Do more exercise = lose more weight, right? Actually, not necessarily. Did you know that doing the wrong type of exercise can affect your hormones and prevent weight loss?
Ever wonder why you cannot lose weight even though you are exercising your butt off? Well it is not your fault, sometimes it can be your metabolism and hormones working against you.
When we work out at a high intensity this creates inflammation in our body and our hormones (our messengers) send out signals to our adrenals to start producing cortisol. Now don’t get me wrong exercise is great and I definitely recommend it but the problem with continuously creating high levels of cortisol in your body means your body is never at rest and when this happens you are constantly in the ‘fight & flight” mode of your nervous system.
This high intensity exercise coupled with your daily stress of work and kids etc creates a body that is constantly producing cortisol. Now cortisol has a number of flow on effects and one of them is blood sugar dysregulation. So with your cortisol and blood sugar levels all out of whack this can then lead to weight gain around your midsection and it can be very hard to budge, especially if you are never in the ‘rest and digest’ mode of your nervous system.
So how do I reduce my cortisol levels then?
- Try switching out 1-2 days of exercise for a lower intensity form such as yoga, pilates or a walk. This type of exercise helps switch on the rest and digest mode of your nervous system.
- Include some meditation in your daily routine, try starting with 5 minutes before you go to bed at night.
- Have a bath with some epsom salts/magnesium flakes and lavender oil 1-2 x per week if time allows.
- Read a book, listen to music, or do something you enjoy that relaxes you.
If you are having trouble with weight loss and feel like your metabolism is sluggish, please contact me for a consultation. I can tailor a program specifically for you and help you get back on the road to feeling great again.