Stress: The Silent Killer

In the past few years, I’ve taken a deep dive into understanding myself as I push harder to meet my fitness goals. I’ve basically turned my own body, mind, and soul into a lab rat—constantly experimenting, constantly refining different methods to trick my lab-rat ass into doing the “right” thing for my health.

Every time I get things dialed in—nailing my meal prep, building a solid workout routine, cutting out bad habits—there’s always one thing that ends up being the biggest roadblock.

That one thing?

Stress. Or more specifically, the imbalance between happiness and feeling overwhelmed.

Stress brings out the absolute worst in me. When I don’t manage it well, everything gets harder. I eat more—and worse. I skip workouts, cut them short, or just go through the motions. I fall back into bad habits. I become someone I’m not proud of—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Stress eats away at the soul. And not to get too deep… but that’s how I see it. Sure, pressure can create diamonds. But it can also crush everything and leave you with nothing but ash. I’ve seen chronic stress pile up in my life and in the lives of the people around me. Fitness is a compounding asset. But stress? That’s a compounding liability—if that even makes sense.

So, what is stress?

Most of the time, it comes from feeling overwhelmed or out of control. Whether it’s work, relationships, or personal expectations, our bodies respond by releasing cortisol—the infamous “stress hormone.” And listen, cortisol isn’t evil. In small bursts, it can actually help us perform. But chronic stress is different. It’s the true silent killer.

Why do I call it that?

Because in today’s world, especially in American culture, stress is often worn like a badge of honor. We applaud people for being “busy,” for grinding 24/7, for juggling everything. And sure, some of those people look fine on the outside—but inside, their bodies are getting wrecked.

Chronic stress has been linked to:

• Heart disease & high blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Depression & anxiety

• Autoimmune disorders

• Digestive issues

And the worst part? It often goes undetected for years.

After years of testing myself like a guinea pig, here’s my theory:

Chronic stress builds massive walls between you and self-care. We’ve normalized the idea that being stressed all the time is somehow “productive.” But that’s a lie. People work themselves into the ground. They curl up into shrimp-shaped postures from sitting all day. Then come the back problems, the poor mobility, the overeating, and eventually... disease.

Okay, enough with the doom and gloom because it honestly drives me nuts too.

So what can we do? How do we let cortisol help us instead of hurt us?

Turns out, it’s simpler than you might think.

Let’s Fix the Stress Snowball

1. Lack of Sleep
Poor sleep is a major stressor. It messes with your hormone regulation, spikes cortisol, and makes you more reactive. It's like never changing your car’s oil—eventually, that mf is going to blow.
Tips: Get 7–9 hours. Ditch the screens before bed. Keep your room cool and pitch black.

2. Mindfulness (Not Voodoo Sh*t)
You don’t have to levitate, I promise. But mindfulness, deep breathing, and meditation are clinically proven to lower cortisol.
Example: Try 5–10 minutes of deep breathing, guided meditation, or even a quiet walk without your phone. Then tell me you don’t feel different.

3. Eat a Balanced Diet
Nutrition directly affects hormone balance. Poor food choices spike cortisol. Whole foods keep it in check.
Focus on: Lean protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, fiber, and water.

4. Stay Socially Connected
Isolation increases stress. Social support reduces it by boosting feel-good hormones like oxytocin.
Action step: Call your mom. Text a friend. Join a gym class. Don’t isolate.

5. Disorganization & Time Management
No, it’s not just “entrepreneur” calendar porn. Disorganization is a cortisol trigger. Chaos = panic.
Fix it: Use a planner or app. Break big tasks into smaller ones. Prioritize what matters. Color-coding optional.

6. Exercise
Exercise = controlled stress. It teaches your body how to handle real stress better. It balances cortisol and leaves you more resilient.
Best forms: Walking, lifting, yoga, cycling, or anything consistent that gets your body moving.

Bottom Line

Stress is a nasty piece of work. And if you take a second to really look around your circle, I promise you’ll see how hard it’s hitting people you love.

Don’t let it be your silent killer.
But also—only you can make that decision, day in and day out.