Struggling with Stubborn Fat? These 3 Factors Could Be the Culprit
You’ve done it. You’ve lost the weight. You’ve built the muscle. Though there’s still room for improvement, and you’re wondering why with a solid gym routine and clean enough Jiudiet you’re not seeing the final fat melt away.
If you’re staying consistent with a mix of strength and cardio, while maintaining the golden 80/20 split with your nutrition, there are a few outliers that a lot of us don’t necessarily think of when it comes to weight loss, specifically fat loss.
Here are three things to shift your focus to when trying to lose unwanted
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Sleep 😴 Oftentimes we find ourselves sacrificing sleep to finish work, sneak in a delayed workout, or something I’m guilty of, indulging in revenge time on the couch just to catch up on some alone time. On the weekends maybe you’re out with friends getting in your social hours, which we’re finally admitting is just as important as the rest of the health routine. A few later nights on the weekend should be met with grace, but finding consistency with your bedtime routine has unending benefits. Sleeping at least seven hours but ideally eight to nine hours is one of the best ways to help your body and brain recover and function best. This includes helping with fat loss andmuscle gain. Reminder, the best approach to losing fat is in fact gaining muscle.
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Stress 😫 Let’s start with this- stress isn’t bad, it’s crucial to our survival, but chronic stress is something we should strive to eliminate. Similar to inflammation there are periods where stress becomes necessary. While this chemical reaction in our body used to apply to being chased by predators, today it is useful when and if we are in true danger. On the flipside, some of us have been programmed to think an incoming email is in fact a threat. Raise your hand if you yourself have been victimized by a slack message. Heard. Understanding the long term effects of stress on the body is inherently important as we witness a rise in autoimmune disorders and other chronic health conditions like heart disease and cancer. Your brain isn’t the only organ impacted by psychological stressors. Cortisol (the stress hormone), is made in your adrenal glands, the triangle-shaped organs at the top of your kidneys. Cortisol is responsible for how your body manages the usage of carbs, fats and proteins. It also regulates blood pressure, increases blood sugar (glucose in the body) and controls your sleep/wake cycle. It plays a vital role in your daily functions though too much of it, i.e. chronic stress, can result in adverse effects, and lead to the mismanagement of the functions above. Too much cortisol can also be a leading cause for weight gain. Having your hormonal health in check will lead us into point number three.
- Hormone Health 🩸 It’s all the rage right now, and for good reason. For decades both men and women have been in the dark of just how impactful unbalanced hormones can be. Still today it’s usually not the first, or second...or third area we’re measuring when we feel off. Understanding what optimal ranges of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone and where your thyroid health is all play a role in how you feel and perform each day. Testosterone is not solely a male hormone similarly to estrogen not only being applicable to women. Insist on getting a snapshot of your entire panel. Working with an endocrinologist can help get this process started. Try to keep similar routines when getting your blood taken for more accurate results. I typically go first thing in the morning, fasted and avoid working out beforehand. This allows me to understand my baseline before interacting with others, ingesting food, and causing inflammation from exercise. Low testosterone or estrogen dominance can lead to a higher body fat percentage amongst other symptoms both physiological and psychological.
These three callouts go a long way when it comes to creating a longer and healthier life, but when it comes to weight loss, they play a bigger role than we’ve been led to believe. If you’ve tackled or mastered the fundamentals of fitness, and are still stumped by lacking results, give these a try.
Until next time. 👋
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