Your nervous system plays a crucial role in how you think, feel, and even how your body functions—yet many people don’t fully understand how it works. In this episode, Justin and Janell dive deep into the autonomic nervous system, breaking down the sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) and parasympathetic (rest, digest, heal) responses and how they directly impact your stress, digestion, metabolism, hormone balance, and overall well-being.
This powerful conversation uncovers why so many people stay stuck in a chronic stress cycle, how it affects muscle loss, weight gain, and inflammation, and how understanding your nervous system is the missing piece to better health, energy, and performance.
Plus, this is just Part 1! Stay tuned for the next episode, where they’ll share practical strategies to regulate your nervous system and create a more balanced, thriving life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The two branches of the autonomic nervous system—sympathetic vs. parasympathetic. ✔️ Why chronic stress is keeping you stuck (and making you sick, tired, and inflamed). ✔️ The difference between acute stress (healthy) and chronic stress (harmful). ✔️ The real reason so many people struggle with digestion, hormone imbalances, and weight loss. ✔️ How your psychology (thoughts, meaning, and emotions) affects your nervous system. ✔️ Why muscle loss, low libido, and high blood pressure are linked to chronic stress. ✔️ How your workouts might be making your stress worse—and what to do instead.
Key Takeaways: Understanding Your Nervous System 🚀 Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight, Flight, Freeze)
The sympathetic nervous system is designed to help you survive acute stress—like running from danger or reacting quickly to an emergency. However, in modern life, many people stay stuck in chronic stress mode, which leads to:
- Muscle breakdown (harder to gain/maintain muscle).
- High blood sugar & insulin resistance (increased risk for weight gain & metabolic disorders).
- Chronic inflammation (linked to nearly every major disease).
- Poor digestion (bloating, gas, constipation, heartburn, nutrient deficiencies).
- Decreased libido and hormone imbalances.
- Mental fatigue, brain fog, and emotional reactivity.
The fight, flight, and freeze responses look different for everyone: ✅ Fight – Seeking out conflict, engaging in arguments (even just mentally), or feeling constantly defensive. ✅ Flight – Always on the go, taking on too much, feeling restless or anxious. ✅ Freeze – Feeling stuck, unable to make decisions, or procrastinating due to fear.
Key insight: Many people unknowingly keep themselves in chronic stress mode by their daily habits, emotional responses, and even the way they approach fitness and nutrition.
🌿 Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest, Digest, Heal)
The parasympathetic nervous system is where healing, digestion, muscle building, and overall balance happen. This state: ✅ Lowers blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation. ✅ Improves digestion—helps you absorb nutrients, regulate gut bacteria, and prevent bloating. ✅ Supports hormone balance—reducing stress on your adrenals, thyroid, and metabolism. ✅ Boosts energy levels and mood—by allowing your body to truly recover. ✅ Increases libido and reproductive health (your body won’t prioritize fertility when under chronic stress). ✅ Helps build muscle and burn fat efficiently (vs. breaking down muscle in stress mode).
🚨 Why This Matters for Your Health & Fitness
Many people are unknowingly sabotaging their results by staying in a constant state of stress, whether it's: ❌ Over-exercising and overdoing high-intensity workouts. ❌ Eating in a stressed-out state (which prevents proper digestion). ❌ Constantly worrying, ruminating, and seeking conflict online or in daily life. ❌ Ignoring sleep, recovery, and stress management.
Your body doesn’t care about burning fat, gaining muscle, or even reproducing if it thinks you’re in danger!
If you’ve been struggling with: ➡️ Low energy & brain fog ➡️ Difficulty losing weight despite “doing everything right” ➡️ Digestive issues (bloating, reflux, IBS, constipation, diarrhea) ➡️ Muscle loss or difficulty building strength ➡️ Hormone imbalances & low libido ➡️ Chronic pain, joint issues, or slow recovery
🚨 It might not be your diet or workout—it might be your nervous system!
Coming in Part 2: How to Regulate Your Nervous System
Now that you understand how the nervous system works, in the next episode, Justin and Janell will break down specific, science-backed strategies to regulate your nervous system and create a calmer, healthier, and more resilient version of YOU.
Stay tuned for: 🔥 Simple ways to shift from stress mode into rest and recovery. 🔥 Daily habits that naturally improve nervous system resilience. 🔥 How to train smarter (not harder) for better results. 🔥 Nutritional and lifestyle tips for balancing hormones and digestion.
Need Support? Let’s Work Together!
If you’re feeling stuck in chronic stress mode and need personalized guidance on hormone health, gut health, fitness, or mindset, Janell is currently accepting new clients for one-on-one coaching and functional health testing.
📩 Email: Janell@thetransformationlife.com
💡 Your health is too important to leave on autopilot! Take control today. 🚀
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Follow Janell on Instagram @janell.yule
✨ Transformation starts from within. Shift your state, change your life! 💫
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