Cortisol is a stress hormone that hampers your body’s ability to recover and grow, and can have severe affects on your fitness goals.
Do you know how to control Cortisol?
Its not uncommon to here someone say that they cant get results in the gym after spending hours lifting weights to build muscle, or doing cardio to loose weight.
Assuming that you are eating a proper diet?
If you’re not sure about your diet read this Simple calorie calculator.
Most people don’t know that there is a certain time frame in how long you should exercise until it becomes counter productive and raises cortisol levels in your body.
Cortisol is commonly known as the stress hormone, it is naturally produced by the adrenal gland and can be elevated by emotional, or physical stress.
If you let your cortisol levels rise too much than it reduces protein synthesis and prevents tissue growth. Simply put it will attack your lean muscle tissue for energy and in return increase body fat storage.
This is why most people who exercise too long with free weights or cardio get no results; you can actually do more harm then good by destroying your lean muscle mass.
Now you may be asking yourself what’s the deal here, thinking exercise is a good thing?
Just like everything in life, too much of anything good for you can become a bad thing.
Since intense exercise induces the release of cortisol , the key to reaching your fitness goals is to produce less of it, and to minimize its effects from exercise.
Again assuming that you are actually exercising when you are at the gym and not flapping your gums, something that a lot of people do? LOL
Most people think when it comes to exercise more has to be better, but this is simply not true. If you are lifting weights to build lean muscle then the most time you should be in the gym is 45 minutes to an hour tops.
If you are doing cardio to loose weight 20 to 45 minutes tops is necessary, always do interval training for cardio. Work smarter not harder!
Excessive training is the number one reason why people never see results in the gym.
Once you tax your muscles in your workout you don’t stimulate additional muscle growth or loose weight by continuing to exercise. You are only causing more damage and increasing cortisol levels in your body.
After one hour of continuous training your testosterone levels decrease and cortisol levels increase. As you can see this is not a good thing and becomes counter productive.
Here is how to help counter the harmful effects of cortisol:
Cortisol levels are there highest in the mourning, so eating a proper diet of 5 to 6 meals a day with protein, carbohydrates, and good fats will help reduce cortisol levels.
Stress can also causes cortisol levels to rise, so chill out and relax to help reduce your stress levels.
Limit your caffeine intake, cortisol levels start to rise after that third cup
Don’t weight train more than one hour
Don’t do more than 45 minutes of cardio
Cool down after your workout by doing yoga stretches, proper stretching and breathing has been shown to lower cortisol levels.
The most important time to consume protein and carbohydrates is before and after your workouts to significantly reduce the effects of cortisol.
Now you may have seen some of those cortisol blockers being advertised, especially touting weight loss.
I personally would not use them for a few reasons:
1.You need cortisol to live a healthy life!
2.Cortisol provides a natural pain relief for your body
3.It regulates the immune system
4. It Provides glucose to your body when needed
5. It helps you respond to mental or physical stressful situations
6. Anytime you start manipulating your natural hormones and stop using that product your body may not return to a natural normal hormone production.
Want to know more? Read - Proper breathing for a healthy life
The topic is quite trendy in the net right now. What do you pay attention to while choosing what to write about?
I don’t follow any set pattern; I just write about anything that comes to mind at the moment.
I keep fit with milk.
I have been drinking milk my whole life, but now I only drink organic milk.