Why Stress Needs to Be Part of Any Weight Loss or Gut Health Journey
When most people think about weight loss or gut healing, diet and exercise usually come to mind first. While food choices and movement are critical, there’s another major player that often gets overlooked: stress. If you’re not addressing stress, your chances of long-term success with either weight management or gut repair are slim.
The Cortisol Connection
Stress triggers the release of cortisol, our primary stress hormone. In short bursts, cortisol is helpful—it primes the body to respond to danger, boosts alertness, and mobilises energy. But when stress becomes relentless, cortisol stays elevated. Chronically high cortisol interferes with metabolism, makes it harder to burn fat, and even drives fat storage around the belly. It also dysregulates appetite hormones, which can leave you craving sugar and processed foods—exactly the opposite of what your body needs when healing.
Stress and Inflammation
Prolonged stress also feeds inflammation. Cortisol itself is anti-inflammatory in the short term, but in a state of chronic stress, the body becomes resistant to cortisol’s effects. This flips the switch towards persistent low-grade inflammation. Inflammation contributes to digestive symptoms like bloating, reflux, and irregular bowel habits, and it also blocks weight loss by interfering with insulin sensitivity and nutrient signalling.
What Happens in the Gut
The gut microbiome is incredibly sensitive to stress. When the body is constantly in “fight or flight” mode, blood is diverted away from digestion. Over time, this reduces motility, stomach acid, and enzyme production—making it harder to break down and absorb nutrients. Even more concerning, beneficial bacteria that promote gut health begin to die off in chronic stress states, while more harmful species flourish. This imbalance weakens the gut barrier, fuels inflammation, and can worsen symptoms like constipation, diarrhoea, and food sensitivities.
We Weren’t Designed for Relentless Stress
Humans evolved to deal with short bursts of stress followed by recovery. We were never designed to live in a constant state of deadlines, notifications, and worries that keep our stress switch permanently “on.” Without deliberate stress management strategies, the body simply cannot heal or lose weight efficiently.
The Missing Piece
If you’re focusing on food and exercise but ignoring stress, you’re only tackling part of the problem. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, walking in nature, good sleep, or even simple hobbies can shift your nervous system back into balance. Stress management isn’t a luxury add-on—it’s a non-negotiable pillar of gut healing and sustainable weight loss.