If you've been doing everything right to lose weight and still not seeing results, you're far from alone.
According to fitness coach and sports nutritionist Rachael Attard, the problem might not be your diet or your discipline, but your hormones - specifically, cortisol, the body's main stress hormone that can wreak havoc on your metabolism if it's out of balance.
'Trying to lose weight with a cortisol imbalance is tough,' Rachael told her 111,000 Instagram followers this week.
The founder of The Lean Legs Program, which focuses on helping women sculpt strong, lean bodies without restriction, said many women unknowingly push their bodies into a state of chronic stress in the name of 'wellness.'
But when that happens, fat loss can become nearly impossible.
'It's not about working harder or eating less,' she explained. 'Sometimes, your body just needs you to slow down.'
Rachael knows firsthand the impact of unhealthy cortisol levels and has shared her own journey, along with her successful weight loss, on her social media channels.
Here adrenal fatigue was caused by a combination of lack of sleep, constant travel, poor gut health, alcohol use and her 'poor ability to manage stress'.
However, when it comes to her clients, she said the first mistake she sees women make is skipping breakfast, which is something she admits she used to do herself.
'Going for long periods of time without food is actually a stress on your body. Your cortisol is naturally highest early in the morning. Skipping breakfast will push your levels even higher.'
Instead, she recommends eating within an hour of waking up and aiming for around 30 grams of protein.
'That helps balance blood sugar levels and keeps hunger at a manageable level throughout the day, so you don't end up overeating later.'
She also warned that the wrong kind of exercise can make things worse.
'HIIT workouts and long runs are amazing in moderation,' she said, 'but for women already running on high cortisol, they're like adding fuel to the fire.'
'Exercise naturally increases your cortisol which is normal,' she explained.
'But if your body is already stressed and your cortisol levels are already high, intense exercise adds extra stress to an already stressed-out system.'
Rachael said the first mistake she sees women make is skipping breakfast and not getting enough nutrients in food when it comes to balancing cortisol levels.
Instead of back-to-back HIIT classes or long-distance runs, Rachael encourages lighter resistance training and walking instead.
'You'll still build muscle and get all the benefits without spiking cortisol through the roof.'
Even popular 'healthy' lifestyles like veganism might not suit everyone, which she understands is controversial, especially for those who are plant-based converts.
'If you have high cortisol, your body is burning through electrolytes and minerals, but you need all the nutrients you can get,' she explained.
'Animal products are higher in nutrients. The most nutrient-dense foods in the world are things like beef liver, sardines, eggs and oysters.'
While she admitted that plant-based foods are packed with vitamins too, we need to eat a lot more of them to match those levels, which, as she puts it, is 'almost impossible.'
For those who can't stomach organ meats, she recommends a desiccated beef liver supplement as an easy alternative.
Another major trap, she said, is staying in a calorie deficit for too long - something that's become all too common among women chasing quick results.
'To lose weight you need a calorie deficit, but you shouldn't stay on one long-term,' as 'starvation diets' are also stressful for your body, raising cortisol.
When cortisol dominates, Rachael explained the production of other vital hormones like estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormones takes a back seat, leading to sluggish metabolism, hormonal imbalance and irregular menstrual cycles.
'It backfires and makes weight loss harder long term,[so] calorie deficits should be kept to a maximum of around eight weeks.'
Then there's the latest trend to take over social media - the cold plunge - which Rachael admits is 'trending', but warns it could make symptoms worse.
'When we're stressed, tired and struggling with cortisol, cold plunging can make you feel lightheaded, dizzy and more fatigued,' because it's a stress on the body, which she said affects women's hormones more than men's.
Her simple alternative is to get outside first thing in the morning and 'get sunlight into your eyes'.
'It's the easiest way to reset your circadian rhythm and balance hormones naturally.'
After years of experimenting with diets, exercise and wellness fads, Rachael said she's finally learned that less is often more, and that true wellness doesn't come from deprivation or punishment.
'The good news is cortisol levels and adrenal health can be fixed,' she reminded her followers. 'It just takes time and consistency.'
Her comments have clearly struck a chord with women online, with many agreeing they've stopped skipping breakfast and it 'definitely has made a difference.'
'Love these healthy habits,' wrote another.
With summer fast approaching, Rachael's advice offers a timely reminder that the best body transformations start with balance - not burnout.