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Most people think hitting fitness goals comes down to reps, sets, and macros. But here’s the thing… your body doesn’t just run on protein shakes and willpower. It runs on states. The state of your nervous system dictates a lot about your performance and recovery. And the sneaky but powerful lever you have over those states? Your breath.

Your breathing isn’t random, it’s a subconscious direct reflection of your inner state.

The way you breathe literally decides how your body physically reacts. Slow, calm breaths signal your system to recover, repair, and actually build strength. Shallow, stressed breaths put you in fight or flight which is great if you’re running from danger, not so great if you’re just trying to get through your day. And let’s be honest, we rarely are ever actually running from danger, we are just trying to enjoy our iced latte and a tv show. Slow, shut down breaths are your body going into energy saving mode, which only makes sense in extreme survival situations, not when you’re trying to feel good and function. Again, we are rarely ever in extreme survival situations, so we really don’t need this activated while we are trying to relax.

How Breath Regulates Everything

Breathing is deeply wired into your body’s systems. Every breath connects your brain, heart, and organs through the vagus nerve.

Heart & Circulation
When you inhale, your heart rate gets faster. When you exhale, your heart rate gets slower. If you don’t believe me, feel for your heart rate (carotid works best) and test it out! We can use this to our advantage and use longer exhales to calm ourselves in moments we need it.

Brain & Stress Response
Your breath is constantly signaling to your brain through the vagus nerve. Slow and steady breath signals safety to the brain. Fast and rapid breath signals danger to the brain.

Muscles & Movement
Breathing with your diaphragm is like using a belt during your lifts. Most people’s neck and chest muscles overcompensate (aka tight traps and that forward head slump), but will a more engaged diaphragm, it takes some of the pressure off those muscles. That means we can get into better posture quicker.

Digestion & Recovery
Every deep exhale nudges your body into “rest and digest” mode, more blood to your gut, better nutrient absorption, and faster muscle repair instead of wasting energy being stuck in stress mode.

So instead of being “just breathing,” every inhale and exhale is like pressing the gas or the brake on your entire physiology.

How Breath Shapes Fat Loss & Muscle Gain

Here’s the thing, your breath isn’t just calming, it’s literally setting the stage for whether your body burns fat efficiently, builds muscle, or stays stuck.

Metabolism & Fat Loss
If you’re always breathing fast and shallow, your body thinks it’s in survival mode… hello, high cortisol. High cortisol loves to stash fat around your belly while messing with blood sugar. Regulating your breath will signal to your body that it’s safe not to hold on to fat.

Hormones & Recovery
Your breath is the switch that flips you from grind mode to repair mode. Slowing it down after training boosts growth hormone, lowers inflammation, and helps muscles rebuild faster so basically, it’s free recovery gains.

Performance & Strength
Using your diaphragm is like upgrading your lifting belt from flimsy to industrial strength. It locks your core in without making your neck and traps overwork. More stability = heavier lifts, cleaner form, and more power without leaking energy.

Consistency & Mental Energy
Stress breathing makes every workout (and really just everything in general) feel 2x harder, tanks your willpower, and ramps up cravings. All which are terrible for fat loss and muscle gain.

Mastering your breath is the cheat code that most people are missing. It makes fat loss and muscle gains easier, and recovery faster.

How to Train Your Breath Like a Muscle

Just like squats or pull ups, breathing patterns can be trained. The goal isn’t to “perfectly breathe diaphragmatically 24/7,” but to have the range and control to shift gears when you need.

Here are three ways to practice:

1. Before Your Workout: Reset

Your pre lift breath is about clearing stress so your body can focus.

A method you can try is box breathing. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Do this for 2–3 minutes to bring your nervous system into readiness.

2. During Training: Channel Power

Not every rep needs slow breathing, you want power and support.

Inhale to set your brace.

Exhale with force on exertion (pressing, pulling, sprinting).

Use short recovery breaths between set. 2 big inhales and a 4–6 second exhale to keep your system in balance.

3. After Training: Recover

This is the part thats most under looked but very important. You’re teaching your body that you’re safe now and you can go rest and rebuild.

Lay on your back, one hand on chest, one hand on belly.

Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6-8.

Do this for 3-5 minutes and let your system reset.

The Long Game: Breathing Into Your Goals

If you zoom out, your breath is like that chill coach (hey) who’s always in the background… never yelling, but constantly guiding. Every inhale and exhale is a little nudge telling your body what to do.

So yes, your program matters. Your nutrition matters. But your breath? That’s the hidden lever that ties it all together. Master it, and you’re not just working out harder, you’re working out smarter AND with a resilient, well regulated nervous system.

If you’re not sure how to piece all of this together, that’s literally what I help my clients with. I’ve got a few spots open for 1:1 coaching, apply here if you’re ready to get started.

Until next time,

Coach Emily