Goal Getter: Fuel Your Goals Without Burning Out

Ep. 21•May 13, 2025•17 min

021. Stress-Proof Your Life: Science-backed hacks to lower stress instantly | With Alexa Hanshaw Pt 2

Stress is inevitable, but how you handle it determines your health, performance, and overall well-being. In this episode I sit down with Alexa to reveal science-backed stress management techniques that will help you lower stress instantly and regain control over your mind and body. We dive into practical strategies for stress relief, including how nutrition impacts stress, why gut health plays a key role in emotional resilience, and how movement, breathwork, and mindfulness can reduce cortisol levels and prevent burnout. If you struggle with chronic stress, anxiety, or overwhelm, this episode will give you the tools to shift from reactive to resilient so you can perform at your very best. Plus, if you're looking for a simple framework to make anti-inflammatory diet changes that support stress reduction, grab the Gut-Brain Upgrade Blueprint. You'll learn how to strengthen your gut, sharpen your mind, and feel your best—without the confusion or overwhelm. >>>>>USE THIS LINK Follow on instagram @iamjennahostetler and @sprintnutrition Connect with Alexa here

Key Takeaways

1
Stress management is a holistic practice
Focusing on overall health—nutrition, movement, and sleep—naturally lowers stress levels.
Inflammation caused by poor diet directly impacts emotional resilience and gut health.
2
The power of small, consistent behavioral changes
Major transformations often start with simple shifts, like reading food labels to reduce hidden sugar intake.
Small, manageable habits compound over time to create significant, lasting results.
3
Breathwork as an accessible, immediate tool
Breathwork is a physiological hack to shift the body from a stressed state to a calmer state.
Simply becoming aware of shallow breathing and consciously deepening it can break the cycle of stress.
4
Reframing control
Many people feel stress is uncontrollable, but shifting focus to what you can influence (breath, food, movement) builds resilience.
Self-inquiry and coaching help clients reach their own 'aha' moments rather than being told what to do.

Intro

In this second part of the stress series, host Jenna Hostetler and stress expert Alexa Hanshaw explore science-backed strategies to lower stress, improve gut health, and regain control over your well-being.
Alexa Hanshaw is a stress expert, group fitness instructor, and health coach who utilizes a holistic approach to help clients build resilient habits through movement, nutrition, and mindset shifts.

Alexa Hanshaw Website Instagram @iamjennahostetler Instagram @sprintnutrition

– Holistic Health and Stress Reduction

Alexa explains how her background in fitness and functional nutrition allows her to take a holistic approach, noting that focusing on overall health inherently dissipates stress.

When they can focus on their health, inherently their stress is slowly going to start to dissipate because they're moving their body more.
– Alexa Hanshaw

– Real-World Transformations

A case study of a client who shifted her mindset by identifying hidden sugars in her diet, leading to weight loss and improved emotional stability.

– The Power of Behavioral Change

Discussion on the importance of coaching clients to discover their own 'aha' moments through self-inquiry rather than just providing instructions.

– Practical Wellness Practices for Stress

Prioritize sleep quality over just quantity.
Use movement to flush out stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
Practice breathwork to physically shift the body out of a stress response.

You can always control your breath and you can always control how you nourish yourself.
– Alexa Hanshaw

Resources

Topics

Stress Management Gut Health Mindset Behavioral Change Nutrition Breathwork Cortisol Holistic Health