The Role of Hormones in Exercise

Too many of us cite "hormones" as our inability to lose weight. But how true is this, really? Below I have listed some important hormones and their critical role in fat loss / muscle gain. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the benefits but does indicate how crucial it is to be aware of our hormones and the role they play.

There are many benefits to hormones, which include (but are not limited to) those listed below:

Oestrogen Benefits (main female hormone)

• Reponsible for breast tissue and reproduction
• Regulates menstruation and menopause. 
• Responsible for blood flow, collagen, water content and skin thickness
• Lowers levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL's) 
• Raises levels of "good cholesterols (HDL's)
• It is an antioxidant
• Reduces rates of heart disease

Role of Oestrogen in Fat Loss

Research scientists have found that having either too much oestrogen, or, surprisingly, too little, signals the body to hold onto extra kilos, particularly around the waist. If oestrogen levels in the body rise, weight control becomes increasingly difficult. Fat cells also actually produce oestrogen. Therefore, the more fat cells present in the body, the more oestrogen is produced. In addition to encouraging more fat cells to grow, this increase in oestrogen also encourages the retention of water, causing a bloated feeling. The production of oestrogen by fat cells is also thought to be the reason behind weight increase when oestrogen levels drop, usually during menopause. The body compensates for decreased levels of oestrogen by increasing the fat cells essential to its manufacture.

In other words, regularly balanced oestrogen levels are important to avoid excess weight gain. A diet low in saturated fats and high in essential fatty acids will help reduce oestrogen dominance and a diet high in fibre will assist in oestrogen elimination. Eating more cultured milk products and yoghurt is also believed to assist oestrogen excretion. It is important to be aware that some studies are now linking soy products to long-term reproductive issues and it pays to be wary of consuming excess amounts of soy-based proteins in this regard. Adequate animal protein intake is however necessary to metabolise oestrogen in the liver. Improved liver function can be helped by avoiding caffeine and alcohol and eating more vegetables.

Thyroid Benefits (metabolism hormone)

• Regulate metabolism
• Regulate energy production in the body

Role of Thyroid in Fat Loss

It has been appreciated for a very long time that there is a complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight and metabolism. Thyroid hormone regulates metabolism in both animals and humans. Metabolism is determined by measuring the amount of oxygen used by the body over a specific amount of time. If the measurement is made at rest, it is known as the basal metabolic rate (BMR). 

Patients whose thyroid glands were not working were found to have low BMRs, and those with overactive thyroid glands had high BMRs. Later studies linked these observations with measurements of thyroid hormone levels and showed that low thyroid hormone levels were associated with low BMRs and high thyroid hormone levels were associated with BMRs. Most physicians no longer use BMR due to the complexity in doing the test and because the BMR is subject to many other influences other than the thyroid state as the relationship between metabolic rates, energy balance, and weight changes is very complex. 

There are many other hormones (besides thyroid hormone), proteins, and other chemicals that are very important for controlling energy expenditure, food intake, and body weight. Thyroid hormones have been used as a weight loss tool in the past and many studies have shown that excess thyroid hormone treatment can help produce more weight loss than can be achieved by dieting alone. However, once excess thyroid hormones are stopped, excess weight loss is usually regained. Furthermore, there may be significant negative consequences from the use of thyroid hormone to help with weight loss, such as the loss of muscle protein in addition to any loss of body fat. Therefore, whilst thyroid function does affect weight loss, it is important to have a balanced and holistic approach of looking at the thyroid function in conjunction with other impacts on lifestyle, such as diet and exercise.

DHEA Benefits (anti-ageing hormone)
*Please note that DHEA cannot be imported into Australia presently due to being classified as a growth hormone (ie. steroid), so there is no way to artificially gain access to DHEA presently*

• Produced in adrenal glands & other parts of the body
• Boosts immunity
• Helps alleviate depression
• Regulates effects of excess cortisol hormone
• Improves energy and vitality, sleep, premenstrual symptoms & mental clarity
• Helps bone density
• Prevents / delays onset of cancer, obesity & diabetes
• Helps increase lean muscle mass
• Helps decrease body fat

The Role of DHEA in Fat Loss

A landmark study of 242 men, 50-79 years old, based on 12 years of research, stated that a small supplementation of DHEA (100 mcg/ml) corresponded to a 48% reduction in death from heart disease and a 36% reduction in death from any cause (other than accidents). 

A Temple University medical researcher reported that DHEA can help a person lose weight by blocking an enzyme known to produce fat tissue. In one study, DHEA supplementation enabled men to lose 31% of mean body fat with no change in body weight in 28 days. 

Another study, involving 16 middle-aged to elderly men, showed that taking DHEA for one year led to a 75% increase in their sense of well-being—they coped better with stress, felt more physically mobile, and slept better.  

DHEA increases fat burning, decreases fat storage, fat cell formation and of the fat cells that do get formed, it promotes the formation of those that can contribute to fat burning. That makes DHEA probably one of the most versatile hormones in the body with regards to fat loss. Products that affect DHEA positively, would also therefore positively affect fat loss.There are many protein products on the market which contain DHEA and are believed to assist in promoting fat loss / muscle gain.

Cortisol (the blood-sugar hormone)

• Breaks down glycogen (derived from glucose which is stored in the liver) so it can be released in the bloodstream for cells to use.
• Commonly cited as the "stress" hormone - our body needs small levels of stress just to operate
• Excess levels of cortisol result in inability to sleep

Role of Cortisol in Fat Loss

Cortisol is elevated in response to stress. The adrenal glands are not particular, any kind of stress will do. The stress can be physical, environmental, chemical or imaginary. The human brain is hard wired with automatic responses to protect the body from harm ("fight or flight" response). These hormones suppress inflammatory responses and mobilize the body's energy reserves which puts the body on red alert and diverts all of the body's biochemical resources to immediate survival. 

The body's self healing mechanisms are arrested (healing diverts energy and raw materials away from immediate survival), the immune system is suppressed, glycogen stores in the liver and muscle tissue are mobilized to raise blood sugar levels, and digestion and assimilation are inhibited.

This "Fight or Flight" response worked well in the cave man era, but it is not suited for our modern lifestyle and the stresses we place on it, for example, battling traffic, competing for parking spaces and watching the evening news produces the same physiological responses as running away from a bear. Unfortunately, these stimuli also don't stop and go away, leaving the body with chronically high cortisol levels. Also, all forms of stress produce the same physiological consequences irrespective of whether they are environmental, chemical, physical, psychological or biochemical.

All individuals can reverse the consequences of stress by removing themselves from the stressful situation and giving themselves the rest, peace of mind, and nutritional support that is necessary to restore the body's reserves. 

Chronically elevated cortisol levels contribute to the accumulation of abdominal fat and make it very difficult to get rid of it. The immune system is suppressed and the individual becomes more susceptible to infections, both minor and major. 

The most important factors in breaking down chronic cortisol levels are:

• Rest
• A low glycemic diet : sugar handling stress actually increases cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol, in turn, aggravates the sugar handling situation contributing to the development of high insulin levels / diabetes
• Nutritional supplementation and ongoing stress reduction through meditation, calming exercise, breathing techniques or other similar methods.

Melatonin (the sleep hormone)

• Hormone that helps you sleep
• As sun goes down, cortisol decreases, triggering body to produce more melatonin (interesting when most of us have artificial light after this time including TV, lights in our bedrooms, computers etc.
• Antioxidant, fights free radicals
• Prevents cancer

Role of Melatonin in Fat Loss

Melatonin is involved in energy metabolism and body weight control in small animals. Many studies show that chronic melatonin supplementation in drinking water reduces body weight and abdominal fat in experimental animals, especially in the middle-aged rats. It is interesting to note that the weight loss effect of melatonin does not require the animals to eat less and to be physically more active. A potential mechanism is that melatonin promotes the recruitment of brown adipose tissue (BAT) as well as enhances its activity.This effect would raise the BMR by stimulating heat generation in the body. Whether the results of animal studies can be extrapolated to human obesity is a matter of future clinical trials, since substantially active BAT has been identified in adult humans.

Testosterone (the libido hormone)

• Governs libido in both men and women
• Supports bones
• Supports muscle mass
• Supports the cardiovascular system

Testosterone and Fat Loss

There is also some preliminary research linking low testosterone to an increase in body fat, particularly abdominal fat, and chronic medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. For example, in a study published in Obesity Research, researchers measured testosterone levels in two groups of middle-aged obese men. One group underwent a 16-week weight-loss program while a second group did nothing. The weight-loss group lost an average of 20 kilos and had significant increases in testosterone levels. 

In both men and women, testosterone plays a role in muscle development in response to resistance training. Because the metabolic activity in muscle tissue increases basal metabolism, added muscle can help decrease weight and body fat in women. According to Lon Kilgore, PhD, testosterone levels in pre-menopausal women peak at about 12 days prior to ovulation. While more research is needed, testosterone fluctuations may have implications for future training protocols of female athletes or non-athletes who wish to maximize lean mass.

So, what does all this mean for you, if you are trying to lose fat off your body?

1. AVOID STRESS! As we can see, it has been proven that excessive levels of stress contribute to higher levels of fat on the body. We need to be aware that our lives now ARE stressful even in completing day to day activities. Ways and means of combatting this can include sleeping (more/better quality), meditation, taking time out to enjoy activities, and "not sweating the small stuff".

2. GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP. When winding down for the day, turn off the TV, the computer and any artificial lights in your sleep area. Take the time to raise your melatonin levels through the natrual progression of light to darkness from outside, rather than ramping up your home into an energy factory. ALSO, you will save electricity in doing so.

3. AIM TO INCREASE TESTOSTERONE AND REDUCE EXCESS OESTROGEN. The best way to do this is muscle training, even in women. If you find you have an increased libido, you are on track! The more muscle mass you gain, the higher your fat loss results will be.

4. AVOID UN-ORGANIC FOODS. Now I don't know about you guys, but I don't really trust that my foods haven't been tampered with, hormones put into them etc, unless they are from a certified organic source. Although there are a lot of unproven pieces of information out there (such as hormones in chickens producing earlier rates of puberty, for example), I don't trust that my meat or chicken is going to be good for me if the cow/sheep/chicken itself is not raised in a happy state. Choices I make are: free range vs cage fed; grass fed vs grain fed, no hydroponically grown fruit and vegetables wherever I have the choice. If my food is not exercising properly then I'm sure it has to be bad for me in some way!

I hope this article has helped you with some basic understanding of the hormones and their role on our lives. Through some very simple changes we can stop blaming the hormones and start understanding WHY the hormones aren't helping us - because we aren't helping ourselves! 

Yours in health & fitness, Danielle.

Steady State Cardio VS Interval Training - What works to burn fat more quickly?

Firstly, let's start by defining what is meant by STEADY STATE and what is meant by INTERVAL TRAINING.

Steady state cardio is cardio that keeps your heart rate consistently high. One example would be running on the treadmill for say, 20 minutes, at the same intensity and same speed. Another example is endurance, or marathon runners.

Interval training is cardio where you allow your heart rate to come up and then to recover. On a treadmill this might look a little like this:

4 reps x 5 minutes each, to be done consecutively (that is, one set after another).

Minute 1: train at 50% of your maximum effort

Minute 2: train at 60% of your maximum effort

Minute 3: train at 70% of your maximum effort

Minute 4: train at 80% of your maximum effort

Minute 5: train at 90-100% of your maximum effort. 

Some other examples of interval training might be a Body Attack (Les Mills registered) class, boxing, sprints combined with walking or slow jogging. You get the idea.

Interval training is much more successful than steady state training. In one particular study conducted looking at endurance cardio training versus interval training, calorie for calorie, the interval training group lost NINE TIMES greater loss in subcutaneous fat than the endurance group, although on a calorie expenditure level the endurance group burned more calories expenditure wise.

In other words, calorie counting will not be successful when comparing these two types of groups. Most people like to do cardio because it decreases their level of fat in their body. So if this is the case, wouldn't you rather be burning fat NINE TIMES more effectively???? I certainly would.

When considering cardio I also think it is important to consider motivation, as many clients are not up to the challenge of thinking about, say, running for 20 minutes at the same level of speed/incline. Interval training makes it interesting. At certain points it is easier, at other points it is harder, but it is much easier to keep going if you know your body gets a few breaks in between after hitting your peaks. 

It is also good to mix up different types of cardio regularly for example, by hitting different machines that you would not usually use, doing a group fitness class, or simply going for a relaxing walk. Overall, though, you need to be doing six interval training workouts each week to get the maximum amount of results. Below I have listed an Interval Training Formula and Timetable that works, please feel free to use it in your next workout and let me know what you think!

Interval Training Formula

 4 reps x 5 minutes each, to be done consecutively (that is, one set after another).

Minute 1: train at 50% of your maximum effort

Minute 2: train at 60% of your maximum effort

Minute 3: train at 70% of your maximum effort

Minute 4: train at 80% of your maximum effort

Minute 5: train at 90-100% of your maximum effort. If there is even ONE CELL in your mind or body that tells you that you could do more in this minute, then bring up the speed or incline – it is only for a minute! Then you get to bring it all down to the 50% again for the next set. And so on.

So, how often do you need to be doing Interval Training to get results?

Well, the answer on this one is, what type of results do you want to get. For those looking to get quick fat loss results, I recommend interval training 6 days a week out of 7. Variety is the key in order to ramp the body up and stay motivated also, which is important, when you're going to be doing a lot of this. If maintaining your current shape is more what you are after, and you eat well, you may find that 2-4 sessions a week will keep you in shape. Everyone is different, so experiment with what works for you!

Interval Training Timetable

 Day 1: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 2: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 3: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 4: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 5: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 6: Interval Training – 20 mins

Day 7: Rest!

And finally, a question I am asked a lot -  What time of day is the best time to exercise?

Well, my answer to this question is always... whatever time will work for you on a long-term, habitual basis. If you are not a morning person, then the idea of getting up at 5am probably sends shudders down your spine! Am I right? (I know, because I am NOT a morning person). However, there are TWO major advantages to exercising first thing in the morning, in a fasted state, before eating breakfast.

Advantage number 1 = Interval training in the morning, in a fasted state, before eating breakfast has now been proven, by scientific studies, to burn fat up to 300% faster than exercising at other times throughout the day.

Advangate number 2 = Exercising in the morning means that once your exercise is done, it's done right! What a great way to start the day... If you are like me (a procrastinator at the best of times!) then you know how that dreaded feeling in your gut goes when it gets to 5 or 6pm, the sun is starting to go down etc etc... you know how little time you have left to get out there and hit the pavement or park). You don't have to feel like you are spending the whole day planning your run, or looking for excuses. Once it is done, it's done, and you will feel great for the rest of the day!!!!

So I hope I have shed some light for you on the fastest and most effective way to burn fat. Long workouts are no longer necessary - 20 minutes interval training goes quickly, and gets you quick and effective fat loss results.