Hormonal Balance and Stress…and how it relates to Fat Loss.
0So you watch what you eat and go the gym regularly but still have trouble losing stubborn fat and increasing your energy levels? One of the things that could be hindering your progress towards your goal of better health may be because of what is happening inside of you as opposed to outside. Our stress levels and the way our hormones function are very important factors that are often left unaddressed when it comes to fat loss.
Hormones are really what makes up what we are as individuals. Hormone reports and brain chemistry patterns are very revealing but as we don’t always have access to these reports, you can have an understanding of how your hormones are working simply by how you feel – your energy levels, your sex drive, your moods, your strength, your mental clarity, your appetite, your hunger cravings, etc. All of these come down to whether or not your hormones are working optimally.
When our energy levels are down, many of us turn to caffeine or sugar which causes an artificial (and temporary) surge of energy which can compromise our adrenals. But where does it stop? I’m horrified when I hear about clients drinking up to 5 plus coffees per day “just to stay awake or alert”. And what about the extra (EXTRA) sugar in our foods? And don’t get me started on energy drinks.
Massive amounts of sugar and caffeine cause our hormones to run awry. It clouds our neurological functions, makes us hold water, saps our energy, robs us of important vitamins and minerals, and can severely hinder our fat loss efforts.
Hormonal balance is so important when it comes to fat loss. If our adrenals aren’t strong then our sex hormones will be imbalanced and it will be very difficult to lose fat because our body is always in “Fight or Flight (i.e. a lion chasing us)”. Our bodies are living in the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) which is “fight or flight”. It always feels as if it is under stress or under attack. We should be living in the Parasympathetic Nervous System (“rest/digest” and “feed/breed”) as much as possible where our bodies can react in a normal environment and react properly to what we feed it and how we treat it.
How we perceive and manage our stress response (mental/emotional) all relates to hormonal balance. Achieving internal balance will have profound effects on the way our body not only performs but also looks.
Jennifer Van Barneveld (RHN)
Diet Coach/Online Trainer
Bikini/Figure Contest Prep Specialist
website www.coachjvb.com
website www.strong-athlete.com
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