You lace up. You hustle through the bootcamp, the spin class, the sweaty strength session. You check the box. You’re doing the thing.
So why do you still feel tired, heavy, maybe even a little puffy… like your body didn’t get the memo that you’re working your tail off?
Bad news first:
It might not be your motivation that’s the problem.
It could be your cortisol.
And even if you’re doing the “right” exercise, doing it at the wrong time—or in the wrong way for your current hormones—can quietly block your results (and sometimes make things worse).
Exercise Smarter, Not Harder: The Hormonal Key to Fitness Success
Understanding the Cortisol CurveBall
- Cortisol's Dual Role: Known as both a stress and survival hormone.
- Impact on Fat and Muscle: High cortisol levels lead to fat storage and muscle breakdown.
- Exercise as a Trigger: Even beneficial workouts can spike cortisol if not aligned with fitness level or hormonal needs.
Timing is Everything
- Perfect Workout, Wrong Time: Mismatched timing can negate workout benefits.
- Consequences of Mismatched Timing: Energy depletion, muscle breakdown, and poor sleep.
HIIT: Hero or Villain?
- HIIT's Potential: Effective for reducing visceral belly fat.
- Need for a Strong Foundation: Risks of injury and hormonal imbalance without proper preparation.
Building a Strong Foundation
- Stabilize cortisol.
- Restore recovery rhythm.
- Incorporate supportive exercises.
- Align workouts with natural energy levels.
The Simple Truth
- Listening to Your Body: No one-size-fits-all solution; personal assessment is crucial.
- Data Awareness: Recognize personal stress signals without needing lab tests.
Join the 10-Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge
- Designed for Midlife Women: Focus on starting, restarting, or resetting fitness.
- Program Details:
- 30-minute daily workouts and educational resources.
- Bonus videos and community support.
- $69 registration with potential credit toward future coaching.
Call-to-Action
Align workouts with hormones. Stop fighting your effort and motivation.
Join Today: Learn how to exercise smarter, not harder, and achieve the results you deserve.
Sources
The Cortisol CurveBall (behind your workout stressing you out)
Cortisol isn’t just a “stress hormone”—it’s a survival hormone. It gets you up in the morning and keeps you alert. But when cortisol stays elevated too long—or spikes at the wrong times—it tells your body to store fat (especially around the middle) and break down muscle. It’s also the “energy hormone” – so if you don’t have enough and try to exercise, your body will convert another hormone to cortisol. So…
Guess what’s a major trigger for cortisol?
Exercise.
Yep, even the “good” kind.
When workouts don’t match your current fitness level, energy, or hormone needs, they become just another form of stress. Especially if they’re mistimed—like that super-intense HIIT session you squeezed in at 6 PM right after a crazy day of Zoom calls, traffic, and “What’s for dinner?” panic.
Timing is Everything (and You May be Missing the Magic)
You could be doing the perfect workout… at the wrong time of day.
Or you could be doing too much of the “right” stuff before you’re ready.
If your body is already stressed, stacking a high-intensity session on top can backfire.
You don’t torch fat—you torch your energy.
You don’t build muscle—you break it down.
You don’t sleep like a baby—you toss and turn.
Your workouts should leave you better, not wrecked.
HIIT: Hero or Villain
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is often hailed as the holy grail for midlife fat loss—and honestly, it can be. Research shows HIIT can slash visceral belly fat, the kind that hugs your organs and raises health risks.
But…
(and this is a big but)
HIIT is like a high-performance sports car.
It’s powerful—but you don’t hand the keys to someone who just got their license.
You need a strong foundation first.
Without it, HIIT becomes a recipe for injury, burnout, and total hormonal chaos.
And no one needs more chaos, thanks.
What You Need First is a Foundation
Before you dive into intervals or max-out lifts, you need to:
- Stabilize your cortisol
- Restore your recovery rhythm
- Layer in exercise that builds you up, not breaks you down
- Time your workouts to match your natural energy curve
When you do this?
Exercise becomes magic again.
Your body starts to respond.
You sleep better.
You feel more energized after a workout, not less.
And (bonus!) you can actually absorb the benefits of your high-protein diet and strength workouts instead of fighting inflammation and fatigue.
It’s not a workout stressing you out it’s once again helping you negate stress.
Here's the Simple Truth
No trainer, no app, no “one-size-fits-all” plan can know your body better than you.
You just need the tools to listen to your body’s signals—and the right start line. Only you can really assess if your workout is stressing you out. The data you need to look at is right there. It doesn’t really take a lab for that.
And that’s where the 10-Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge comes in.
It’s designed for women in midlife who need to start, restart, or reset fitness… the right way.
- 30-minute (or less) daily workouts + easy-to-follow education
- Accessible bonus videos you can start with immediately after registration
- June 1-10 actual challenge dates (but you’ll get support now if you join early!)
- Private community support and coaching
- Registration is just $69—and if you complete all 10 days, you can credit that amount toward your next eligible step! (In 100% transparency: this is not “any” step you want. This is a step revealed in the breakthrough coaching session on the 11th day)
Final Thought
Your workouts should fit you, not the other way around.
If your workout is stressing you out, you’re probably gaining fat or feeling fluffy, dealing with cortisol face and frustrated.
If you’re exhausted instead of energized, it’s time to stop blaming your effort or your motivation—and start working with your hormones instead of against them.
Join the 10-Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge Notifications list today and learn how to exercise smarter, not harder—and finally get the results you deserve.
But first… something else that may help you know if you’re on the right track…
I put together a new masterclass. If you’re seeing this now, you may be able to register. The Menopause Fix: The 5 Things Every Woman Needs to Know Before Her Next Workout. You can save your spot at this free training now.
- Does it have to be heavy? Does light work just as well?
- Is HIIT the BEST for visceral belly fat?
- Does walking really burn the most fat?
- Is it estrogen that impacts your body composition or is it something more?
While experts and influencers are beginning to “argue” over who’s “right” … you, my friend are losing. They’re making it more confusing than ever.
The simple answer is: exercise. If you are exercising but not seeing and feeling results that feel good? Then it’s time to change. I’ll walk you through BOTH science… AND the anecdotal evidence I’ve witness training thousands of sessions and students myself and training hundreds of trainers to do the same.
Are you a coach? Then YOU may want this.. if you want the inside scoop on how to grow your business and simply cut through confusion. Stop making the 10 most common mistakes trainers make with women in menopause.
