Happy Hump Day ladies!
Continuing in our series on adrenal fatigue, to talk about how exercise helps, I’ve invited Christa Steeves (@csteeves74) to join Mark Kubik on this week’s Ask the Naturopath. Christa is a long standing LYL client and advocate, who through a wellness journey of her own over the past year and a half has lost 70 lbs (and still going!) regained her health, kick-started her non-functioning adrenal glands and has recently embarked on an exciting career change, she is now a Certified Life and Executive Coach! All while raising three girls (ages 6, 9 and 19!), working in a demanding industry, fulfilling the dream of completing a triathlon with her 63 year old father (he inspires her) and filling the many roles of wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, and of course Wonder Women! HA! Welcome, Christa.
Fighting Adrenal Fatigue with Exercise
Let’s get back to talking a little more about adrenal fatigue. When you are constantly exhausted and just getting out of bed is a chore, or when the thing you most look forward to all day is getting back into that warm and comfy bed, then the last thing on your mind is exercise. Who has the energy? The time? Two years ago, I found myself forcing myself out of bed. Every. Single Morning!
Hard to get going in the morning?
However, if you are struggling with your weight and think you may have adrenal fatigue, exercise is one of the best forms of medicine. It is also one of the best ways to ward off adrenal fatigue. That said, we have to watch our exertion levels. Steady state cardio, and lots of it, can be detrimental to recovery from adrenal fatigue and can be one form of stress that leads to adrenal fatigue in some women. Cardio queens, you know what I’m talking about, right!?! I was one of them. Hours and hours of running, and belly fat that would not budge!
Your exercise regime consists of long runs, time on the cardio machines and little-to-no time in with weight room, right? And, when in the weight room forget about those 5 lb dumbbells. Heavy lifting is where it’s at for fat loss and definition. You will not get bulky, promise! If you want to truly jump start your weight loss or fight adrenal fatigue, then circuit style training including weights and interval style training such as Tabata or HIIT are important components of your program. Now, ladies you don’t want to disappoint Mr. Ryan do you?
Reason enough to show up for a workout 😉
The idea is to tax the body for a certain period of time, followed by periods of “active rest”…keep your body guessing. Keep your body moving. This style of exercise keeps the adrenal gland in good standing and does not have a prolonged stress effect on your system.
But I’m a runner you say. I know, I know. So am I. In fact, I train for triathlons, and by using interval training and by managing my nutrition, as talked about in the last blog, plus through effective stress management, as we will talk about in the next blog, my adrenals are up and functioning again for the first time in years! The research, some of it by the Canadian main man of running himself, John Stanton, indicates that those that run a marathon doing 10:1s, actually perform better. Now, that’s reason to take a little walk break. Go further. Go longer.
So get on that internal training, for your personal best – in time and health!
So, whatever internal style of training you choose. Long runs of 10 and 1’s, 20 minutes of Tabata with kettle bells, or a boot camp style program — these short bursts of activity followed by “active rest” are great for fat loss, heart health, and to manage your body’s stress levels and reactions to stress; for managing things like adrenal fatigue. At LYL we incorporate interval training into all of our programs, and our Summer Slimdown program members are currently having a super sweaty time with Tabata training. Another important form of exercise for adrenal fatigue, yoga, will be covered in our next blog where we talk stress management and coping strategies.
If you are concerned with adrenal fatigue or how to manage stress, consult your doctor and your natural health care professional. And of course talk to Courtney and the coaches at LYL, who are experts in clean eating, exercise, and overall de-stressing.
Until next time.
Christa Steeves & Mark Kibyuk