Tell me…does this sound familiar?

"The screaming in my head produces anxiety and then I want to eat something."

One of my current clients said this on a group coaching call this week and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

Because she was vulnerable enough to share this in front of a group.

But I'd bet everyone on the call has felt similar. Maybe you have too.

Stress building, cravings hitting out of nowhere, and then reaching for something you didn't plan to eat. Only to beat yourself up and feel worse about it.

You might call it emotional eating. Or lack of willpower. Both fit. But what’s most frustrating is you can feel like you’re doing everything else right - exercising and eating healthy - yet you still feel the extra weight around your belly.

Leading you down a path of more restriction and more cardio. But what if this extra weight around your belly had nothing to do with calories and cardio?

What if the cravings you feel after a stressful week and the belly weight that won't move aren’t two separate problems…but the same problem with the same cause.

That’s right, the cravings and belly weight are caused by another popular C-word right now…

Don’t worry, no bad words 😆

Cortisol.

Most people on the internet want you to believe cortisol is the #1 culprit to blame for everything going on in your body. And that you want to get rid of it.

But that’s not entirely true. Cortisol is a naturally occurring hormone in your body. It’s supposed to be there. It’s what helps you feel alert and energized in the morning.

The problem with cortisol isn’t cortisol itself. It’s that you have too much of it and at the wrong times.

Here's why.

Before 40, estrogen helped keep your cortisol in check. It acted like a dimmer switch, controlling your reaction to stress, and helping to prevent weight gain.

After 40, the dimmer is broken.

So the same stress that bounced off you at 30, now sits and festers. And when you’re stressed, cortisol stays elevated, for longer. This can make you more exhausted, more irritable, and increase inflammation.

But worst of all…

It makes your body want to hold onto belly fat.

Cortisol is partially to blame why you can eat healthy, walk every day, do everything you’re told to do…yet wonder why your midsection won't shrink.

But it’s not cortisol alone…it’s cortisol that is too high, for too long.

Cortisol in the morning will make you feel energized and awake.

Cortisol throughout the day and night will make you feel like a different person.

It raises your blood sugar, which triggers cravings for sugar and carbs.

It makes your body lose muscle faster…speeding up the muscle loss that’s already happening during and after menopause.

It makes your body hold onto extra weight, in the place you want it the least - your belly.

And it disrupts your sleep, which raises cortisol the next day, which disrupts sleep the night after that.

There are cycles you get stuck in...then there are tornados. The cycle above is what I’d call the latter.

While everyone’s trying to sell you a cortisol supplement, all you need to do is give your body a sign that everything’s ok.

Step 1 is to eat protein within 60 minutes of waking. The sooner the better.

The reason this works is, after fasting for 8 hours while sleeping, your blood sugar elevates when you wake up. But if you don’t eat, this blood sugar spike drives cortisol through the roof. See where this is going?

A high-protein breakfast, 30 grams minimum, stabilizes your blood sugar before it has a chance to spike. Greek yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, or even a steak will work.

Step 2 is pairing two things together. Getting outside and moving. Walking’s the easiest. It might sound a bit out there but let me share why.

Cortisol is also controlled by your circadian rhythm, also known as your body’s internal clock. And this clock is controlled by light.

By getting outside during the sunrise will start your body’s internal clock at the right time, setting cortisol’s clock for the right time.

To make this easy, go outside for a 10+ minute walk after your breakfast to combine Step 1 and 2 together.

Step 3 is to protect your sleep like it's a job. Cortisol and another hormone, melatonin, are opposites. While cortisol is high in the morning, melatonin is low. Vice versa at night. Deep restful sleep will clear out your cortisol from the day.

But if you're consistently under 7 hours, or waking up through the night, your body never fully resets. Leaving extra cortisol leftover for the next day that slowly builds up like plaque on your teeth.

Like with everything, none of this requires perfection. Just pick one step and start there.

Kim came to me after a lot of dieting, trying to lose weight, and, in her words, "feeling really over it all." She wasn't eating badly…she just wanted to stop restricting herself and finally feel good in her body.

After a few months of adding what was missing, not cutting more, here's what she told me:

"My sleep has improved by leaps and bounds, my feet stopped hurting, and even my friends have said, 'gosh, your skin is glowing.' I feel like a younger version of myself."

This is what happens when you lower your cortisol and your body gets out of survival mode.

If you like these articles and want them in an easier way to watch, check out the Revitalized Instagram page and follow.

This is where I’ll be sharing shorter, more action-packed videos of the information I talk about here.

Just in a much faster way ◡̈

Follow here: Revitalized Instagram Page

Your friend and coach,

Ben Miknis

P.S. A Quick Update on Revitalized Strength

Our next flavor sample arrives this TODAY! Fingers crossed it's the final one…we're so close.

Last week, we just bought our UPC labels, meaning the moment the product is ready, we can officially sell it.

And the label design is finalized! Here's what it looks like:

Things are moving! I'll keep you updated right here as we get closer.