Why You Cannot Lose Weight Until You Calm Your Nervous System

My wife and I have a rule when we travel; only 1 main activity per day. And we’re getting massages at some point too. Why? Downregulation. The last thing I want when on vacation is to come home, and feel like I need another vacation from the vacation. Too many times, I’ve spent vacations running around, trying to see everything. In hindsight, that’s not even fun. Regular life is chronic low grade stress, and the point of taking time off is to ease off the gas pedal. 

Picture a gazelle on the serengeti. A lion attacks it, and it barely escapes. Stress levels are 10/10. Once it gets away, the heart rate starts to slow and the alarm system starts to quiet. But, as it starts to graze again, it knows that the lion is still lurking, and its ears are still perked up. That’s what I mean by chronic low grade stress. That is what life is like for so many of us. Work, kids, your boss, emails, traffic, that nagging knee, bills, etc. It’s a killer, and it’s keeping you from getting into those pants you used to fit in. 

Stress is one of the most underestimated drivers of weight gain. Many people focus on calories, exercise routines, and willpower, yet overlook the powerful hormonal influence of chronic stress. It’s all about cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in response to signals from the brain. When you perceive stress, whether physical, emotional, inflammatory, or even perceived threat from an overflowing inbox, the brain activates the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland, which then tells the adrenal glands to release cortisol. This system is designed for short term survival.

In an acute situation, cortisol is helpful. It raises blood sugar to provide quick energy and increases alertness. This response is essential if you are running from danger or facing a true emergency. The problem is that the modern stress response rarely shuts off. Instead of brief spikes, many people live in a constant low to moderate state of activation.

When cortisol remains elevated, it changes metabolism in ways that promote fat storage. First, it increases blood glucose. To manage that rise in blood sugar, the pancreas releases insulin. Chronically elevated insulin tells the body to store fat, especially in the abdominal region. This is why long term stress is strongly associated with central or visceral weight gain.

Cortisol also breaks down muscle tissue to provide amino acids for energy production. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Losing muscle reduces resting metabolic rate, which makes weight gain easier over time. Even if calorie intake remains the same, a lower metabolic rate means more energy is stored rather than burned.

Cortisol influences appetite and cravings. It increases the drive for highly palatable foods that are rich in sugar and fat. These foods temporarily calm the stress response by increasing dopamine and serotonin, but they also contribute to blood sugar instability. The cycle becomes self reinforcing. Stress raises cortisol. Cortisol increases cravings. Cravings lead to blood sugar spikes. Blood sugar crashes create more physiologic stress.

Sleep disruption is another critical link. Cortisol and melatonin are opposite hormones. Elevated cortisol at night interferes with deep sleep. Poor sleep increases hunger hormones like ghrelin and reduces satiety hormones like leptin. The result is increased appetite and reduced fullness the next day. Even one night of poor sleep raises your baseline glucose levels for that day, so that carb heavy meal that normally doesn’t spike your blood sugar, now raises you into a diabetic range. 

From a functional perspective, chronic stress keeps the body in a sympathetic dominant state.  In this state, the body prioritizes survival over repair. Digestion slows, reproductive hormones decline, and fat storage becomes protective. The body interprets stress as a signal that resources may be scarce or danger may be present. Storing energy becomes adaptive.

The solution is not simply eating less or exercising more. It is learning to shift the nervous system toward parasympathetic dominance. The parasympathetic system is the rest and digest state. It supports digestion, nutrient absorption, hormone balance, tissue repair, and metabolic flexibility. Weight regulation improves when the body feels safe.

Downregulating the stress response requires intentional daily practices. Slow diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and reduces cortisol output. Spending time outdoors, especially in natural light, regulates circadian rhythm and supports healthy cortisol patterns. Resistance training in moderate doses can improve insulin sensitivity without chronically elevating stress hormones. Prioritizing seven to nine hours of sleep stabilizes appetite regulation and metabolic signaling.

Mindset also matters. Perceived stress is just as powerful as physical stress. Setting boundaries, reducing overcommitment, turning off the news, avoiding worthless internet debates, and cultivating supportive relationships directly influence cortisol levels. Even short periods of mindfulness or breathwork can measurably shift autonomic balance. 

Nutrition plays a supportive role in downregulation. Stabilizing blood sugar with adequate protein, healthy fats, and fiber reduces cortisol spikes driven by hypoglycemia. Magnesium rich foods and omega three fatty acids support nervous system resilience. 

Weight gain is often not a willpower problem. It is a nervous system problem. When the body is stuck in survival mode, it will hold on to energy. Creating safety through parasympathetic activation allows metabolism to normalize. Fat loss becomes a side effect of regulation rather than restriction.

If you are struggling with stubborn weight gain despite doing all the right things, it may be time to ask a different question. Instead of asking how do I burn more calories, ask how do I create more safety in my body. When stress decreases and cortisol returns to a healthy rhythm, the body no longer feels the need to store energy for protection. Balance returns. Metabolism improves. Sustainable change becomes possible.

We created a free “Stress Workbook”. The point of this is to find out what stressors may be affecting you and to come up with an action plan to mitigate it. 

HPA Axis Dysfunction

In the intricate web of our body’s hormonal system lies a crucial regulator known as the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis. This axis plays a pivotal role in how we respond to stress, regulate mood, and maintain overall health. However, when the HPA axis becomes dysregulated, it can lead to a cascade of symptoms and health issues. Let’s delve into what HPA axis dysfunction entails, its causes, symptoms, and how it can be managed effectively.

So what is the HPA axis? The HPA axis is a complex interplay between three major glands, the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus is located in the brain, it releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in response to stress. The pituitary gland, also in the brain, secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in response to CRH. The adrenal glands situated atop the kidneys, produce cortisol and other hormones in response to ACTH.

When everything is running smoothly, a person experiences a stressful situation which triggers the HPA axis, with an end result of cortisol secretion. That, in turn, releases glucose into the bloodstream for quick energy.

Problems arise when we start to live out of balance. If we start spiking the stress response without enough recovery, or we just have chronic stress, HPA dysfun.ction sets in. In a sense, we become cortisol resistant. Do you have difficulty falling asleep? Cortisol is the hormone that starts off our day and should decline at night (opposite of melatonin). If you have difficulty falling asleep, this may be a sign of HPA dysfunction. See below:

And the corresponding podcast:

When we say stress, we don’t just mean perceived stress, although that plays a crucial role. There are many forms of stress, and it can be helpful to categorize it into two categories; eustress and distress. Eustress is the ‘good’ stress. It’s the right amount of stress that we can recover from and come back stronger. Exercise is a form of eustress. The right amount of sun exposure is a form of eustress. Distress is a level of stress that we don’t respond well to; it’s too much. Something bad happens before we recover. A muscle tears, you get sick, or in the example of sun exposure, you get a bad sunburn. This is important to keep in mind because many of us try to mitigate stress with more stress, when sometimes we need the opposite. 

Some stressors that you may not consider, but certainly are, stressors:

• Blood sugar dysregulation

• Autoimmune disease

• Chronic inflammation

• Dehydration 

• Nutrient deficiency

• Poor sleep (this is a big one)

• Environmental exposures such as mold and endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as plastics

• Dental amalgams 

The body can only take so much stress, and when that overflows, symptoms develop. Then there tends to be a bit of a downward spiral. For example, chronic inflammation can trigger HPA axis dysfunction, and vice versa. So it becomes compounding. 

Managing HPA axis dysfunction can be tricky. It’s all about eliminating the stressors you have control over, and mitigating the ones you don’t. This is a challenging process, but the good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Schedule a free call with us and we can help you sort this out.

Why Stress is Giving You Diabetes

You may have heard there is a correlation between stress and diabetes (Type 2). Stress affects the autonomic nervous system in profound ways including secretion of hormones. In this blog we’ll explore the mechanism, and what to do about it. 

The autonomic nervous system is divided into 2; the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system is the fight or flight response. When it is triggered, it secretes cortisol, the stress hormone. 

Cortisol’s main function is to liberate sugar from the muscles and liver. Sugar (glucose) is a quicker energy source than fats. So this is a survival mechanism. The nervous system perceives threat and it is programmed to give you quick energy. And this is a good thing in an emergency. The problem occurs when we are chronically stressed and spiking this system. Insulin does the opposite of cortisol, it pushes the glucose back into cells. Over time, the body becomes insulin resistant and our blood sugar remains higher leading to diabetes.  

When we say stress, we don’t mean just perceived or emotional stress. Stress comes in many forms. There is hormetic stress which is a good type of stress but in the right doses. For example, exercise or an ice bath is a hormetic stressor. This is a stress that we rebound from and become more adaptable. It’s like sun exposure; some sun is good and you get a tan, making your skin more protected from the sun. This is something you build with time. Too much sun and you get burned which is not good. The problem is, we try to combat stress with more stress. So maybe work is tough, you got poor sleep, and you workout out, run on your lunch break, do an ice bath, or whatever your form of self inflicted torture is. It may be too much for you to handle and you won't recover. 

What is happening to you on a physiologic level is that you are constantly in a stimulated, fight or flight mode and you are maintaining high levels of blood sugar. Technically, blood sugar dysregulation is a form of stress so when this system is overactive, it’s a bit of a downward spiral. 

So what do we do about this? We have to seek more parasympathetic activity. This gives the nervous system a break and allows for recovery. It will also stop the pancreas from secreting so much insulin. It will also allow our bodies to burn fats rather than carbs for energy. There are lots of ways to do this, a walk in nature, massage, a relaxing book, breathwork, etc. Here is a video of some tips on the parasympathetic system: 

Life is about balance. You can’t fight fire with fire. It’s also important to note that prediabetes is reversible. However, when diabetes becomes too far gone, cells in the pancreas start to die and then you become dependent on medicine. Prioritize sleep, recovery, and the parasympathetic system, and you will thrive. You’ll also find that if you do this, the times you do want to exercise, you’ll perform better and get more out of it. 

Want to learn more about performance and the nervous system? Check out our new program:

Lifestyle and Chronic Pain

I was going to call this article “Stress and Chronic Pain” but I don’t think the word stress fully encapsulates what this is about. Stressors can absolutely trigger chronic pain, but not just perceived stress. Some of the lifestyle decisions we make can lead to something called HPA axis dysfunction, which dysregulates cortisol. From there, many systems of the body are impacted and we stay in a chronic state of pain. Have you ever noticed that pain increases following a poor night's sleep? This article will explain the mechanism. 

Let’s work backwards on this. I think we all know that swelling can cause pain. It is common to use cortisone cream or get a cortisone injection to manage pain. Cortisone is basically the synthetic version of cortisol, the stress hormone. Cortisol is a strong anti-inflammatory. There is a good reason for this. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, cortisol is released. There are systems of the body we need to prioritize when in this fight or flight mode. We need energy, so cortisol liberates glucose into the blood to be used for energy. That’s why it is sometimes called glucocorticoids. There are systems that get down regulated because they aren’t high priority when in a fight, such as the immune system. So cortisol inhibits the inflammatory response which is handled by the immune system.

Most of us are in a chronic sympathetic state. Want a quick assessment of what state you are in? Take a deep breath in. What rises first? Your chest or your belly? Chest first breathing is correlated to the sympathetic state. (Hint: you can trigger the parasympathetic by switching to belly first breathing). 

Earlier I mentioned something called HPA axis dysfunction. This is a huge topic and I won’t cover the nitty gritty in this article, I’ll just give an overview. The HPA axis stands for hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This is the hormonal response system for stress. It starts in the brain, and tells the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol.Under normal circumstances, there is a diurnal pattern to cortisol secretion. It peaks in the morning with exposure to light, then declines, with a second small rise in the afternoon. It then descends as the sun goes down. When you are chronically spiking it, this pattern can become dysregulated. If you drink four cups of coffee a day, it stops having the same effect on you. It’s similar to this; it basically flatlines and you can have low cortisol levels all day. That means that you are missing out on the anti-inflammatory effect of cortisol. So that swelling in your knee will never go down. 

So HPA axis dysfunction is definitely something you want to avoid. If you develop this dysfunction, you can’t supplement or exercise your way out of it. You have to eliminate the stressors. There are 4 categories of HPA axis stressors: perceived stress, circadian disruption, glycemic dysregulation, and inflammatory signals. 

Perceived stress is what you think it is. Mental/emotional/financial stress. You have to identify the stress and eliminate it or find a way to mitigate it. Some tips include learning how to say no, avoiding negative people, going on a ‘news fast’, and stopping useless internet debates. Seeking parasympathetic activities such as walking in nature, massage, meditation, and breathwork can all be good ways to mitigate stress. 

Circadian disruption generally occurs because of two reasons; either not enough exposure to natural light, or too much exposure to blue light from electronics. Keeping your cell phone out of your bedroom should be a priority in the evening. If you want to watch tv at night, getting blue light blocking sunglasses may help. Getting 15-30 minutes of natural light, without sunglasses is important. Particularly in the morning. Going for a morning walk would take care of this. 

Blood sugar dysregulation is a massive problem in the United States, and is mostly related to diet. The expression, ‘what gets measured, gets managed’ applies here. Probably the best thing to do is get a continuous glucose monitor, even for just a month. This will give you real time data on how foods spike your glucose. For example, I learned that jasmine rice spikes my blood sugar, but basmati does not. You’ll also learn what activities may help reduce it. Most will find that exercise and ice baths reduce blood sugar. For more on this, read here.

Inflammation is a bit of a two way street. It triggers HPA axis dysfunction, and HPA axis dysfunction allows inflammation to fester. So it’s a bit of a death spiral. There are a lot of triggers for inflammation so you have to identify the source and eliminate that. Some triggers that are often overlooked include food sensitivities and exposure to molds or toxins. 

The bottom line is that pain is complicated. You have to dial in the diet and lifestyle factors before you can eliminate pain for good. 

Breathing and Stress

Breathing and Stress

Breathwork has been a popular topic lately, and for good reason. It has a big return on investment. There are surprisingly many ways to breathe, and for something we do so often, a subtle change can have a huge impact. This article will focus solely on how breathing and stress are related. 

This really boils down to the autonomic nervous system. We have two divisions, sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (relax and digest). Our nervous system can go back and forth between these systems and it’s not like a switch, but rather a spectrum. In other words, reading an email from your boss may be mildly sympathetic while getting into a bar fight is highly sympathetic. 

When in a fight, or running from a bear, you need energy, and quickly. Our bodies can burn fats or carbs (glucose) for fuel. Carbs are more readily available so the body would rather use carbs in an emergency situation. Cortisol is the hormone involved in the stress response. Its job is to liberate glucose from the muscles and liver into the bloodstream. This is a good thing for an emergency, however long term chronic secretion can lead to issues. For example, if you are chronically stressed, you will have high levels of glucose in the blood which can lead to diabetes. This is the link between stress and weight gain. 

Our body is always trying to maintain homeostasis, or balance. For example, breathing through the right nostril is tied to the sympathetic nervous system, whereas breathing through the left nostril is parasympathetic. Breathing through both maintains balance. 

A similar thing happens with breathing. We can breathe diaphragmatically (belly breathing) or with our chest. Chest breathing is more associated with sympathetic activity, whereas belly breathing is more parasympathetic. Just picture someone in a fight, their chest is usually heaving unless they are acclimated to fighting like an MMA fighter, and are relaxed. 

It is quite common to develop a chest dominant breathing pattern. This is likely a product of our environment. The constant hustle and bustle, financial stress, relationship stress, watching the news, can all trigger the sympathetic nervous system. This is a trainwreck for long term health. Chronically elevated blood sugar and high blood pressure. Not good.

You can easily test this on yourself. Lay on your back and breathe. What rises first? Chest or belly? If it’s your chest, you can be sure that you are in a more sympathetic state. You can use this as an exercise; focus on belly rising first. This is a great way to wind down the day, especially if you have difficulty falling asleep. This will quickly put you into a parasympathetic state. 

Additionally, the sympathetic state increases muscle tone which makes sense if you are about to get into a fight. However, if you are dealing with muscle pain, it could be from increased muscle tone. So if you are trying to reduce pain, seeking the parasympathetic state will help the muscles relax. This, in part, is why massage can help. It engages the parasympathetic nervous system. 

In our current climate, I think that most people should seek parasympathetic activities. Reading a book, going for a walk in nature, massage, yoga, etc. are all parasympathetic. Breathing has a rapid effect on the nervous system, and it’s free and readily available to you.

I should also mention that nasal breathing stimulates nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide is a strong vasodilator and can additionally enhance relaxation. 

Stress and Blood Sugar

We all know that stress is bad for you, but the consequences of chronic stress are perhaps more far-reaching than you may imagine. Some amount of stress can be good, such as hormetic stress. However, high levels or chronic stress can negatively impact your blood glucose levels, setting you up for diabetes. 

Stress, whether real or perceived, puts your nervous system in sympathetic mode. This is a protective mechanism as this is fight or flight mode. The body switches to a state that prioritizes everything you would need to fight or flee. 

The digestive system is turned off because you don’t need to digest while fighting. Cortisol and adrenaline start pumping, and the vascular system constricts to increase pressure and therefore more blood to the muscles. By the way, when your gaze is fixed, you are in a more sympathetic state which is why I think it’s a bad idea to watch TV while you eat. You will have poorer absorption of nutrients because the digestive system is inhibited. 

Muscles can use either fats or glucose for contraction. Glucose is an easier, and more readily available fuel source, so glucose is liberated into the bloodstream. This is why it raises your blood glucose levels. 

Here is the problem, it’s not like a light switch, either on or off. It’s more of a gradient or spectrum. You can be in a slight sympathetic state. Modern society in the developed world is very conducive to being in a sympathetic state. Most of us are rushing around, are in jobs that are stressful, and working longer hours. On breaks, we hit starbucks to keep up with the demands of work which just stimulates the sympathetic nervous more. All of this leads to chronically elevated blood glucose levels. 

Now the pancreas has to work overtime to constantly secrete insulin to mitigate the onslaught of glucose in the bloodstream. Over years, the cells of the body stop responding as well to insulin, and this is what type 2 diabetes is. Insulin has many roles, and one of them is to build stuff. One of the things it builds is fat cells. Many people think being obese causes diabetes, but it’s really the other way around. So, if you are slowly gaining weight over the years, I would strongly suggest you monitor your blood sugar levels. 

The best way to do this is with a continuous glucose monitor. Then you get to see in real time what causes blood sugar spikes. I have used nutrisense in the past and gained a lot of valuable insights. For instance, the simple act of driving to work consistently raised my blood sugar levels, even though I did not feel stressed, nor was I experiencing road rage. This is an important point, you do not have to feel stressed to be in a sympathetic state. 

I also learned that things like exercise, green tea, and ice baths reduced my blood glucose levels so now I use this as a strategy. For instance, I drink green tea while I drive to buffer the spike. 

I also recommend seeking the parasympathetic state. This can be achieved by any relaxing activity. It could be a walk in the woods, reading a book, laying in a hammock, getting a massage, breathwork, yoga, meditation, tai chi, etc.