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WHY 20 MINUTES WORKOUTS ARE IDEAL FOR HORMONE BALANCE
When it comes to working out, we automatically think more is better right ?? WRONG!
Too much exercise can actually create havoc and an imbalance to your hormones. But how do we know if our hormones are working in perfect harmony?
Picture this scenario.......You have been attending the gym religiously but cannot seem to shift the weight. or no matter how many HIIT classes you attend during the week, that fat just does not seem to budge.
This is an indicator that your hormones are likely out of sync.
Hormones are chemical messengers that help with the function of the body's processes. So if your hormones are not working in sync, then your body's processes will not be working efficiently either. Your metabolism's job is to react to your surrounding environment, so if that is a stressful environment, then this will affect you and your hormones and before you know it, you are drowning your frustrations or sorrows in wine, crisps or chocolate ice cream ( yes, we have all been there).
So what causes our internal communication system to go haywire? It could be work stress, home stress, a pandemic, a high-sugar diet (probably driven by that stress), or even too much exercise.
The amount of movement and physical activity we do daily makes a huge impact on the hormonal responses of the body. For example, when we contract our muscle fibers, the movement and fiber activation communicate with the fat cells and adipose tissues by hormonal signaling. Our heart rate and the activation of our nervous system also cause our brain to release various hormones, which ultimately control how our peripheral organs respond. It is pretty amazing how every part of our body works together to ultimately carry out a mission. Example, have you ever noticed, when you have PMS symptoms, how much better and different you feel after a workout?!?!
Exercise has a powerful effect on balancing, suppressing, and increasing certain hormones. Excess estrogen, insulin, and cortisol are the hormones responsible for weight gain as they are fat storing hormones, while HGH, testosterone, and progesterone are the ones responsible for keeping us lean as they are fat burning hormones.
While controlled intense workouts improve your body chemistry, including levels of HGH and testosterone, you have to keep cortisol in check, (so when the intensity is too high or for too long, this increases your cortisol, which keeps you in a fat storing state after the workout). A HIIT class after a stressful day at work is probably the last thing you need as your cortisol levels are already high.
A typical workout week needs to be structured correctly to impact all the hormones positively. So workouts that are 20-30 mins long are more than enough. These workouts can still be challenging by incorporating hybrid moves, multiple muscles groups and resistance work with a touch of body weight cardiovascular exercises. However adding the element of rest - based training is important. This means that each individual will be pushed and challenged to their own level and when they feel the need to stop and rest, they do so (not when the trainer tells them too - remember we are all made of a different genetic make up and we all have different fitness levels). The challenging parts of the workout will bring on that burning, breathlessness and heavy sensation - this activates the good hormones but once done for too long will put their body under stress, thus raising the stress cortisol levels (which activates fat storing mode), but once the individual stops to take that rest (even just for a few seconds), this brings the cortisol back down again and charges those fat burning hormones up to work in our favor, even after the workout is complete.
3 sessions a week is a good start and complimenting these workout would be to take leisure walks on the days you are not training. Walking can increase overall dopamine and serotonin for an overall sense of calm for better night sleep and even just mood elevation. People have reported sleeping better after a good walk throughout the day. So all this will help balance out that stress cortisol hormone.
If you want professional help, and further guidance to helping you understand your body, your hormones and losing weight then feel free to drop me an email so I can guide you and let you know what programs & systems I offer that would be perfect for you. Otherwise check out my list of Hormonal Balance services here
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