Ep. 227 The Hidden Hormonal Pattern That Keeps High-Performing Women Stuck, Puffy, and Exhausted

Vanessa G Fitcast

Why is it that so many high-performing women, those who train hard, eat clean, and juggle intense work and family lives, still feel puffy, stuck, and exhausted no matter how “healthy” they are?

In this episode, we unpack a surprising hormonal pattern hiding beneath the surface: your body might be actively shutting down the very system you rely on for energy and fat loss.

Through a powerful client case study, a runner, mom, and executive who couldn’t figure out why her fat loss stalled, we dive into the hidden role of cortisol and cortisone. Her labs revealed flatlined cortisol and elevated cortisone, a red flag of chronic stress adaptation. This wasn’t just mental overwhelm: her biology had hit the brakes.

We break down how this protective mechanism, like a hormonal dimmer switch, turns off your body’s ability to burn fat, regulate blood sugar, and respond to stress. When your system favors cortisone over cortisol, you enter a kind of metabolic “freeze,” where motivation, energy, and even hormones like estrogen and progesterone take a nosedive.

You’ll learn why this client’s symptoms such as stubborn belly fat, exhaustion, and poor recovery weren’t a matter of willpower, but survival. We share the exact next steps she took: from pulling back on cardio to rebuilding adrenal function and strength.

If you’re a high-achieving woman wondering why nothing seems to work anymore, this episode could be your lightbulb moment.

Time Stamps:

(1:38) First Time Apart In A Long Time

(4:17) Lesser Talked About Cortisone

(11:59) The Nigerian Prince Dreams

(14:50) What Low Cortisol Could Mean

(22:12) Prioritizing Self Care

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