Then, I signed up for a 90-day fitness test pilot program in Los Angeles, hoping it would be the solution I had been searching for. My goal was to shed unwanted weight and get into the best shape of my life. But what I discovered during that time was a much deeper truth about weight loss and well-being—one that went far beyond diet and exercise.

The 90-Day Fitness Program: Why It Didn’t Work

The program promised a transformative experience. I followed a strict meal plan, pushed through intense workouts, and meticulously tracked my progress. But after three months, I had lost only 2 lbs. While I gained muscle, my clothes fit tighter, and I still felt bloated, with ongoing IBS issues. The program didn’t bring the results I expected, and I realized that I needed to rethink my entire approach to weight loss.

A New Perspective: Shifting From External to Internal Focus

Frustrated but curious, I reassessed my approach. I realized that focusing solely on external factors—like the scale and grueling workouts—was ignoring something crucial: my internal well-being. This is when I began gravitating toward somatic practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness.

I finally understood why I hadn’t been seeing results. The issue wasn’t just about diet and exercise—it was about stress. My body wasn’t responding to more workouts or stricter diets because my nervous system was out of balance.

Why Stress Prevents Weight Loss: The Role of Cortisol and Hormonal Imbalances

For years, I hadn’t realized how much stress was sabotaging my efforts. When we’re stressed—whether from work, life pressures, trauma, or obsessing over weight—our bodies produce cortisol, the “stress hormone.” While cortisol helps in short bursts (like during emergencies), chronic stress keeps cortisol levels elevated, leading to weight gain.

Here’s how cortisol affects weight loss:

1. Fat Storage: Cortisol signals the body to store fat, particularly around the belly, as a survival mechanism.

2. Increased Appetite: High cortisol levels can trigger cravings for sugary, high-fat foods, making it hard to stick to healthy eating habits.

3. Hormonal Imbalances: Stress disrupts hormones like insulin (which controls blood sugar) and leptin (which regulates hunger), making it more difficult to lose weight.

4. Slowed Metabolism: Chronic stress can also impact the thyroid, slowing down your metabolism and making it harder to burn calories efficiently.

My Realization: Why Nervous System Regulation Matters More Than Dieting

During those 90 days, I learned a hard lesson: working harder wasn’t the answer. Despite eating clean and pushing myself in the gym, my cortisol levels remained high, keeping my body in fat-storage mode. The stress of constantly thinking about my weight, food choices, and exercise was doing more harm than good.

That’s when I realized I needed to stop obsessing over external factors and focus on regulating my nervous system.

The Shift to Nervous System Regulation: The Key to Sustainable Weight Loss

Once I began prioritizing nervous system regulation, everything changed. I stopped focusing on the scale, intense workouts, and strict diets. Instead, I turned to somatic practices that calmed my mind and body, such as:

• Yoga

• Breathing exercises

• Meditation & Mindfulness

These practices helped me lower my stress levels and stabilize my cortisol production. When my nervous system was calm, my body naturally let go of the excess weight. The bloating and IBS disappeared, my clothes fit better, and my emotional eating was replaced with mindful eating. The shift was internal, and that’s when I finally saw the external results I had been chasing for years.

How I Lost 25 lbs and Kept It Off for 7 Years

From age 30-37, I maintained a 25-lb weight loss without stepping foot in a gym or following restrictive diets. Instead, I focus on regulating my nervous system and managing stress. This approach has made all the difference in sustaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Would you like to know exactly how I did it? Read my previous BLOG: Top Healing Practices That Transformed my Health and Wellness Journey.

Why Regulating Your Nervous System is More Effective Than Dieting

Weight loss isn’t just about what you eat or how much you exercise. It’s about how your body responds to stress. If your nervous system is constantly in “fight or flight” mode, your body will resist losing weight, no matter how disciplined your diet or workout routine is.

By focusing on nervous system regulation, you can reduce stress, balance hormones, and create an environment where your body can release weight naturally.

How I Started Going Back to the Gym

Eighteen months ago, I began experiencing physical issues, particularly with my feet. I realized that while yoga had been a big part of my routine, my body needed more variety, especially to build muscle in my legs. I knew I needed to start incorporating weight training and different forms of movement.

I hired a trainer and committed to just one hour a week of functional body movement for an entire year. The trainer kept me accountable, and after the year was up, I felt motivated enough to continue on my own. I joined a gym and now go three days a week. My workouts remain low-intensity and focused on functional movement, with occasional high-intensity sessions just 3-4 times a month.

Final Thoughts

This journey taught me that our bodies reflect how we are BEING, not just what we are DOING. Focusing on stress reduction and nervous system regulation created a balanced internal environment that supported long-term weight loss.

Weight loss and wellness are not just about external measures like diet and exercise, but about creating harmony within. My 90-day experience showed me the importance of nurturing my inner well-being. If you’re on a similar path, remember that sustainable transformation begins from the inside out.