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Hey team, welcome to week nine. It's hard to believe that we're nine weeks in already. So, today's episode we're going to be chatting about what happens when life gets in the way. So, between now and when we started this program, perhaps you've had a stressful experience. Perhaps there's been an event at work, some difficult family circumstances, or there's just been a period where everything has just felt like it's been a bit too much. And every one of us in this program goes through this sort of experience at some point. So it's really important that we take some time to look at this and what we can do to optimize our body when we're going through these periods. Those times when life starts lifing and stress hits when the wheels start to come off a little. What can we do to help support ourselves during this time? So this isn't actually a conversation about willpower, it's a conversation about our biology, about what's happening inside us. And when we understand what's actually happening in our body when we're under pressure, the choices we make in those moments start to look a bit different because we're more empowered, we have more awareness, and we can choose to make different choices than we would if we didn't have that knowledge and that awareness. So for our health track this week, we're looking specifically at stress and cortisol in particular and what it does in our body. So also we're going to be talking about how the food choices we make can either feed the stress cycle or they can help break it. And I wanna start with something that actually changed the way that I think about the pressure that I put myself under during those hard weeks. For a long time I thought that getting through a stressful week meant holding myself to the same high standard that I would any other week. There was a no excuses mentality, you know, sheer willpower and grit. No easing off, just pushing through, staying disciplined, no matter what. But that's not actually how it works, and expecting of ourself to maintain that standard just adds a second layer of pressure on top of everything else that we've got going on. So most of us when we go through a stressful period assume that the cravings, the overeating, the reaching for perhaps another drink, the things that we wouldn't normally do, that it's a character flaw. We assume that it's a lack of discipline and that it proves that we're not cut out for this, that there's something wrong with us. But it's not that. It's hormones, once again. And in particular, it's cortisol, which is our primary stress hormone. Cortisol is released by your adrenal glands and it's released in response to any perceived threat. So that could be a tight deadline, or it could be a difficult conversation. It could also be uh a broken night's sleep, or just simply feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list. In small doses, cortisol is generally useful. It actually sharpens our focus, it mobilizes our energy to help us get things done, and it helps us, you know, take on projects. But the problem is chronic stress and chronic cortisol. So when cortisol stays elevated day after day, the effects on your body really build up and they become significant. In fact, there's a really well-known study from Yale University that looked at this directly. Researchers measured stress levels and morting cortisol in a group of adults and then followed them for about six months. So, overall, close to half the group gained weight over that period, which is fairly typical for any adult population over a six-month stretch. But the more important part of this study is that the people who had higher cortisol levels at the very start of the study were significantly more likely to be among those who gained weight by the end. So, what this research clearly showed is that cortisol measured in the months earlier was actually predicting who would be putting on weight later. So, what this again explains is that it's not a willpower problem. When cortisol is elevated, our brain is literally being signaled to seek quick energy sources. And that's usually in the form of processed, calorie-dense foods. That's exactly what your brain is looking for, what your body is looking for. So the cravings you feel after a stressful day are not a weakness. They are a hormonal response. And knowing that changes everything about how we respond to them. And it also presents a really good case for how we actually prevent ourselves from getting into these stress states to begin with. How can we take a step back and look at our lifestyle to see where are we allowing ourselves to become overly stressed and overly anxious? And what can we do instead to shift the way that we're balancing our lives so that we aren't getting in this highly stressed state to begin with? Another thing worth mentioning briefly is that cortisol also affects where your body stores fat. Specifically, uh cortisol levels are associated, high cortisol levels are associated with increased visceral fat. That's the fat that's stored around your vital organs. And as we know, cortisol disrupts sleep because those high elevated states make it harder for us to switch off and it prevents the production of melatonin. We covered this in detail. What happens when we're not sleeping well? We get elevated levels of ghrelin and lower levels of leptin, which makes us feel hungrier and less satisfied. So the poor sleep actually further feeds the stress response. And this is illustrated really well in your health track lesson this week. So make sure you have a look at that diagram that you'll see that that cycle that we get when we're chronically stressed leads to high levels of cortisol. Those high levels of cortisol lead to cravings for sugar and fat. Then we make poor food choices, which leads to inflammation and disrupted sleep, and then that leads to more stress, and it can become a vicious cycle that's challenging to break. But as we know, awareness is the key to change, and the more we understand something, the more power we have. And here is the part that is genuinely remarkable when it comes to understanding directly how what you eat influences your cortisol levels. And it's not just about what we're fueling our body, it's about managing our stress response from the inside out. So what do we know for sure? We know for sure research consistently shows us that diets high in ultra-processed foods, high in refined carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol elevate cortisol and promote inflammation. While in contrast, whole food diets that are rich in vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and whole grains, plus some fermented foods, are associated with lower cortisol levels and reduced inflammation. As an example, the Mediterranean diet in particular has been shown to lower cortisol and reduce the activation of the body's stress response. So this is a way of eating that's really centered around vegetables and fruits and legumes. They also include whole grains, olive oil, nuts, and fish. They do also have a moderate amount of red meat and dairy, but what they're really limiting is processed foods. And this works partly because it's rich in polyphenols and healthy fats, but it's also strongly anti-inflammatory, and that's partly because it naturally supports that diverse gut microbiome, the same connection that we spoke about in week seven. So what that means is that the habits that you've been building across the last nine weeks, prioritizing protein, eating more whole foods, reducing processed foods, improving your gut health, they're not just supporting your body composition, they're actively supporting your stress and your resilience in that stressful environment that we all find ourselves in from time to time. So just remember that every good food choice you make is also a stress management strategy. And that is really quite a powerful thing to understand. And one more interesting thing to think about that really helps us connect this together is that what you eat is what you crave. So research from the University of Pittsburgh found that the microbes in your gut influence what you choose to eat. They literally make substances that prompt cravings for different kinds of foods. So if you're consistently eating plant-rich foods, the beneficial bacteria that thrive on those foods multiply, and those bacteria send signals to your brain that supports cravings for more of the same food. And if you're, on the other hand, consistently eating ultra-processed foods, the opposite happens. You crave more of those sugar and high carb, high-energy, dense foods. And that doesn't happen overnight. It does take weeks of consistent eating to meaning meaningfully change your gut microbiome. But nine weeks in, those changes, they are already beginning to happen in your body now. And you may already be feeling that you're starting to crave more fruits and vegetables. So it can be really empowering to focus on that and trusting that the process of changing your food habits is having a really empowering impact on what your body actually craves. And that, you know, the more you make these choices over time, the easier it becomes. So what can we actually do? What actually helps? And there are a few key things, none of them require perfection, but I'll list a few points, and again, they are in your health track, so make sure you take a look at that lesson in the app as well. Um but the first step is the first thing, and I'll say it again, we say it every week, keep protein at the center of every meal because this will actually help stabilize your blood sugar. And when your blood sugar is more stable, cortisol is also more stable. When we're skipping meals or we're reaching for quick carbohydrates, which is easy to do when we're busy and stressed, that's when protein can tend to drop and that can cause us to create a blood sugar spike, which then crashes, and then that triggers a cortisol release. So in order to prevent that cortisol from spiking, we want to have protein at the center of our meals to help keep our blood sugar as stable as possible. And the other thing that's worth thinking about here too is that meal prep in order to make sure that we've got the protein available in majority of our meals or at least some planning ahead. Because we've talked about decision fatigue before, that feeling of not able to make any more decisions at the end of the day because we're done with we're depleted. And that fatigue, that stress is exactly the same. Um, that's when it becomes really hard to make good choices when your brain is depleted. So it it makes, you know, choosing high fat and high carb meals really tempting when we don't have a bit of a plan in place. So that thinking ahead and planning ahead what you're having for lunch the next day, especially if you know you're going to be having a stressful day or a busy day, it's the single most important thing that you can do to make sure you have a protein-anchored meal within your stressful days. And here's a good example actually, because this is something that I can from time to time find myself when I'm in the middle of that stress cycle. And for me, it's usually when you know I've had a few meetings and the to-do list is becoming really long, and it feels like there's so many things to do with such little time. And you you tend to find yourself skipping meals or skipping lunch, and then you're eating on the go, and before you know it, I find myself really craving something specific, and that is a fillet of fish burger from McDonald's, and that's the same thing every time. And it makes perfect sense because when you look at what a a fillet of fish constitutes, it's mostly carbohydrates and fats from that tartare sauce and the fish that's been deep-fried. There's not a whole lot of protein there, but it's because my body is craving quick energy fast. But the thing is, I don't crave a fillet of fish burger usually in my normal week. It only really shows up when I'm deep in that stress cycle, when I'm missing meals, running on empty, and having high cortisol levels, which tells me everything I need to know. It's not a character flaw, it's not me lacking discipline around fast food, it's a direct, predictable response that I have when I let myself get too depleted or let myself get too overwhelmed. And when I actually look after myself and really plan ahead and support myself during these stressful periods, I don't actually have the cravings for those sorts of foods. It's just simply not there. And the second thing that helps is limiting alcohol during stressful periods because we know that yes, alcohol feels relaxing in the moment, but it is a cortisol trigger. It does disrupt sleep and it raises inflammation. It also impairs our decision making, and that's what we need when life feels hard. We need to have a clear head and be able to make the best choices possible. The third thing that you can do to help support yourself is to make sure we're prioritizing movement. And even when you don't feel like it, in fact, often when you least feel like it, you'll get the most benefits. You don't have to show up for a really intense workout, but just moving your body and you know, choosing to come to class and say, look, I'm a little overwhelmed today, but I'm really here to ground down, to focus on movement rather than looking to get a personal best or to really, you know, smash myself with cardio. No, you're not there to do that. We don't want to spike the cortisol too much, but we want you to move the body to help regulate that cortisol that's spiked to bring it down. And exercise is one of the most effective cortisol regulators that you actually have available to you. Even if it is only a 20-minute walk, that can make all the difference to your stress levels. And that's because movement and walking, it requires your brain to be focused on the body and the hemispheres of the brain have to work together to coordinate those movements, and they can be really grounding and help you come out of the head and come back into your body, which has that beautiful calming effect on your nervous system. The fourth thing you can do when you're in an elevated stress period is to try your best to reach for nourishing food rather than letting cortisol cravings win the way. Not because you have to be perfect, not because you need to have the discipline, but because you know that every whole food choice is actively lowering your stress response, and every processed food choice is actually increasing the stress in your body. That's really a powerful reason to choose to eat well even on your hardest days. And the fifth and final thing that you can do is making sure that you are getting enough of your vitamins and minerals, and of course, that's going to come through the food that you're eating, but making sure that you have enough magnesium and B vitamins in particular because they do play a direct role in how your body regulates cortisol. Magnesium in particular is easy to run low on when you're stressed, and that's because your body burns through it much faster when you're under pressure. So good sources of magnesium include dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans, and even a little dark chocolate. And if you do want to supplement, something like magnesium glycinate tends to be a better choice. It just absorbs well and it's more gentle on the stomach than something like magnesium citrate, which can have a bit of a laxative effect. And when it comes to vitamin B, the B vitamins, this is directly by having a higher vitamin B diet, you're actually supporting your adrenal glands, and that's where cortisol is produced. So you'll find B vitamins in things like eggs, again, leafy greens and legumes, whole grains and lean meat. So none of it is really complicated. If you focus on your plate having you know healthy greens and a source of protein with some whole grains, you're really likely going to be covering both your magnesium and your vitamin B needs. But if you are choosing to supplement, do check with your doctor before starting any supplement just to make sure it doesn't affect any other medications if you are taking other medications. Now, enough about talking about stress. Let's put our attention onto something a little bit more uplifting and let's focus on our mindset track for this week. Our mindset track for this week is all about our worthiness, our authentic worthiness. And we talk a lot in this program about motivation, about finding your why, and about staying committed when it's hard. And all of that matters. But this week I want you to talk about and think about something that sits underneath it all because stress does not just affect your body, it affects it affects the voice that's in your head. And when life gets hard, when a stressful week hits, when you might miss a workout or you eat something that's not planned, there's a voice in your head that tends to get loud for a lot of us. It's that voice telling us that we're not good enough, that we've failed. What's the point? And I want to say this really clearly: that voice is not telling the truth. That voice is not the voice of reason. So many of us have been conditioned to tie our worth to our productivity or to our appearance or to our achievements. We measure ourselves against how disciplined we were for the week or how the scale moved or how many sessions we made it to. But our true value as a person has nothing to do with any of that. Authentic worthiness comes from accepting and valuing yourself for who you are right now. Not who you'll be when you hit your goal, not who you were before you started this program, who you are today, right now. That means breaking free from the habit of comparison, comparing ourselves to someone else's results, someone else's body, someone else's journey. None of it is really relevant to ours. You have your own history, your own hormones, and your own life circumstances, and your path will look different. And that's not a problem, that's just the reality. This does not mean that you stop growing. It means that you grow from a place of respect for yourself rather than from shame or guilt or punishment. That's a huge distinction and it really matters enormously for the perspective and for your ability to stay in this game for the long term. And something to really sit with right now is that, you know, give yourself a pat on the back. You're nine weeks into this program, a program that most people don't even start. You know, you're actively building your knowledge, you're actively focusing on your habits and growing your self-awareness. And that will serve you for the rest of your life. It is the school of life for a reason. So it's worth acknowledging that regardless of what the scale says this week, you are already enough and you are worthy. So it comes back to looking at challenges with curiosity rather than judgment. And when something goes wrong or we have a hard week or a social event that doesn't go to plan, that's not to question what's wrong with me, but the question is what can I learn from this? And what do I actually need right now? The most important thing to remember it's not to expect life to go perfectly, it's how we respond to the setbacks. How we respond is what really shapes our journey more than the setbacks themselves. So your action track this week goes a little deeper into that and it connects directly to this. It's called your shadow values, and it really is a really powerful exercise. It's one of the most powerful exercises in this program. So I highly encourage you to give it your full attention. So in your action track, you will find two things. First, complete the shadow values exercise in the lesson. Your lesson will walk you through step by step exactly what shadow values are and shares with you as well my personal story and how understanding my shadow values helped push me through one of the hardest parts of my transformation journey when I was doing my bodybuilding comp. So make sure you get really clear on what shadow values are and perhaps which ones resonate with you, and then write down your goal. And again, looking at the action track in your app this week, it'll go through this step by step. But thinking about what your goal is and then answering the question, how will achieving this goal give me more of what I truly value? How will achieving my goal give me more of what I truly value? Write as many answers as you can. You know, spend some time, five, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, writing as many reasons why your goal is going to give you more of what you value. The more connections you make between your goal and your deeper values, the more doable and the more achievable your goal becomes because motivation will come with that. So bring your discoveries to your check-in. We would love to hear about them when you do your check-ins next week. So make sure you share it with us because forming that relationship with you as a coach is really what's going to help allow us to find what's meaningful to you and to help you stay true to that. So there you have it, nine weeks in team. Well done, making it to the end of another episode. I hope you enjoy this week's content, and just remember you're building something that goes far beyond this program. You're building a relationship with your body, your mind, your food, and it's a relationship that will serve you for the rest of your life. So the hard weeks are all part of it, and they're not an enemy or progress, they are actually where the real work happens. It's how we navigate those hard weeks that defines the outcome. So keep going, and I'll see you in your next lesson. Take care of yourselves and have a great week.