Are you struggling to achieve your health and fitness goals despite following your diet and exercise routine? Do you feel like something is holding you back?  Happy New Year! In this first episode of 2024, Philip  (@witsandweights) talks about stress, its impact on health and fitness goals, and how to reduce or cope with it effectively. He gives a lot of attention to nutrition, training, and even sleep, and he talks about how sometimes stress can be the hidden barrier to unlocking a higher metabolism, more effortless fat loss, increased energy, and better health. Philip dives into practical, evidence-based strategies to identify and mitigate stress in the context of both physical and mental health.Philip also created a free Stress Solution Guide to accompany this episode that you can download at witsandweights.com/free or click here for direct access.Today you’ll learn all about:3:19 Recent 5-star reviews on the podcast6:31 What is stress?11:08 Acute vs. chronic stress12:54 What creates more stress14:41 The effects of stress18:55 The physiology of the stress response21:20 Pick one thing23:18 Self-therapy24:54 Social connection25:39 Spending time in nature or outdoors26:16 Planning or organizing27:07 Optimizing nutrition and training30:27 Ideas on managing stress from the community 38:52 More stress management ideas43:53 OutroEpisode resources:Free Stress Solution GuideMindfulness Special: Relaxing Guided Session to Manage Stress and Anxiety with Allen FriedmanShoutout to the Sam Miller Science podcast (inspiration for episode)? Win a prize by taking our Listener Survey! ? Support the show? Apply for 1-on-1 coaching!?‍? Schedule a FREE results breakthrough call with Philip? Join our Facebook community for accountability, live training/Q&As, & free challenges✉️ Join the FREE email list with insider strategies, bonus content, and exclusive articles!? Try MacroFactor for free with code WITSANDWEIGHTS. The only food logging app that adjusts to your metabolism!? Enjoyed this episode? Share it on social and follow/tag @witsandweights? Love the podcast? Leave a 5-star review? Send a Q&A voicemail