The Goldilocks Principle: Stress and Energy
Hi Friends,
Who remembers Goldilocks trying to find the perfect temperature of porridge and the bed with the perfect level of firmness? I want to talk about this as it regards our health…. But no big bad wolf this time!
When we think about long-term health, two of the biggest levers we can influence are energy and stress.
What's interesting is that we need both.
Too often, wellness conversations focus on eliminating stress or maximizing energy expenditure (exercise). But our bodies don't thrive at either extreme.
Like Goldilocks frustrated that it was too hot or too soft, health is not found at the extemes—not too much, not too little, but just right.
Let's start with energy.
Many of us remember the old "calories in, calories out" conversations. While energy balance does matter, it's far more nuanced than simply counting calories.
Too little energy intake can create stress on the body. Too much energy intake creates a different kind of stress on the body. But it's not only about the amount—it's also about the quality.
We can technically eat the "right" number of calories and still create metabolic stress if those calories come primarily from highly processed foods. Our bodies are designed to recognize and utilize real food—foods that look much closer to how they came from the earth. Quality matters just as much as quantity.
Stress follows a similar pattern.
Many people dream of a stress-free life. But if we truly eliminated all stress, we'd have no challenges, no exercise, no temperature changes, no exposure to germs, and probably very little meaningful connection with other people.
Does that even sound like life? Not really. As much as too much stress diminishes heallth and happiness, too little stress leaves us depressed both mentally and physically.
The reality is that the right kinds of stress make us stronger.
Exercise breaks down muscle so it can rebuild stronger. Exposure to temperature variation helps our bodies adapt. Interactions with microbes help train our immune systems. Relationships—even imperfect ones—challenge us to grow, connect, and become more resilient.
And alll of these give our lives meaning, which research suggests is strongly correalated with health outcomes.
Our bodies are remarkably adaptive when stress is applied in the right amount and followed by adequate recovery.
The key is balance.
A particularly stressful week may require more sleep, more recovery, and perhaps a little less intensity in the gym.
A period of higher training volume may require more food and more intentional rest.
A season of lower activity may require less energy intake.
Health isn't about constantly pushing harder or avoiding all discomfort. It's about learning to listen, adjust, and respond to what your body needs.
The goal is not to eliminate stress.
The goal is not to maximize energy.
The goal is to create the right balance of both—enough challenge to grow, enough fuel to thrive, and enough recovery to adapt.
That's where resilience lives.
And resilience—not perfection—is one of the greatest predictors of long-term health.
Before you go…
Where in your life do you need more or less of something? How can you incorporate that this week?
With you on the journey,
Molly
