July 10, 2006
Could Exercise Be
Hurting Your Weight Loss Efforts?
The thought that exercise can hurt weight loss may seem ridiculous.
I thought so too, until I read the following excerpt from an
article
on CBN.com.
" Too much aerobic exercise releases the fat producing
hormone cortisol that actually increases body fat and reduces
lean mass. Extreme aerobics also limits the release of growth
hormone so necessary in preventing bone loss and protecting
muscle."
I have a friend who was lamenting the fact that her daughter
had started exercising before attempting to lose weight. The
philosophy of her generation was, "lose the weight and
then exercise to tone up."
I'm not sure who is right here. But my recent biggest loss
came during a week when I did not exercise.
I'm still a firm believer in exercise. But right now I'm trying
to determine exactly how many calories I need a day to lose
weight without exercise. I want that as a baseline. Then I plan
on hitting the YMCA again.
Summer is a good time for this test. It's so hot right now
that I hate the thought of sweating any more than necessary.
One thing I am convinced of is that stress, regardless of it's
source, is counterproductive to good health.
So when I head back to the YMCA, I'm going to put a little
less pressure on myself to get there every day. If stress produces
the hormone that sabotages weight loss, I think I'll do well
to make my exercise program a fun activity that I do as often
as possible.
I'm glad I've learned that it is possible to lose weight without
exercising every day. That alone takes some of the pressure
off.
Log
on to our discussion board to support other Christians in
their efforts to lose weight.
Previous blogs: How
I got Roped into This, Dodging
the Donuts, Why
Losing Weight Takes Faith, When
the Scales Won't Budge, Ask
the Experts, Sweet
Scale Success, Are
You Having Fun Yet?, All
or Nothing, Weapons
For Your Weight Loss War, Winning
the Weight Loss Battle,
Eating Over Anger