middle

• Experiencing more mood swings, brain fog, or anxiety

• Noticing hot flashes and fatigue get worse when you’re under more stress

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. These are common symptoms that show up when cortisol is elevated or out of rhythm. And the tricky part is, most women are still being told to just eat less and move more, which can actually make things worse.

What You Can Do
In this season of life, managing cortisol becomes just as important as managing calories or workouts. In fact, it’s the key to everything else working.

That’s why my coaching focuses on:

• Smart workouts that support metabolism without overtraining

• Blood sugar balance through whole food nutrition and intermittent fasting

• Recovery and hydration with tools like magnesium, sleep support, and active rest

• Consistency over perfection so you can sustain results without burnout

When you learn to work with your hormones and nervous system, everything starts to shift. Energy improves. Sleep becomes more restorative. Fat loss gets easier. And you feel like yourself again.

Curious what it’s like to work with a coach who actually gets what your body is going through?

Join me for the 5-Day Cortisol Reset, August 18–22. It's a chance to try my proven coaching program with a special focus on managing cortisol in the peri-to-post wellness season.

You'll learn how to:

• Regulate cortisol and feel calm, clear, and in control

• Cut cravings and increase steady energy

• Build strength with short, effective workouts

• Reduce stress-related weight gain

• Feel empowered with a plan that supports your hormones and your lifestyle

Learn more and register here!

Why Stress is the Real Reason You’re Not Losing Weight

A topic that comes up frequently among my midlife clients is how stress affects weight loss. Stress can seriously mess with your progress. The good news is understanding it can help you stay on track.

Stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in short bursts. However, when you're stressed all the time, cortisol levels stay high, which can lead to weight gain, especially around your belly. It's like your body is preparing for a long-term emergency, storing fat as a survival mechanism.

High cortisol makes you crave junk food, those sugary, high-calorie treats that are hard to resist. Not only do these cravings add extra calories, but cortisol also signals your body to store more fat, particularly in the belly area. This combination makes it harder to lose belly fat, which is linked to health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

Stress eating is a real struggle many of us face. When we're feeling overwhelmed, it's easy to reach for comfort foods, often sugary and high-calorie options that momentarily make us feel better. Unfortunately, this habit only adds to the problem, contributing to weight gain and making it even harder to manage our health and wellness goals.

By understanding how stress impacts our bodies, we can start making small changes to break the cycle and support our weight loss efforts.

• Mindful Eating:  Try mindful eating. Pay attention to what you eat and how much. This can help you avoid stress-eating. 
• Regular Exercise:  Exercise regularly. It lowers cortisol and boosts your mood. Even 30 minutes a day can help. 
• Relaxation Techniques:  Use relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation. They help reduce stress and lower cortisol. 

One of my clients managed her stress and saw amazing weight loss results. She focused on exercise and mindful eating. When she came to me, she was struggling with low thyroid function. What she didn't realize was that she wasn't really eating the right foods for her goals and overall health. This was causing her stress hormone to elevate and affect her thyroid. Once we set her custom macros and she was eating MORE, her thyroid function improved and she began to see progress.

Got questions about stress and weight loss? Ask away! 

Remember, managing stress is key to losing weight. Take control of your stress and weight loss journey. Join my coaching program for personalized support. Click here to learn more.