Cortisol has become one of the most blamed hormones in fitness, and honestly, it's getting out of hand. Can't lose weight? Cortisol. Gaining belly fat? Cortisol. Progress stalled for three months? Must be the stress hormone, right? Here's the truth: cortisol does play a role in fat loss. But it is not the reason you're stuck. And in a lot of cases, it's actually working in your favor. You just don't know it yet.

A closer look at GLP-1 weight loss drugs, muscle loss, and the tradeoff between getting lean and staying strong. Is Rapid Weight Loss Worth Losing Strength?

For years I told clients the same thing: You don’t need creatine. Eat real food. Train hard. Sleep well. Then suddenly every doctor, neurologist, and performance expert on the planet started recommending it. Not some of them. All of them. Whenever that happens, I get skeptical. When everyone agrees, I start asking questions. Not because I think there’s a conspiracy, but because trends in health and fitness tend to swing like a pendulum.