Not Just Cardio: How Weights And Sleep Help You Get Lean

More research has come out showing that training long, slow distances can actually increase your cortisol levels for an extended period of time, bringing your body into a fat-storing state.
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"How much cardio is too much cardio?"

I get asked this question all the time. It is a valid question and it differs from person to person. The first thing you have to consider is your ultimate goal. For example, if your goal is to get lean or get strong, it may not be in your best interest to train for a marathon (or half marathon, for that matter).

More research has come out showing that training LSD (long, slow distances) can actually increase your cortisol levels for an extended period of time, bringing your body into a fat-storing state. Not exactly what you were looking for, right? Thinking historically about the way our bodies are programmed, you could compare your marathon training to running from a wild animal across a plane until either one of you gets tired, or you get eaten. Your body is stressed. It stops digesting food, stores up all the energy (in the form of glucose, simultaneously increasing your insulin levels) for future survival and your cortisol levels are elevated. So when you are training for your marathon, you are repeating this at least three to four days per week. How do you think this type of LSD training affects your body? Your metabolism? Your blood sugar?

I will say that there are some exceptions and some folks are able to run without any adverse effects. However, 95 percent of my clients who are LSD runners that seek advice (and normally just want to get lean) are suffering the symptoms of too much cardio. Their number one exercise that was intended to get them lean in the first place is exactly what is causing them to store their unwanted fat. Instead of heading outside this summer to run endlessly in hopes of getting lean, I propose a new solution for you. Not only will your midsection appreciate your choice, but your knees, hips and ankles will thank you for eradicating the repetitive motion.

The ideal solution is to add strength training to your programming. Strength training lifts are challenging, yet less stressful on the body because of rest periods between sets, allowing cortisol levels to slowly increase and decrease throughout the training session.

Find a trainer who can incorporate squats, lunges, pushups, pull-ups, presses and even the Olympic lifts such as the snatch and clean-and-jerk. Decrease rep ranges from your standard 12 to 20 reps down to three to five reps per lift, and simultaneously increase the weight. Ladies, I promise you will not bulk up. By incorporating strength training, you will find that you are stronger, more coordinated, more explosive and better able to perform day-to-day functions (playing with kids, recreational softball, lugging the groceries, etc.). Plus, your already-elevated stress levels should start to decrease and slowly the belly fat will start disappearing. If your ultimate goal is to lean out, take a look at your current program and consider adding some strength training to take you to the next level.

The second variable that we must analyze is sleep. This variable is highly overlooked in our fast-paced environment, which is filled with caffeine and bright lights so that we can stay awake and maybe even finish our work! Do not feel ashamed or lazy for striving to get your eight hours of sleep. According to "Light's Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival," by T.S. Wiley, we need at least 9.5 hours of sleep per night for six to seven months out of the year to beat cancer, diabetes, heart disease and depression. Adequate sleep also helps to regulate hormones such as cortisol, melatonin, dopamine and serotonin. Get yourself to bed at least nine hours before you need to wake up and take time to relax, read a book, or rest in silence. Finally, make sure your room is dark! One of the best investments you can make is blackout shades that prevent light and somewhat block outside noises from disrupting your much-needed rest.

Do not ruin your hard strength and conditioning work by skipping out on sleep. Yes, it might be fun to go out with your friends during the week, but is it worth it? Get yourself on a sleep and workout regimen during the week that is fun, efficient and gives you results. Take a look at what you are doing right now. Are you on your way to attaining your ultimate goal? If so, keep it up. If not, it is time to do some lifting and sleeping!

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