EP 143: Why You Feel Guilty When You Rest
Wed Feb 04 2026
Why does resting feel harder than training?If youâve ever taken a rest day and felt uneasy instead of relaxed⌠like you were falling behind, being lazy, or doing something âwrong,â this episode is for you.In this conversation, I break down why rest triggers guilt for so many high-achieving womenâespecially those who train consistently, care deeply about their health, and tie effort to self-worth. This isnât an episode telling you to âjust rest more.â Itâs about understanding why rest feels unsafe in the first place, and how that conditioning quietly works against your body.Inside this episode:⢠Why rest feels like failure instead of neutrality⢠How discipline became tied to identity (and why that matters)⢠The stress â guilt â fatigue loop that makes fat loss harder⢠Why cortisol doesnât respond to willpower⢠How to teach your nervous system that rest is safe again⢠What âdisciplined recoveryâ actually looks like in practice⢠Why calm consistency beats reactive intensity every timeThis episode is especially relevant if you:â Train regularly but struggle to fully restâ Feel guilty on rest days or low-intensity daysâ Rely on effort as proof youâre âon trackââ Are stuck in a pushâcrash cycleâ Want results without living in constant pressureRest isnât the opposite of discipline. Itâs a different expression of it.If this resonates, take a moment after listening to reflect on your last rest day, not what you did, but how your body reacted. Awareness is the first step toward changing the pattern.If you want help building a training and nutrition system where recovery is built in by designâand progress doesnât depend on constant pressureâthatâs the work I do.Subscribe for more conversations on training, physiology, identity, and sustainable progress for high-performing women.BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#becomingrelentlessBEcoming Relentless â new episodes weekly.Find me on IG: â â @noamccabe_ifbbproâ â .BEcoming Relentless IG: â @becomingrelentless_â .If you are interested in working with me, I am looking for new athletes, general lifestyle clients, and contest prep competitors. Schedule a call using the link below!Work With Me: â â https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minâ â Inquires/Questions: elenoa.mccabe@gmail.comAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #PeanutButterCravings #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth
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Why does resting feel harder than training?If youâve ever taken a rest day and felt uneasy instead of relaxed⌠like you were falling behind, being lazy, or doing something âwrong,â this episode is for you.In this conversation, I break down why rest triggers guilt for so many high-achieving womenâespecially those who train consistently, care deeply about their health, and tie effort to self-worth. This isnât an episode telling you to âjust rest more.â Itâs about understanding why rest feels unsafe in the first place, and how that conditioning quietly works against your body.Inside this episode:⢠Why rest feels like failure instead of neutrality⢠How discipline became tied to identity (and why that matters)⢠The stress â guilt â fatigue loop that makes fat loss harder⢠Why cortisol doesnât respond to willpower⢠How to teach your nervous system that rest is safe again⢠What âdisciplined recoveryâ actually looks like in practice⢠Why calm consistency beats reactive intensity every timeThis episode is especially relevant if you:â Train regularly but struggle to fully restâ Feel guilty on rest days or low-intensity daysâ Rely on effort as proof youâre âon trackââ Are stuck in a pushâcrash cycleâ Want results without living in constant pressureRest isnât the opposite of discipline. Itâs a different expression of it.If this resonates, take a moment after listening to reflect on your last rest day, not what you did, but how your body reacted. Awareness is the first step toward changing the pattern.If you want help building a training and nutrition system where recovery is built in by designâand progress doesnât depend on constant pressureâthatâs the work I do.Subscribe for more conversations on training, physiology, identity, and sustainable progress for high-performing women.BEcoming Relentless IG: @becomingrelentless_Elenoa McCabe IG: @noamccabe_ifbbpro#becomingrelentlessBEcoming Relentless â new episodes weekly.Find me on IG: â â @noamccabe_ifbbproâ â .BEcoming Relentless IG: â @becomingrelentless_â .If you are interested in working with me, I am looking for new athletes, general lifestyle clients, and contest prep competitors. Schedule a call using the link below!Work With Me: â â https://calendly.com/elenoa-mccabe/30minâ â Inquires/Questions: elenoa.mccabe@gmail.comAffiliates: Ryze HRT + Bloodwork "NOA"Purefactor Formulations "NOA10"Free Spirit Outlet "NOA"The Shoe Fairy "ELENOA"More from me: patreon.com/Elenoa#BEcomingRelentless #stayrelentless #ifbbpro #ifbb #becomingrelentless #podcast #contestprep #bodybuilding #BikiniCompetition #BodybuildingPrep #FitnessJourney #bikinibodybuilding #BecomingRelentlessPodcast #FitnessMindset #BodybuildingPodcast #CompetitionPrep #FastingMyths #PeanutButterCravings #FoodObsession #PrepMotivation #FitnessQandA #BodybuildingCoach #BikiniPrep #HealthAndFitness #MentalHealthInFitness #DisciplineOverMotivation #ReverseDiet #FitnessJourney #MindsetMatters #AthleteMindset #CoachNoa #RelentlessGrowth