Why Women Over 40 Can't Lose Belly Fat (And Why More Exercise Makes It Worse) | Dr. Erin Kinney

Why Women Over 40 Can't Lose Belly Fat (And Why More Exercise Makes It Worse) | Dr. Erin Kinney

September 6, 2026 · 54 min

About this episode

Dr. Erin Kinney discusses the role of cortisol in midlife women's health and why traditional approaches to losing belly fat may be counterproductive.

Naturopathic doctor and author of The Cortisol Cure, Dr. Erin Kinney, explains why cortisol isn't the villain we think it is, but a "fix it" hormone you earn through rest and spend through everything else. She unpacks why decades of overspending leave midlife women with a depleted account, why that stubborn belly fat took years to build via insulin resistance, and why the instinct to push harder with more cardio and fewer calories only drains you further. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN - Why cortisol is your "fix it" hormone, not just a stress villain - Why your midlife belly fat took years to build, and why you need cortisol to lose it - How the body robs your sex hormones, then floods you with tired-but-wired adrenaline - Why pushing harder with more cardio and fewer calories backfires - How to tell your account is overdrawn, from morning fatigue to crashing after workouts - Why building muscle, not cardio, is the top lever for flipping insulin resistance - Which everyday activities are secretly a spend versus a deposit - Which adaptogens and nutrients refill the account, and why carbs matter more than you think TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - The Cortisol Bank Account: Why Midlife Leaves You Overdrawn…

People in this episode

Host: Angela Foster

Guest: Dr. Erin Kinney

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Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Cortisol Cure

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