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How I Used Lifting to Manage Stress, Heal After a Breakup & Rebuild My Confidence
- Nicolette Leigh
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
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From 100 lbs and mentally drained to strong, confident, and finally feeling like me again…
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, lost, or just straight-up burned out — I’ve been there.
After a painful breakup a few years ago, I found myself at rock bottom. I weighed barely 100 lbs, was mentally exhausted, and felt like a stranger in my own skin. No amount of bubble baths or girl’s nights could pull me out of the fog.
But one thing did.
Lifting weights.
It didn’t happen overnight, but day by day, rep by rep, I started to heal — physically, mentally, and emotionally. And now? I help other women in their 30s and 40s do the same.
If you’re navigating a stressful season and looking for something that actually helps — here’s how strength training became my therapy and how it can help you too.
1. 💥 Lifting Physically Reduces Stress (Yes, There’s Science)
Lifting to Manage Stress
We’ve all heard about that magical “runner’s high,” but let’s be real — lifters get the feel-good glow too. When you hit the weights, your body releases endorphins — natural mood boosters that help you feel calm, focused, and (dare we say?) kind of unstoppable. But lifting isn’t just about good vibes. It also helps regulate cortisol — that pesky stress hormone behind the bloating, brain fog, and full-on meltdowns over missing socks.
I know this firsthand. During one of the hardest seasons of my life, I was drowning in stress. My stomach was a mess, I couldn’t focus at work, and emotionally? Numb. I was stuck in a fog, completely disconnected from myself and everything I used to enjoy.
Then I started lifting. Not perfectly. Not intensely. But consistently — one workout at a time. Slowly, I noticed the shifts. I was sleeping better. My appetite returned (after way too long living off coffee and wine). I wasn’t snapping or spiraling over every little thing. And eventually... I started to feel again. Joy, excitement, energy.
It didn’t happen overnight. It was a series of tiny wins — but lifting gave me my life back.
Try this:
Start with compound lifts (think squats, deadlifts, presses) 3x a week. Even just 30 minutes can flip your mood.
💡 My go-to starter equipment:
Powerblock Adjustable Dumbbells – perfect for small spaces and full-body workouts
ProBody Pilates Yoga Ball – Pilates Yoga Ball - Fresh Colors Exercise Ball for Stability, Pregnancy, Workout & Physical Therapy
2. 🛠️ It Gave Me a Sense of Control Again
Breakups. Burnout. Family chaos. Life doesn’t ask for permission before flipping everything upside down.
When it felt like I was losing control in every other part of my life, the gym became my safe zone — a place where I could take back a little power. I couldn’t undo heartbreak or fix everything overnight, but I could choose to show up. I could lift. I could track my progress, rep by rep.
And that consistency became my therapy.
I showed up angry? I took it out on the weights. I showed up sad and numb? The endorphins did their thing and gave me a flicker of light. I showed up empty? I still left feeling more grounded than when I walked in.
Each set became a win. Each increase in weight whispered, “You’re not broken. You’re rebuilding.” Lifting managed stress levels.
You don’t have to have it all together. But the simple act of choosing to move — choosing you — is a powerful kind of control. And that’s where healing starts.
🎯 Pro tip:
Track your progress! I used this Fitness & Strength Journal to write down my workouts, weights, and how I felt — physically and emotionally.
📥 Grab your FREE Beginner Strength Split + Printable Tracker This is the exact 4-week plan I used to get back on my feet — physically and emotionally.
🌫️ It Helped Me Break Through the Fog
Depression doesn’t always look like crying or panic attacks. Sometimes it’s just… nothing. No joy. No motivation. No spark. Just a foggy, numb version of yourself going through the motions.
That’s where I was. I wasn’t spiraling with anxiety — I was flatlining emotionally. I couldn’t feel much of anything, and I didn’t even recognize myself.
But lifting forced me to be present. I had to pay attention — to my breath, my form, the weight in my hands, the rhythm of each rep. For 45 minutes, the fog lifted just enough for me to feel something again — even if it was just the burn in my muscles or the beat of the gym playlist.
That small reconnection with my body? It was everything. It reminded me I was still in here. Still capable. Still healing.
✨ Try this:
Add slow-tempo reps (like 3 seconds down, 1 second up) to your lifts. The added focus can help pull you back into your body — and into the present moment. Bonus: it’s also great for building strength and muscle.
📥 Grab your FREE Beginner Strength Split + Printable Tracker This is the exact 4-week plan I used to get back on my feet — physically and emotionally.
🔄 It Became a Healthy Way to Feel Again
When you’ve been through something heavy, it’s easy to shut down. You stop feeling the highs and the lows. You’re just… stuck.
That was me. I wasn’t exploding with anger or drowning in tears — I was just emotionally muted. But lifting gave me a new way to feel — not just emotionally, but physically. Each workout gave me a safe space to express what I didn’t have the words for.
The weight in my hands matched the weight on my chest. The focus I put into each lift helped me reconnect with parts of myself that had gone quiet. And over time, those sessions built more than muscle — they rebuilt my emotional strength.
This journey wasn’t about chasing aesthetics. It was about creating space to feel again — even if all I felt at first was the soreness in my legs the next day. That physical feedback was proof: I’m still here. I’m still moving forward.
🧘♀️ Helpful tools:
Resistance Bands are amazing for low-impact workouts that still let you sweat through your emotions at home — no gym required.
📥 Grab your FREE Beginner Strength Split + Printable Tracker This is the exact 4-week plan I used to get back on my feet — physically and emotionally.
5. 🌟 It Rebuilt My Confidence — Inside & Out
The most surprising part of this journey? My body changed, yes — but my mindset changed even more.
When I started, I doubted everything. My worth. My future. My strength. But lifting showed me how wrong I was.
Each week, I lifted a little heavier. Each month, I stood a little taller. I went from thinking “I can’t” to confidently walking into the gym like “Watch me.”
Lifting became more than just a workout — it was the tool I needed to rebuild after emotional destruction and start creating a life that felt like mine again. It helped me reconnect with myself in a way nothing else could. It gave me structure when everything felt chaotic, clarity when my mind was a mess, and confidence when I couldn’t find my footing.
Most of all, it gave me proof — rep after rep, set after set — that I could do hard things.
And now? I get to coach other women who are starting from the same place I did.
Learn More About My Coaching Programs Click Here
🛍 My personal favorite tools that helped me feel strong AF:
Women’s Lifting Gloves – saved my hands when lifting heavier
Cute But Functional Gym Bag – because confidence starts before you even hit the squat rack
💌 Ready to Start?
If you're in a tough season, I promise — this is one of the most powerful ways to take your power back.
Start slow. Be gentle. But keep showing up.
📥 Grab your FREE Beginner Strength Split + Printable Tracker This is the exact 4-week plan I used to get back on my feet — physically and emotionally.
Ready to get started?? Read my 5 Beginner Tricks to Start Working Out - Click Here
Quick Tips to Start Lifting for Stress Relief:
🗓️ Schedule your sessions like therapy — aim for 2–4 days a week
🎧 Make a playlist that gets you hyped - ones for different moods
📝 Track your workouts so you can see your progress
😌 Don’t chase perfection — consistency is the win
🧠 Start with full-body workouts if you're new (or rusty)
The gym didn’t just help me feel better — it helped me become stronger than I’ve ever been, inside and out.
So if you're stressed, lost, or just need something to hold onto right now… Grab a weight. And take your power back.
Ready to get started?? Read my 5 Beginner Tricks to Start Working Out - Click Here
You’re stronger than you think — and the barbell’s waiting for you to prove it.
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