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It’s a well-known fact: Being stressed out can make it really hard to reach your health and fitness goals.

But did you know: Not having enough stress can slow your progress too?

See, stress isn’t a “thing” that happens to you. Stress is your response to the challenges you face every day.

These stressors — like pressure at your job, raising kids, managing money, piles of dirty laundry, and, yes, nutrition and exercise — can make you either puff out your chest and get ‘er done like Super(wo)man, or crumble and sink into your couch like a dry, bland sugar cookie.

The key is to find your “stress sweet spot” — just enough stress, but not too much — so you can reach your potential without crashing and burning.

In this infographic, we explain the importance of balancing your allostatic (stress) load, and exactly how to do it so you can feel and perform your best.