Genetic Testing and Stress: A New Approach to Weight Loss

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Dr. Ali Novitsky delves into the intricate relationship between cortisol and weight loss. As an obesity medicine doctor, she teaches about cortisol, a stress hormone, in a way that anyone can understand - and how this important chemical can significantly impact weight loss efforts.

Listeners will walk away with a new understanding of how to stop battling their biology, reconnect with their bodies, and embrace a compassionate, personalized approach to long-term health.

1. The Stress-Weight Loss Disconnect

• How cortisol — the body’s primary stress hormone — impacts fat retention, appetite, insulin resistance, and even skeletal muscle loss.

• Why traditional advice (eat less, move more) often fails under chronic stress conditions.

  
  

2. Cortisol’s Five-Fold Impact on Fat Loss

• Enhances fat storage via lipoprotein lipase.

• Raises blood sugar through gluconeogenesis.

• Promotes insulin resistance, sabotaging metabolism.

• Stimulates cravings for sugary, fatty foods.

• Depletes muscle mass — especially under high-exertion training paired with emotional stress.

3. How Stress Alters Appetite & Motivation

• The biological basis behind binge-eating urges and low exercise motivation during stress.

• How stress-related sleep disruption increases ghrelin (hunger) and suppresses leptin (satiety).

4. The Power of Genetics and Personalization

• Why Dr. Novitsky utilizes genetic testing (e.g., Genomind) to identify cortisol-related SNPs and tailor strategies accordingly.

• Insight into Dr. Novitsky’s own cortisol sensitivity and how it shaped her evolution.

5. Mind-Body Fitness: A Holistic Training Philosophy

• How Dr. Ali moved from calorie-obsessed fitness to personalized, neuroscience-driven strength training.

• Why “less is more” when it comes to training under chronic stress and how to work with your nervous system, not against it.

• Examples of muscle-preserving success — even among clients on GLP-1 medications like her 70-year-old mother-in-law.

6. Transformational Coaching & Community

• A behind-the-scenes look at Dr. Ali’s Transform program; not just a fitness plan, but a full-body reset grounded in self-compassion and personal truth.

• Why clients return not for new content, but for the safe, sustaining sisterhood and the life-changing mental shifts.

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction and Eye Appointment
00:01:09 - Cortisol Connection with Weight Loss
00:02:45 - Genetic Testing and Cortisol Response
00:04:10 - Typical Case Scenario
00:05:37 - Understanding Cortisol's Impact
00:08:06 - Cortisol and Blood Sugar Levels
00:09:32 - Cortisol's Effect on Appetite
00:10:48 - Skeletal Muscle Mass Loss
00:12:57 - The Sleep-Cortisol Relationship
00:14:40 - Strategies for Managing Stress
00:17:11 - Conclusion and Program Offerings

🎯 Ready to Personalize Your Health?

Work with Dr. Ali

• Beginner Strength Training Program – 12 months for only $199! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enroll TODAY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• Total Fitness Program – A 12-month mind-body experience. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enroll HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• The Fit Collective® x InBody USA/Canada – Get 15% off select models. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click HERE⁠