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Lifestyle Factors That Can Ruin Your Exercise Accomplishments
This article was originally posted on FitnessGeared.com, one of the leading fitness and bodybuilding forums on the web.
X+Y=Z
So it’s all just a math problem right? Eat X amount of food. Exercise Y amount of time each week. Equals Z amount of fat lost, or muscle gained.
Sometimes there is more to that equation than we think. There are some people that just have a hard time packing on those pounds or muscle. There is also the reverse where some people just have quite the hard time shedding off those fat pounds.
There are various things that can inhibit muscle growth or fat loss that have absolutely nothing to do with calories. Sometimes, making changes to your lifestyle can make all the difference.
3 Areas of Lifestyle Changes to Focus On
Let’s start with one of the major contenders in this topic; stress.
Stress can create such a problem in your fitness life. High stress levels can increase the production of cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid produced in the adrenal gland. Keep in mind though that cortisol is an important hormone though. It plays a role in immune function, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and other functions as well. Since cortisol is involved in these functions on the body, it does have a direct role to play in your overall weight. Cortisol has been termed “the stress hormone” and rightly so, it is released in larger quantities during stressful times.
So what should someone do about this? The answer would be to lower your stress levels! It’s a little easier said than done most of the time. But, you can always do whatever you can. Do your best to think of working out as a stress relief more than another task to add to your busy schedule. Surround yourself with people that make you feel positive. Try your best not to focus on the pounds that need to be lost. Instead focus on the positive aspects of your exercise life. Dwelling on the problems will not solve them. Strive for accomplishing things that you are working towards that will better your life. "When I do good, I feel good, when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion." Abraham Lincoln. Also one to try would be meditation. There is a reason why it has been in practice for thousands of years.
Problem area #2: water.
The problem here is that a lot of people do not get nearly enough water throughout the day that they need. Water is the main chemical component of your body. As weird as it all sounds to us, yes it is a chemical compound. Over 60% of our bodies are made up of water and the amount that we excrete daily must be replenished. There is a laundry list of reasons why to drink adequate amounts of water. A major one that science has proven is that it will help ensure proper kidney function.
Guess what major organ is responsible in the metabolism of fat, and toxins? Bingo- the kidneys.
Do yourself a favor and drink plenty of water each and every day. A good habit to get acquainted to is tracking your water intake. You do not have to go completely hardcore on this, as you lose different amounts of water according to your daily activities. You can purchase shaker cups that are marked with different levels according to different times of the day. Keeping up with this will get you into a spectacular water drinking routine.
Major factor #3: sleep.
Sleep actually has a direct correlation to the level of cortisol that you produce. Thus, a lack of sleep will result in an increase level of cortisol. A lack of sleep will also inhibit the efficiency of your workouts. You would never skip out on your protein shakes right? Equally as important to recovery, those hours of Z’s will help you shed the fat off and stack on those muscles. Although the numbers do vary up a little bit, most people should aim on getting a solid 7-9 hours each night. This is enough time for your body to reboot and get into enough REM (rapid eye movement) cycles that recharge those batteries.
If you are having trouble getting the proper amount of sleep every night, try tracking your sleep. There are plenty of sleep aps downloadable to your smart phone that can get you into some good sleep habits.
This is not to say that you do not need to pay a whole lot of attention to your exercises and your diet. Of course we all know the rules of moderation, and the importance of dedication and consistency. Addressing the problems and taking charge of what is preventing you from reaching your potential will speed up the process to get you to those goals.
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