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What’s really going on with your cortisol—and what does it have to do with your cravings, belly fat, burnout, or why you’re wide awake at 2 a.m.?
In this episode of the FASTer Way podcast, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Stephen Cabral—renowned naturopath, functional medicine expert, and member of the FASTer Way Scientific Advisory Board—for a science-meets-real-life convo on all things cortisol.
Dr. Cabral shares his personal journey from debilitating adrenal burnout and Addison’s disease to thriving, and why cortisol is not the enemy—it’s your body’s secret weapon for energy, fat burning, and hormone balance… when it’s working for you, not against you.
From Antibiotic Overdose to a New Way to Heal
Dr. Cabral doesn’t show up as just another expert with theories—he lived the health struggle.
As a kid and teen, he was constantly sick: allergies, asthma, rashes, chronic infections, and round after round of antibiotics. By age 17, his immune system crashed. He was eventually diagnosed with Addison’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, acid reflux, and more.
After years of seeing top specialists with no real answers, he turned to natural health. Working with a mentor, he finally healed in six months—and has spent his career since then helping others do the same.
In the episode, he shares:
- How years of antibiotics wrecked his gut and immune system
- Why “mystery symptoms” are often connected below the surface
- The mindset shift that helped him go from sick and discouraged to purposeful and thriving
You’ll walk away feeling seen and empowered—not broken.
Visceral vs. “Pinchable” Fat: Why Belly Fat Is Different
Not all body fat is created equal. And belly fat? That’s the one we cannot ignore.
Dr. Cabral and Amanda break down the difference between:
- Subcutaneous fat – the softer, “pinchable” fat you see when you bend forward
- Visceral fat – the deeper, harder fat packed around your organs
Visceral fat is strongly linked to:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes and blood sugar issues
- Systemic inflammation
- Higher risk of stroke, heart attack, dementia, and early mortality
Amanda even shares how, back when she was training clients in person, she’d gently “pinch test” the belly area. Softer fat? They’d often see progress in 6–12 weeks. Harder, more rigid fat? That signaled deeper root issues and possible fat-loss resistance.
💡 Where FASTer Way comes in:
FASTer Way is the only clinically proven fitness app to specifically reduce visceral fat while increasing muscle mass—exactly what you want for long-term health, strength, and longevity.
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
.png)
What’s really going on with your cortisol—and what does it have to do with your cravings, belly fat, burnout, or why you’re wide awake at 2 a.m.?
In this episode of the FASTer Way podcast, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Stephen Cabral—renowned naturopath, functional medicine expert, and member of the FASTer Way Scientific Advisory Board—for a science-meets-real-life convo on all things cortisol.
Dr. Cabral shares his personal journey from debilitating adrenal burnout and Addison’s disease to thriving, and why cortisol is not the enemy—it’s your body’s secret weapon for energy, fat burning, and hormone balance… when it’s working for you, not against you.
From Antibiotic Overdose to a New Way to Heal
Dr. Cabral doesn’t show up as just another expert with theories—he lived the health struggle.
As a kid and teen, he was constantly sick: allergies, asthma, rashes, chronic infections, and round after round of antibiotics. By age 17, his immune system crashed. He was eventually diagnosed with Addison’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, acid reflux, and more.
After years of seeing top specialists with no real answers, he turned to natural health. Working with a mentor, he finally healed in six months—and has spent his career since then helping others do the same.
In the episode, he shares:
- How years of antibiotics wrecked his gut and immune system
- Why “mystery symptoms” are often connected below the surface
- The mindset shift that helped him go from sick and discouraged to purposeful and thriving
You’ll walk away feeling seen and empowered—not broken.
Visceral vs. “Pinchable” Fat: Why Belly Fat Is Different
Not all body fat is created equal. And belly fat? That’s the one we cannot ignore.
Dr. Cabral and Amanda break down the difference between:
- Subcutaneous fat – the softer, “pinchable” fat you see when you bend forward
- Visceral fat – the deeper, harder fat packed around your organs
Visceral fat is strongly linked to:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes and blood sugar issues
- Systemic inflammation
- Higher risk of stroke, heart attack, dementia, and early mortality
Amanda even shares how, back when she was training clients in person, she’d gently “pinch test” the belly area. Softer fat? They’d often see progress in 6–12 weeks. Harder, more rigid fat? That signaled deeper root issues and possible fat-loss resistance.
💡 Where FASTer Way comes in:
FASTer Way is the only clinically proven fitness app to specifically reduce visceral fat while increasing muscle mass—exactly what you want for long-term health, strength, and longevity.
Subscribe to our blog
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.
Wired, Tired & Stuck? Let’s Talk Cortisol with Dr. Stephen Cabral
What’s really going on with your cortisol—and what does it have to do with your cravings, belly fat, burnout, or why you’re wide awake at 2 a.m.?
In this episode of the FASTer Way podcast, CEO Amanda Tress sits down with Dr. Stephen Cabral—renowned naturopath, functional medicine expert, and member of the FASTer Way Scientific Advisory Board—for a science-meets-real-life convo on all things cortisol.
Dr. Cabral shares his personal journey from debilitating adrenal burnout and Addison’s disease to thriving, and why cortisol is not the enemy—it’s your body’s secret weapon for energy, fat burning, and hormone balance… when it’s working for you, not against you.
From Antibiotic Overdose to a New Way to Heal
Dr. Cabral doesn’t show up as just another expert with theories—he lived the health struggle.
As a kid and teen, he was constantly sick: allergies, asthma, rashes, chronic infections, and round after round of antibiotics. By age 17, his immune system crashed. He was eventually diagnosed with Addison’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, acid reflux, and more.
After years of seeing top specialists with no real answers, he turned to natural health. Working with a mentor, he finally healed in six months—and has spent his career since then helping others do the same.
In the episode, he shares:
- How years of antibiotics wrecked his gut and immune system
- Why “mystery symptoms” are often connected below the surface
- The mindset shift that helped him go from sick and discouraged to purposeful and thriving
You’ll walk away feeling seen and empowered—not broken.
Visceral vs. “Pinchable” Fat: Why Belly Fat Is Different
Not all body fat is created equal. And belly fat? That’s the one we cannot ignore.
Dr. Cabral and Amanda break down the difference between:
- Subcutaneous fat – the softer, “pinchable” fat you see when you bend forward
- Visceral fat – the deeper, harder fat packed around your organs
Visceral fat is strongly linked to:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes and blood sugar issues
- Systemic inflammation
- Higher risk of stroke, heart attack, dementia, and early mortality
Amanda even shares how, back when she was training clients in person, she’d gently “pinch test” the belly area. Softer fat? They’d often see progress in 6–12 weeks. Harder, more rigid fat? That signaled deeper root issues and possible fat-loss resistance.
💡 Where FASTer Way comes in:
FASTer Way is the only clinically proven fitness app to specifically reduce visceral fat while increasing muscle mass—exactly what you want for long-term health, strength, and longevity.
Burn fat, and feel leaner and stronger, and more energized with our clinically proven program.
Cortisol: Not the Villain—Just the Hormone You Need to Manage
Cortisol gets a bad rap on social media, but here’s the truth:
You need cortisol to live.
Too little cortisol (like in Addison’s disease) can leave you exhausted, inflamed, and feeling like you have the flu every day.
Too much cortisol for too long? That’s where the trouble starts.
In the episode, Dr. Cabral explains:
- How chronic stress pushes your body into constant fight-or-flight
- Why elevated cortisol steals from progesterone and disrupts female hormones
- How it slows thyroid function, spikes blood sugar, and blocks fat-burning
- Why there are more cortisol receptors in your midsection, making belly fat especially reactive to stress
Amanda says it plainly:
“If you don’t balance cortisol, burning belly fat becomes an uphill battle—and in some cases, nearly impossible.”
This isn’t about fear. It’s about finally understanding why you can be “doing everything right” and still feel stuck.
Becoming Stress-Effective (Because Stress Isn’t Going Anywhere)
Here’s the part that hits home for so many women in our community:
Life is stressful. Kids, careers, aging parents, travel, finances, hormones…there is always something.
The goal isn’t to eliminate stress—it’s to become stress-effective.
Inside the episode, you’ll get practical ideas you can start using today—no fancy biohacks required.
HIIT, Strength, and Carbs: The Sweet Spot (Not the Extremes)
If you’ve ever heard:
- “Do HIIT fasted 7 days a week!”
- Or, “If you’re over 40, never do HIIT again!”
…you already know the internet loves extremes.
In this conversation, Amanda and Dr. Cabral bring it back to the science and what actually works in real life:
- HIIT is powerful for burning visceral fat—but should be used strategically, not daily.
- The FASTer Way formula:
- Up to 2 HIIT days per week
- 3 days of strength training
- Lower-impact options like barre, yoga, Pilates, and walking
- Most workouts around 30 minutes to prevent cortisol overdrive
Dr. Cabral also shares why:
- VO₂ max matters for longevity—and how high-intensity intervals support it
- Zone 2 “low and slow” cardio (like incline walking, sometimes with a light weighted vest) helps target visceral fat
- The best programs combine strength, intervals, and walking for sustainable results
You’ll walk away feeling validated if you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a sane middle ground.”
Keto, Carnivore, GLP-1s & Quick Fix Culture
Yes—they go there. Dr. Cabral breaks down why extreme diets and “shortcut” solutions may give fast results but often backfire: higher cortisol, stressed hormones, slowed thyroid, muscle and bone loss, and rapid rebound weight gain.
He’s not anti-medication—there’s a time and place—but he’s clear: nothing replaces the foundation of strength training, smart nutrition, and sustainable habits.
If you’ve ever been tempted by a quick fix, this part is a must-listen.
3 Big Takeaways You’ll Hear in This Episode
When you hit play, you’ll learn:
- Why visceral belly fat is the most dangerous fat—and how to finally target it
- How cortisol, stress, and your nervous system are quietly blocking your fat loss
- What a realistic, science-backed plan looks like for burning belly fat, protecting hormones, and building muscle for life
And yes, you’ll finish feeling hopeful, not overwhelmed.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the FASTer Way Podcast.
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Listen to the full episode here on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or on your favorite platform—and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Related Resources:
- How to Build a Cortisol-Friendly Kitchen That Supports Your Hormones
- What Actually Works: Breaking Through Fat Loss Resistance After 40
- Belly Fat, Cortisol, HIIT for Women Over 40—What You Really Need to Know with Dr. Stephen Cabral
Take the Next Step: Burn Visceral Fat, Build Muscle, Feel Like Yourself Again
Knowing why your body feels stuck is powerful—taking action is transformative.
The FASTer Way 3-Week Program gives you the exact strategy you need:
- 30-minute workouts
- Intermittent fasting
- Whole-food macros
- Carb cycling
- Coaching that supports your hormones, energy, and fat loss.
Your body isn’t working against you.. You just need the right plan.
