Understanding Cortisol & Your Workouts

When you hear the word "cortisol", do you immediately think of stress, belly fat, or burnout? You're not alone—but there's more to the story.

Let’s clear it up.

Cortisol is a normal and necessary hormone. In fact, your body releases it every day, and it's part of what makes you feel alert, energized, and ready to take on your workouts.

Cortisol helps you:

• Mobilize energy (so your body can access fuel quickly)
• Stay focused and alert
• Push harder during exercise

It’s especially important during high-intensity workouts like CrossFit, circuit training, or bootcamp-style classes. So far, so good, right?

BUT… here’s the catch.

When cortisol is elevated too often, for too long, it stops being helpful and starts becoming a problem.

We call that chronic cortisol elevation, and over time, it can lead to:

🔹 Poor sleep
🔹 Mood swings
🔹 Fat gain—especially around the belly
🔹 Muscle breakdown
🔹 Hormonal imbalances (especially in women)

So does that mean CrossFit or other high-intensity workouts are “bad”?
Not at all.

The key is balance—and understanding how your body responds to stress.

How to Train Smart (Not Just Hard):

1. Cycle Your Intensity:
   You don’t need to go all-out every day. Include recovery days, skill-focused sessions, and lower-intensity workouts to let your body reset.
2. Eat to Support Training:
   One of the biggest mistakes women make (especially when trying to lose weight) is under-fueling. You need carbs around your workouts to blunt excessive cortisol and support recovery.
3. Prioritize Sleep & Recovery:
   Sleep is when your body repairs and hormones rebalance. Aim for 7–9 hours and make space for things like mobility, walks, and breathing work.
4. Lift Heavy (Without the Grind):
   Strength training with longer rest periods doesn’t spike cortisol the same way high-intensity cardio does—and it’s excellent for metabolism, muscle, and hormone health.

The Bottom Line:

Cortisol isn’t the enemy—but like anything, too much of it can become a problem. Especially for women, stacking intense workouts on top of a busy, stressed-out life without recovery can lead to plateaus, fatigue, and hormonal issues.

But with the right approach, you can train hard, feel strong, and stay healthy—without burning out your system.

‍