If you’re eating carnivore but stuck on the scale, stress and weight loss might be more connected than you think.
Hey y’all! I know the carnivore lifestyle has changed lives (mine included), but if you’re doing all the things—eating the meat, taking the walks—and your progress has hit a wall… we need to talk about stress and weight loss.
Here’s the not-so-fun truth: chronic stress raises cortisol, and cortisol raises blood sugar—even on a zero-carb diet. That means your body may be holding on to fat despite your clean eating. In this episode, I walk you through exactly how stress can mess with your results—and more importantly, what you can do about it.
We’re talking easy, doable changes: staying hydrated (yes, water actually lowers cortisol!), lifting weights, cracking your car window for morning sunlight, and even singing your heart out to some gospel or 90s jams. You’ll also hear about my friend Dana’s story—she gained 40 lbs on strict carnivore from stress alone, then lost it again without changing her diet, just by reducing her stress. Wild, right?
And yep—I even guide you through a few minutes of breath work right there in the video. You can do it in your car, in bed, even on the toilet.
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Full video/podcast summary:
Hey Y’all! Let’s Talk Cortisol, Stress, and Healing Beyond the Steak 🥩
Hi friends! I’m coming to you from my backyard today—because our basement lost power, the electrician can’t come for three weeks (😅), and this LOUD bird back here decided it’s time for his solo. But you know what? It kind of fits, because today we’re talking about stress, cortisol, and how to support your healing with more than just steak and walks—though y’all know I love my steak and walks!
And yes, before we begin—this is not a vintage video! I just clipped in some hair extensions. Sometimes I miss the long hair. So today I went full Carnivore Rapunzel. We’re mixing it up. 💁♀️
Let’s Get One Thing Straight: Carnivore Changed My Life
Before we dive into the hormone nerdiness, let me remind you where I came from. I’ve lost 130 pounds and reversed so many health issues on carnivore—boils, acne, anxiety, costochondritis, infertility, inflammation—you name it. And here’s the kicker: I did most of that before I even knew what a macro was.
No fat-fasting. No extended fasting. No sardines. No blue blockers. No cortisol tracking. I didn’t even know what cortisol was. I just ate meat. And walked. That’s it. Literally just don’t eat carbs and do eat meat and eggs. Revolutionary, right? 😂
Over time, I learned that I feel better with fresh meat—steaks, pork chops, ribs—not tons of deli meat or pepperoni or cheese boards (even though I love a good charcuterie). But I didn’t overthink it. I listened to my body, and that changed everything.
But There’s More to This Than Just Meat and Movement…
Now, here’s where things get juicy. If you’re doing all the carnivore things—eating clean, moving your body—and you’re still struggling, then we need to talk about cortisol. Yep. That sneaky little stress hormone can absolutely wreck your progress.
I called in the big guns—Dr. Ben Bikman—to help break this down. Cortisol’s number one job? Raise your blood glucose. So yeah, it’s basically fighting insulin all day. Cortisol even breaks down your muscle, bones, and skin to create more glucose—rude! And when that happens constantly? You get insulin resistance, inflammation, and stalled fat loss. Not fun.
So What Can We DO About It?
Okay, so now you’re like, “Great Kelly, cortisol’s a jerk. Now what?”
✅ First step: hydrate. Seriously, drink your water! A new study showed that even mild dehydration leads to a 55% spike in cortisol during stressful moments. That’s wild! The well-hydrated group didn’t feel less stressed—they just had less cortisol. Boom. Water matters. Think of it as your free cortisol medicine.
✅ Lift heavy things—slowly. No, it doesn’t spike your stress. In fact, over time, weight training helps lower and balance cortisol levels. So grab those dumbbells!
✅ Skip the long-distance running (unless you love it). It spikes cortisol for many people. Me? I’ll stick to walking. Preferably with a seltzer in hand and a podcast in my ears. 😆
✅ Get outside. Morning sunlight is magic! Don’t have time to “go stand outside”? Then roll down your car window! That morning light helps reset your circadian rhythm and reduce cortisol. Even on cloudy days. Even if your hair gets a little windblown.
✅ Hug someone. Pet your dog. Belt out some gospel or 90s music. Crochet. Journal. Pray. Dance. Stretch. Just move your body in gentle ways that bring you joy. These are not fluff. These are cortisol busters.
And Breathe… No, Really: Let’s Talk Breath Work
Listen, I used to roll my eyes at the whole “breath work” thing. But turns out… it’s legit. It reduces cortisol, improves insulin sensitivity, and even boosts your metabolism.
📚 Study time! One study had women do stretching + slow breathing and they lost 3.2% body fat in a month—just from that alone! Another showed improved lung function and statistically significant weight loss in people who did 10 minutes of breath work a day. And a third? Showed an increase in resting metabolic rate. Um, yes please!
We even did a little guided breath work session together in the video. It feels awkward at first, but trust me—it works. You can do it in bed, in the car, on the toilet… wherever! 😂
The Power of Birdsong and a Friend Named Dana
Let’s not underestimate the healing power of birdsong, either. It’s been studied—scientifically studied—to lower anxiety and calm the nervous system. Just listening to birds can help your body recover faster from stress. So yes, go outside and listen to the birds! Or fake it with a Spotify playlist.
And I have to tell you about my friend Dana. She’s been carnivore longer than I have. For YEARS she looked amazing—like, bikini-on-Facebook amazing—but suddenly she gained 40 pounds. No change in diet. Still strict carnivore. People whispered, “Is she cheating?”
Nope. Turns out her life was unraveling. Business stress, family struggles, marriage stuff. It was cortisol—eating her alive. A therapist asked, “When do you feel peace?” Dana said, “When I walk in the woods.” He said, “Then do that—every day.”
She did. She added fish (omega-3s help with cortisol), started walking outside, kept talking to people—and the weight came off. No fasting. No calorie cuts. No macro tweaks. Just stress management and support.
Here’s the Bottom Line, My Friend
You can’t out-steak chronic stress. I love steak. I love walking. But if you’re under-slept, over-stressed, dehydrated, scrolling in the dark, living in a toxic environment, not breathing deeply, not talking to anyone… that’s a big ask for some ribeyes to fix. Healing takes more than meat.
But here’s the good news: we can control more than we think. Maybe not your job. Maybe not your marriage. But…
🌞 You can roll down your window.
💧 You can drink some water.
🧘♀️ You can do 2 minutes of breath work.
🎶 You can play music that makes your soul sing.
✍️ You can journal or crochet or pray.
🫂 You can talk to someone.
👯♀️ You can join a group where people truly get it.
And I want you to. Because you matter. Your peace matters. Your healing matters.
So yeah… drink your water, hug your people, roll down your windows, and keep eating the meat. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.
See y’all next Saturday.
