It’s Probably Not Your Hormones Holding You Back
Oct 03, 2025You might hate to hear this:
There’s a very high chance it’s not your hormones’ fault that you can’t lose weight, that you’re gaining weight, or that you can’t build muscle.
Hormones are an easy scapegoat. They’re invisible, mysterious, and outside of what most people feel they can control. So when progress stalls or maybe doesn't happen at all, it’s tempting to say, “It must be my hormones.”
But here’s what we know:
✅ Research shows that weight gain and fat loss struggles are almost always tied to lifestyle factors, not hormone dysfunction.
✅ Even as we age, hormone related changes in metabolism are smaller than most people realize.
Does this mean hormone issues don’t exist? Not at all. I’m not here to discredit anyone who truly has a medical imbalance. I’ve personally dealt with my share of hormone related challenges—doctor visits, bloodwork, and even a handful of procedures (some rather painful, I might add).
And I’m very aware of natural hormone fluctuations through the menstrual cycle, peri/menopause, and other stages of life. Those are absolutely legitimate.
Men... you're not immune either. Testosterone does gradually decline with age—on average about 0.4-2% per year after 30-40. That’s real. But in most cases, the more noticeable struggles with weight gain, low energy, or lack of muscle have less to do with testosterone levels and more to do with how someone is living.
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Lifestyle > Hormones (Most of the Time)
If you…
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Sleep 5 hours a night
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Never see the sun
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Get 3,000 steps per day
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Drink coffee all day long then hit up happy hour
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Train inconsistently (if at all)
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Eat like a toddler
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Doom-scroll for hours on end
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Feel stressed out all the time
…then it’s not your hormones. It’s your habits.
That’s the part no one wants to hear—because changing habits is hard. But the flip side is empowering: your results are in your control.
The Foundations That Actually Work
Before you go searching for magic “hormone fixes,” dial in the basics:
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Get 7+ hours of quality sleep every night
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Step outside and get sunlight in your eyes early in the day
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Take at least one walk every single day
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Strength train 2-3 times per week
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Prioritize protein and whole foods at every meal
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Drink plain water every day
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Handle the work or conversations you’ve been avoiding that are driving your stress
None of these are hacks. They take real effort. But they’re the foundation of balanced hormones, steady energy, and long term fat loss.
When you fix your daily habits, your body stops fighting you every step of the way...and starts working with you.
What to Take Away
Yes, hormones shift with age. Yes, true imbalances exist. But for nearly everyone, the roadblocks are habits—not hormones.
Focus on fixing those first, and you’ll be surprised at how much changes.
