May 26, 2025 • 21 mins
Root Causes: Stress Mode: Why You Feel Stuck, Tired, and Can’t Lose the Weight
Let’s talk about stress—real, mom-life, I’m-holding-it-together-but-barely stress.
In this episode, I’m sharing how chronic stress has impacted my health over the years, and what I wish every tired mama knew: stress isn’t just emotional—it’s physiological. Even if you're not having a breakdown, your body still feels it. And it can mess with everything from your hormones and gut to your liver, sleep, weight, and even your ability to fast.
We’ll unpack:
-
Signs of adrenal dysfunction (and how to start healing)
-
How cortisol blocks weight loss (even if you’re eating healthy)
-
Why fasting might be making things worse, not better
-
Mom-life tips to calm your nervous system daily
If you’re stuck in survival mode and wondering why your body won’t respond, this is your episode. You were created for wellness—and healing starts here.
SHOW SOME LOVE: If this episode encouraged you, I’d love for you to leave a quick rating and review here. Your words brighten my day and also help more mamas discover the hope, healing, and joy they deserve.
WORK WITH ME TO RESTORE YOUR ENERGY + DISCOVER YOUR DESIGN FOR HEALTH AS A BUSY MAMA: Option 1) Join the Live Healthy, Mama coaching program today! Find all the details here.
Option 2) Work 1:1 with me to reach your wellness goals - without the overwhelm -and get total clarity on living the healthy and energetic life you were created for. Get the details here.
- Want to make sure coaching is right for you? Book a FREE Discovery Call here!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jerusha Jantz, Holistic Wellness Coach for Christian Moms:
Welcome to Tired Mommy Revival. (00:01):
undefined
Hey mama.
Are you running on coffee fumes,feeling like brain fog, fatigue
and anxiety, or running the show?
Do you wake up dreading the dayahead already overwhelmed by the
endless to-do list, and unsurehow you'll make it through.
Do you long for the energyto enjoy motherhood?
(00:23):
And care for yourself, but feelstuck and unsure where to start.
Let me remind you ofsomething life changing.
You were created for more, moreenergy, more clarity, more joy.
Hi, I'm Jerusha, certifiedHolistic Wellness Coach.
Wife and mom to two wild boysand one baby girl in heaven.
(00:46):
I know the exhaustion you'refeeling because I've been there
barely making it through the day.
Relying on coffee and chocolate tosurvive and wondering why nothing
I tried ever made me feel better.
Then God stepped in andrevealed a powerful truth.
A woman's body is beautifullyand uniquely designed to thrive.
(01:07):
When we align with how God createdus, we can boost our energy bust
through fatigue and step into thevibrant, joy filled life he has for us.
Mama.
I'm living proof thatit's possible these days.
I wake up, refreshed, nourished my bodywith intention and navigate the chaos
of motherhood with patience and peace.
(01:28):
Most days, and I wannahelp you do the same.
If you're ready to swap exhaustion forenergy, brain fog for clarity and guilt
for grace, you are in the right place.
Each week we'll dive into practicalstrategies, faith-filled truths,
and empowering tools to renew yourhealth, body, soul, and spirit.
(01:48):
Are you ready for this?
Let's do it, mama.
If you've ever found yourself staringat the pile of unfolded laundry,
reheating your coffee for the thirdtime, and wondering why you're
constantly exhausted even when you're"handling things", this one's for you.
Today, we're continuing our root causeseries by talking about something most
of us try to power through (02:12):
stress.
I'm not talking about the "I spilledapplesauce on my white shirt" kind
of stress, but the chronic underlyingpressure that never seems to go away.
And here's the truth most of usdon't hear enough: stress isn't
just mental, it's physiological.
(02:34):
Even if you're emotionally keeping ittogether and you're not crying in the
closet or losing your cool, it doesn'tmean your body isn't feeling the effects.
Your stress matters, even if you'remanaging it, quote unquote "well".
For years and years in my wellnessjourney, I just thought that if
(02:55):
I got enough supplements into mysystem, then I would feel great.
And ultimately, I never looked at stressas a key contributor to my health issues.
And I certainly didn't realizethat while I was shoving in all of
those supplements, my stress wasdraining them on the other end.
(03:16):
Not to mention creating a wholecascade of issues that was
affecting me, including my weight.
Fast forward to just a few years agowhen I was trying to lose weight and
I was really putting together theselast pieces of the puzzle on my health,
things that had been a mystery to mebefore were now starting to make sense.
And I learned that if I wantedto drop my waistline, I had to
(03:41):
learn to drop my stress first.
And that was a game changer for me.
The truth is stress wasn't justaffecting my weight, but a lot of
areas of my health, and ultimatelymy mental wellbeing and happiness,
my ability to find peace and joy ineveryday moments, and so much more.
(04:04):
I grew up in an emotionally turbulenthome, and so from a young age I learned
to manage stress pretty well, and bythe time I became a young adult, by way
of survival, I had figured out how tohave a pretty high capacity for stress.
And I thought that because mycapacity for stress was so high
(04:29):
that I was handling things okay.
Just because I wasn't having amental breakdown did not mean that
stress was not affecting my body.
The truth is that even if your mentaland emotional capacity for stress is
high, you are not immune to the effectsof stress on your body and your health.
(04:52):
So let's dive in, mama, because I wantto help you understand how stress is
affecting every area of your life.
Your waistline, yes.
But your hormones, your digestion, yoursleep, your ability to heal the way that
God designed you to, and ultimately yourability to show up in a day and access the
(05:17):
peace and joy that God created you for.
Let's start with hormones, because stressdoesn't just make you feel frazzled.
It actually reprogramsyour hormone response.
When you're constantly in stressmode, your body is stuck pumping out
cortisol, your main stress hormone.
(05:39):
That's your body's "getstuff done in crisis" button.
But when you're living like the crisisnever ends, whether it's toddler
meltdowns, late night feedings, or endlesslaundry, your body doesn't get a break.
Cortisol affects progesterone,your calming mood, balancing
hormone, which drops.
(06:01):
It also affects estrogen, whichcan go haywire, leading to anxiety,
irritability, and stubborn weight.
And it affects your thyroid function,which slows way down to conserve energy.
Hello, fatigue and brain fog.
Have you ever felt like your to-dolist is yelling louder than your kids?
(06:23):
That's cortisol.
And if the stress keeps going unchecked,your adrenal glands, the little glands
that make cortisol, start to burn out.
That's when we move from high stressto full on adrenal dysfunction.
Your adrenals were nevermeant to run full speed 24 7.
(06:45):
When they crash, you might noticethings like morning exhaustion
that no amount of coffee fixes.
Energy dips around two to 3:00 PM.
Feeling wired at night, butexhausted during the day.
And craving salty or sugarysnacks just to get through.
Adrenal dysfunction means your body nolonger knows how to handle stress well.
(07:09):
And the fix?
It's not another supplement or caffeineboost, it's nourishment and rest in
a rhythm that works for your body.
To start healing your adrenals,you need to eat real food
regularly, so don't skip meals.
Get sunlight in the morning.
(07:30):
Prioritize rest without guilt.
Say no to what's notessential . Hello, mama.
I'm reminding myselfwhile I'm reminding you!
And build in slow moments,even five minutes at a time.
It's not about quitting motherhood.
Sorry, you can't.
It's about supporting yourbody so that you can thrive in
(07:54):
the midst of messy motherhood.
Next is your liver.
Your liver isn't just for detoxingtoxins, it's also in charge of clearing
out excess hormones, especially estrogen.
But when you're chronicallystressed, your liver is too
overwhelmed to do its job well.
(08:15):
It's like trying to dolaundry during a power outage.
You're piling up the dirtyclothes, AKA hormones, but
nothing's actually getting cleaned.
A sluggish liver equals hormonalbuildup, inflammation, and
you guessed it, weight gain.
Next up is your gut.
(08:37):
You've probably heard it calledyour second brain, but when
you're under constant stress, itstarts sending out SOS signals.
Stress can weaken your gut lining.
Hello, bloating and food sensitivities.
Kill off good bacteria, which supportyour mood and your immune system,
(08:58):
and impair nutrient absorption.
So even healthy fooddoesn't feel energizing.
But the worst part, your gutmakes a good chunk of your
serotonin, the feel-good hormone.
So when stress disrupts your gut, yourmood and your motivation take a hit too.
(09:20):
It is literally killing yourchances of joy and weight
loss and so many other things.
But let's move on to sleepand the stress spiral.
If you are waking up at 2:00 AM with aracing mind, or dragging yourself out of
bed like a zombie, you're not alone, mama.
(09:41):
For years I just thought that I was anight person, and so not a morning person.
But turns out I was letting stress wreak ahavoc on my body and my sleep routine too.
Chronic stress increasesnighttime cortisol, which blocks
melatonin, your sleep hormone.
(10:02):
Poor sleep leads to more stress,which leads to worse sleep.
It's a vicious cycle.
And yes, I see you mama of littles.
If you are still in the night feed zone orjuggling toddlers and a barking dog, all
I have to say is grace upon grace, mama.
(10:23):
Let's talk about what youcan do in just a minute.
Okay?
But first, we're gonna move onto why stress blocks weight loss.
Let's hit this one hard because Iknow many of you feel stuck in your
weight no matter how healthy you eat.
High cortisol causes your body to storefat around the belly and increases
(10:46):
insulin resistance, which meansyour body holds onto its calories
like it's bracing for a famine.
Even if you're eating clean, if you'rechronically stressed, your body's survival
mode overrides your weight loss efforts.
You don't need a stricter diet.
You need nervous system calm, mama.
(11:07):
I know that if you are stuck in acycle of feeling stressed and trying to
manage it through control, which oftenlooks like checking lots of things off
of your to-do list, and feeling likeproductivity can somehow ease your source
of stress, telling you that you needto find moments of calm probably feels
(11:29):
so counterintuitive, so unappealing,and maybe even really annoying.
But the truth is that if we want to getout of this cycle of feeling drained in
our energy, frustrated with our weightand how we look, and how we show up
every day with just mental clarity andpeace and joy, we have to do something
(11:53):
to step outta that cycle and it startswith moments of calm, which we're going
to talk about here in just a few minutes.
But something else that I want totalk about is fasting and stress.
Now it can backfire on you, so Iwant to touch on that real quick.
Here's the thing, fasting can be anamazing tool for healing and detox.
(12:16):
But, and it's a big but, if yourstress levels are already sky high,
fasting can actually backfire on you.
Why?
Because fasting is a mild stressor onthe body, but if you're already running
on fumes, it can spike cortisol, causeblood sugar crashes, and stall weight
(12:39):
loss or even lead to weight gain?
Yes, it is possible if you have fastedand gained weight, stress, and insulin
that goes hand in hand, and that wholelittle toxic cycle could be the thing
keeping you from fasting well andexperiencing the amazing benefits of it.
The truth is you need a healthystress baseline before your body is
(13:03):
in a place to benefit from fasting.
So if you've tried intermittentfasting and ended up hangry, anxious,
or heavier, it wasn't your fault.
You weren't doing it wrong.
You were just doing it at the wrongtime, and we're gonna actually talk
about that in the next episode.
It is gonna be so good.
(13:24):
So don't forget to come back andlisten in on that conversation too.
Okay, let's talk real life.
Let's get some practical tipsfor stress-soaked mom life.
You may not be able toremove stress entirely.
Hello, the kids still need snacks,and a million other things, but you
(13:45):
can absolutely support your body.
Here are a few simple doable things.
First, take three deepbreaths before meals.
It helps shift your body into rest anddigest mode, which is important because
if you're in stress mode, if your bodythinks that it's trying to run from
(14:06):
a bear, let's just say for example,it's in the ultimate stress mode.
Your body is not thinking about digestingfood while you're running from a bear.
It doesn't matter if you just gotup from your picnic in the woods
and now you're running from a bear.
Digestion is off becausesurvival is the focus.
But if you get caught in a stresscycle in your regular life, digestion
(14:30):
will be dramatically compromised.
And so it's a really important,just taking three deep breaths
before meals can help you so much.
I have actually heard of other holisticwellness coaches say that they were able
to help clients lose weight by doing thisone thing: they told them to stop watching
(14:54):
the news while they ate their meal.
You guys, that's crazy.
Removing the stress of watching thenews while you're eating your food
was enough to help them lose weight.
Just that one thing by itself.
That is so insane to me.
That's the power that stress has on yourbody in this physiological response.
(15:16):
Okay, let's move on.
Next, let's do a brain dump each night,write down your mental to-do list so
it doesn't rattle around at 2:00 AM.
This is so, so simple, but sometimesit's the simple, obvious things that
make such a big difference to us.
If you're laying in bed, low key stressingabout all the different things that you
(15:37):
have to do the next day, write them down.
Once you know that they're there ina safe place and you can wake up in
the morning and find them all again,and you don't have to remember them
or think about them anymore, it willhelp your body enter a rest state.
And you'll be able to go to sleep faster,and you won't wake up in the middle of
(15:59):
the night with those subconscious anxiousthoughts still swimming around your brain.
Next, ground yourself.
Step outside barefoot for five minutes.
If the weather's nice, obviously youcan't do this when it's snowing, but
when spring comes out, or even in thesummer, go out first thing in the morning,
(16:20):
stand outside barefoot for five minutes.
Close your eyes and take some deep breathsand say a little prayer to God if you
need to, to help you get through the day,but it will create a tremendous amount
of resetting and calm in your body.
Little things matter.
(16:40):
They add up to big results,so don't forget to find those
small moments through the day.
Next is nourish consistently.
This is huge.
Don't skip meals.
This is important because remember,if you're in high stress mode, your
body is not ready to fast, okay?
You don't need a million snacks throughoutthe day, but you do need good quality
(17:04):
meals, no snacking on your kids' Mac andcheese and chicken nuggets for lunch.
That's not gonna do it for you, girl.
Okay, next is laugh daily,even if it's at a meme or your
kid's weird knock, knock joke.
You know, we've all been there.
Thankfully, my kids, althoughthey're funny, they've gotten
(17:25):
funnier as they've gotten older.
So I promise it gets better.
But find something funnyto laugh and increase those
moments of joy in your life too.
These small things will add up to help youstart stepping out of the cycle of stress
and into rhythms of more peace and joy.
(17:46):
Lastly, I say this to you andI say it to me at the same
time, drop the perfectionism.
Your nervous system doesn'tcare if the dishes are done.
It cares that you're safe.
Caring for our family is holywork, but stewarding your
peace is a form of worship too.
(18:08):
Jesus is called the Prince of Peacebecause he came to bring us peace
in so many numerable ways that Idon't even have time to touch on.
But Jesus came because he wantedyou to have peace and stewarding
your peace is a form of worship.
(18:29):
It's how we show up for our bodies andour purpose in this life and our purpose
showing up for our family goes beyond ifall the dishes are done or all the laundry
is done, or if we got to food prep.
So make sure to prioritize thisand give yourself permission to
(18:49):
find moments of rest and peace too.
Friend, stress isn't justan emotional problem.
It is a root cause that affectsyour hormones, your gut, your liver,
your sleep, and your weight, and youdeserve support, not more pressure.
(19:10):
If this episode hit home for you,like it did for me, I invite you to
check out the Live Healthy Mama coursewhere we walk through healing your
body and restoring your energy withoutadding more stress to your plate.
This is where holistic wellness reallyshines, taking a look at the whole
(19:31):
body and the whole person and not justsingling out illnesses by themselves.
Okay, in the next episode, we'retalking about fasting and detox,
and it's going to be so good.
It is God's incredible designfor cleansing and healing the
(19:52):
body, and it is so powerful.
It has the ability to heal every otherpart of your body that we have been
talking about over this root cause series.
But we need some things to be in alignmentfirst so fasting actually helps you
and doesn't add to your overwhelm.
(20:12):
Mama, you were created for wellness.
One breath, one choice, one moment at atime can help you heal and step into the
beautiful rhythms that God created youfor, and out of the chaos of the world.
I hope that you were encouraged by today'sepisode, and I will see you next time
(20:33):
for the last episode of Root Causes.
Mama, I hope this episode blessedyou and reminded you that you were
beautifully and uniquely made to thrive.
If today's conversation spoke to yourheart, I'd love for you to take a
moment to leave a rating and review.
Not only does it encourage me,but it helps more tired mamas
(20:54):
discover the hope, healing, andenergy they've been searching for.
You are not in this alone.
Make sure to hit subscribeso you never miss an episode.
Together we will reclaim yourenergy, renew your health, and revive
your spirit one step at a time.
Until next time.
Remember, you are beautifully designed byGod to live with energy, clarity, and joy.
(21:17):
You're not just surviving mama.
You're stepping into the vibrantlife you were created for.
I'm cheering you on.
undefined
Hey mama.
Are you running on coffee fumes,feeling like brain fog, fatigue
and anxiety, or running the show?
Do you wake up dreading the dayahead already overwhelmed by the
endless to-do list, and unsurehow you'll make it through.
Do you long for the energyto enjoy motherhood?
(00:23):
And care for yourself, but feelstuck and unsure where to start.
Let me remind you ofsomething life changing.
You were created for more, moreenergy, more clarity, more joy.
Hi, I'm Jerusha, certifiedHolistic Wellness Coach.
Wife and mom to two wild boysand one baby girl in heaven.
(00:46):
I know the exhaustion you'refeeling because I've been there
barely making it through the day.
Relying on coffee and chocolate tosurvive and wondering why nothing
I tried ever made me feel better.
Then God stepped in andrevealed a powerful truth.
A woman's body is beautifullyand uniquely designed to thrive.
(01:07):
When we align with how God createdus, we can boost our energy bust
through fatigue and step into thevibrant, joy filled life he has for us.
Mama.
I'm living proof thatit's possible these days.
I wake up, refreshed, nourished my bodywith intention and navigate the chaos
of motherhood with patience and peace.
(01:28):
Most days, and I wannahelp you do the same.
If you're ready to swap exhaustion forenergy, brain fog for clarity and guilt
for grace, you are in the right place.
Each week we'll dive into practicalstrategies, faith-filled truths,
and empowering tools to renew yourhealth, body, soul, and spirit.
(01:48):
Are you ready for this?
Let's do it, mama.
If you've ever found yourself staringat the pile of unfolded laundry,
reheating your coffee for the thirdtime, and wondering why you're
constantly exhausted even when you're"handling things", this one's for you.
Today, we're continuing our root causeseries by talking about something most
of us try to power through (02:12):
stress.
I'm not talking about the "I spilledapplesauce on my white shirt" kind
of stress, but the chronic underlyingpressure that never seems to go away.
And here's the truth most of usdon't hear enough: stress isn't
just mental, it's physiological.
(02:34):
Even if you're emotionally keeping ittogether and you're not crying in the
closet or losing your cool, it doesn'tmean your body isn't feeling the effects.
Your stress matters, even if you'remanaging it, quote unquote "well".
For years and years in my wellnessjourney, I just thought that if
(02:55):
I got enough supplements into mysystem, then I would feel great.
And ultimately, I never looked at stressas a key contributor to my health issues.
And I certainly didn't realizethat while I was shoving in all of
those supplements, my stress wasdraining them on the other end.
(03:16):
Not to mention creating a wholecascade of issues that was
affecting me, including my weight.
Fast forward to just a few years agowhen I was trying to lose weight and
I was really putting together theselast pieces of the puzzle on my health,
things that had been a mystery to mebefore were now starting to make sense.
And I learned that if I wantedto drop my waistline, I had to
(03:41):
learn to drop my stress first.
And that was a game changer for me.
The truth is stress wasn't justaffecting my weight, but a lot of
areas of my health, and ultimatelymy mental wellbeing and happiness,
my ability to find peace and joy ineveryday moments, and so much more.
(04:04):
I grew up in an emotionally turbulenthome, and so from a young age I learned
to manage stress pretty well, and bythe time I became a young adult, by way
of survival, I had figured out how tohave a pretty high capacity for stress.
And I thought that because mycapacity for stress was so high
(04:29):
that I was handling things okay.
Just because I wasn't having amental breakdown did not mean that
stress was not affecting my body.
The truth is that even if your mentaland emotional capacity for stress is
high, you are not immune to the effectsof stress on your body and your health.
(04:52):
So let's dive in, mama, because I wantto help you understand how stress is
affecting every area of your life.
Your waistline, yes.
But your hormones, your digestion, yoursleep, your ability to heal the way that
God designed you to, and ultimately yourability to show up in a day and access the
(05:17):
peace and joy that God created you for.
Let's start with hormones, because stressdoesn't just make you feel frazzled.
It actually reprogramsyour hormone response.
When you're constantly in stressmode, your body is stuck pumping out
cortisol, your main stress hormone.
(05:39):
That's your body's "getstuff done in crisis" button.
But when you're living like the crisisnever ends, whether it's toddler
meltdowns, late night feedings, or endlesslaundry, your body doesn't get a break.
Cortisol affects progesterone,your calming mood, balancing
hormone, which drops.
(06:01):
It also affects estrogen, whichcan go haywire, leading to anxiety,
irritability, and stubborn weight.
And it affects your thyroid function,which slows way down to conserve energy.
Hello, fatigue and brain fog.
Have you ever felt like your to-dolist is yelling louder than your kids?
(06:23):
That's cortisol.
And if the stress keeps going unchecked,your adrenal glands, the little glands
that make cortisol, start to burn out.
That's when we move from high stressto full on adrenal dysfunction.
Your adrenals were nevermeant to run full speed 24 7.
(06:45):
When they crash, you might noticethings like morning exhaustion
that no amount of coffee fixes.
Energy dips around two to 3:00 PM.
Feeling wired at night, butexhausted during the day.
And craving salty or sugarysnacks just to get through.
Adrenal dysfunction means your body nolonger knows how to handle stress well.
(07:09):
And the fix?
It's not another supplement or caffeineboost, it's nourishment and rest in
a rhythm that works for your body.
To start healing your adrenals,you need to eat real food
regularly, so don't skip meals.
Get sunlight in the morning.
(07:30):
Prioritize rest without guilt.
Say no to what's notessential . Hello, mama.
I'm reminding myselfwhile I'm reminding you!
And build in slow moments,even five minutes at a time.
It's not about quitting motherhood.
Sorry, you can't.
It's about supporting yourbody so that you can thrive in
(07:54):
the midst of messy motherhood.
Next is your liver.
Your liver isn't just for detoxingtoxins, it's also in charge of clearing
out excess hormones, especially estrogen.
But when you're chronicallystressed, your liver is too
overwhelmed to do its job well.
(08:15):
It's like trying to dolaundry during a power outage.
You're piling up the dirtyclothes, AKA hormones, but
nothing's actually getting cleaned.
A sluggish liver equals hormonalbuildup, inflammation, and
you guessed it, weight gain.
Next up is your gut.
(08:37):
You've probably heard it calledyour second brain, but when
you're under constant stress, itstarts sending out SOS signals.
Stress can weaken your gut lining.
Hello, bloating and food sensitivities.
Kill off good bacteria, which supportyour mood and your immune system,
(08:58):
and impair nutrient absorption.
So even healthy fooddoesn't feel energizing.
But the worst part, your gutmakes a good chunk of your
serotonin, the feel-good hormone.
So when stress disrupts your gut, yourmood and your motivation take a hit too.
(09:20):
It is literally killing yourchances of joy and weight
loss and so many other things.
But let's move on to sleepand the stress spiral.
If you are waking up at 2:00 AM with aracing mind, or dragging yourself out of
bed like a zombie, you're not alone, mama.
(09:41):
For years I just thought that I was anight person, and so not a morning person.
But turns out I was letting stress wreak ahavoc on my body and my sleep routine too.
Chronic stress increasesnighttime cortisol, which blocks
melatonin, your sleep hormone.
(10:02):
Poor sleep leads to more stress,which leads to worse sleep.
It's a vicious cycle.
And yes, I see you mama of littles.
If you are still in the night feed zone orjuggling toddlers and a barking dog, all
I have to say is grace upon grace, mama.
(10:23):
Let's talk about what youcan do in just a minute.
Okay?
But first, we're gonna move onto why stress blocks weight loss.
Let's hit this one hard because Iknow many of you feel stuck in your
weight no matter how healthy you eat.
High cortisol causes your body to storefat around the belly and increases
(10:46):
insulin resistance, which meansyour body holds onto its calories
like it's bracing for a famine.
Even if you're eating clean, if you'rechronically stressed, your body's survival
mode overrides your weight loss efforts.
You don't need a stricter diet.
You need nervous system calm, mama.
(11:07):
I know that if you are stuck in acycle of feeling stressed and trying to
manage it through control, which oftenlooks like checking lots of things off
of your to-do list, and feeling likeproductivity can somehow ease your source
of stress, telling you that you needto find moments of calm probably feels
(11:29):
so counterintuitive, so unappealing,and maybe even really annoying.
But the truth is that if we want to getout of this cycle of feeling drained in
our energy, frustrated with our weightand how we look, and how we show up
every day with just mental clarity andpeace and joy, we have to do something
(11:53):
to step outta that cycle and it startswith moments of calm, which we're going
to talk about here in just a few minutes.
But something else that I want totalk about is fasting and stress.
Now it can backfire on you, so Iwant to touch on that real quick.
Here's the thing, fasting can be anamazing tool for healing and detox.
(12:16):
But, and it's a big but, if yourstress levels are already sky high,
fasting can actually backfire on you.
Why?
Because fasting is a mild stressor onthe body, but if you're already running
on fumes, it can spike cortisol, causeblood sugar crashes, and stall weight
(12:39):
loss or even lead to weight gain?
Yes, it is possible if you have fastedand gained weight, stress, and insulin
that goes hand in hand, and that wholelittle toxic cycle could be the thing
keeping you from fasting well andexperiencing the amazing benefits of it.
The truth is you need a healthystress baseline before your body is
(13:03):
in a place to benefit from fasting.
So if you've tried intermittentfasting and ended up hangry, anxious,
or heavier, it wasn't your fault.
You weren't doing it wrong.
You were just doing it at the wrongtime, and we're gonna actually talk
about that in the next episode.
It is gonna be so good.
(13:24):
So don't forget to come back andlisten in on that conversation too.
Okay, let's talk real life.
Let's get some practical tipsfor stress-soaked mom life.
You may not be able toremove stress entirely.
Hello, the kids still need snacks,and a million other things, but you
(13:45):
can absolutely support your body.
Here are a few simple doable things.
First, take three deepbreaths before meals.
It helps shift your body into rest anddigest mode, which is important because
if you're in stress mode, if your bodythinks that it's trying to run from
(14:06):
a bear, let's just say for example,it's in the ultimate stress mode.
Your body is not thinking about digestingfood while you're running from a bear.
It doesn't matter if you just gotup from your picnic in the woods
and now you're running from a bear.
Digestion is off becausesurvival is the focus.
But if you get caught in a stresscycle in your regular life, digestion
(14:30):
will be dramatically compromised.
And so it's a really important,just taking three deep breaths
before meals can help you so much.
I have actually heard of other holisticwellness coaches say that they were able
to help clients lose weight by doing thisone thing: they told them to stop watching
(14:54):
the news while they ate their meal.
You guys, that's crazy.
Removing the stress of watching thenews while you're eating your food
was enough to help them lose weight.
Just that one thing by itself.
That is so insane to me.
That's the power that stress has on yourbody in this physiological response.
(15:16):
Okay, let's move on.
Next, let's do a brain dump each night,write down your mental to-do list so
it doesn't rattle around at 2:00 AM.
This is so, so simple, but sometimesit's the simple, obvious things that
make such a big difference to us.
If you're laying in bed, low key stressingabout all the different things that you
(15:37):
have to do the next day, write them down.
Once you know that they're there ina safe place and you can wake up in
the morning and find them all again,and you don't have to remember them
or think about them anymore, it willhelp your body enter a rest state.
And you'll be able to go to sleep faster,and you won't wake up in the middle of
(15:59):
the night with those subconscious anxiousthoughts still swimming around your brain.
Next, ground yourself.
Step outside barefoot for five minutes.
If the weather's nice, obviously youcan't do this when it's snowing, but
when spring comes out, or even in thesummer, go out first thing in the morning,
(16:20):
stand outside barefoot for five minutes.
Close your eyes and take some deep breathsand say a little prayer to God if you
need to, to help you get through the day,but it will create a tremendous amount
of resetting and calm in your body.
Little things matter.
(16:40):
They add up to big results,so don't forget to find those
small moments through the day.
Next is nourish consistently.
This is huge.
Don't skip meals.
This is important because remember,if you're in high stress mode, your
body is not ready to fast, okay?
You don't need a million snacks throughoutthe day, but you do need good quality
(17:04):
meals, no snacking on your kids' Mac andcheese and chicken nuggets for lunch.
That's not gonna do it for you, girl.
Okay, next is laugh daily,even if it's at a meme or your
kid's weird knock, knock joke.
You know, we've all been there.
Thankfully, my kids, althoughthey're funny, they've gotten
(17:25):
funnier as they've gotten older.
So I promise it gets better.
But find something funnyto laugh and increase those
moments of joy in your life too.
These small things will add up to help youstart stepping out of the cycle of stress
and into rhythms of more peace and joy.
(17:46):
Lastly, I say this to you andI say it to me at the same
time, drop the perfectionism.
Your nervous system doesn'tcare if the dishes are done.
It cares that you're safe.
Caring for our family is holywork, but stewarding your
peace is a form of worship too.
(18:08):
Jesus is called the Prince of Peacebecause he came to bring us peace
in so many numerable ways that Idon't even have time to touch on.
But Jesus came because he wantedyou to have peace and stewarding
your peace is a form of worship.
(18:29):
It's how we show up for our bodies andour purpose in this life and our purpose
showing up for our family goes beyond ifall the dishes are done or all the laundry
is done, or if we got to food prep.
So make sure to prioritize thisand give yourself permission to
(18:49):
find moments of rest and peace too.
Friend, stress isn't justan emotional problem.
It is a root cause that affectsyour hormones, your gut, your liver,
your sleep, and your weight, and youdeserve support, not more pressure.
(19:10):
If this episode hit home for you,like it did for me, I invite you to
check out the Live Healthy Mama coursewhere we walk through healing your
body and restoring your energy withoutadding more stress to your plate.
This is where holistic wellness reallyshines, taking a look at the whole
(19:31):
body and the whole person and not justsingling out illnesses by themselves.
Okay, in the next episode, we'retalking about fasting and detox,
and it's going to be so good.
It is God's incredible designfor cleansing and healing the
(19:52):
body, and it is so powerful.
It has the ability to heal every otherpart of your body that we have been
talking about over this root cause series.
But we need some things to be in alignmentfirst so fasting actually helps you
and doesn't add to your overwhelm.
(20:12):
Mama, you were created for wellness.
One breath, one choice, one moment at atime can help you heal and step into the
beautiful rhythms that God created youfor, and out of the chaos of the world.
I hope that you were encouraged by today'sepisode, and I will see you next time
(20:33):
for the last episode of Root Causes.
Mama, I hope this episode blessedyou and reminded you that you were
beautifully and uniquely made to thrive.
If today's conversation spoke to yourheart, I'd love for you to take a
moment to leave a rating and review.
Not only does it encourage me,but it helps more tired mamas
(20:54):
discover the hope, healing, andenergy they've been searching for.
You are not in this alone.
Make sure to hit subscribeso you never miss an episode.
Together we will reclaim yourenergy, renew your health, and revive
your spirit one step at a time.
Until next time.
Remember, you are beautifully designed byGod to live with energy, clarity, and joy.
(21:17):
You're not just surviving mama.
You're stepping into the vibrantlife you were created for.
I'm cheering you on.
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