The very first exercise that people generally do when they hit the gym is run. They hit the treadmill, the cross trainer and the exercise bike. Some people even hit the recumbent bike whilst reading their iPad’s and books (which is a personal pet hate of mine!). Unsurprisingly, most people who go to the gym don’t get great results after a couple of months, they plateau and eventually give it all up.
They take part in what is called aerobic exercise which works the aerobic energy system. Now, if someone has not partaken in any form of exercise previously, then they will absolutely get results initially from doing this. However, when trying to get that nice physique everyone really wants, they struggle to get it and don’t know why.
Studies show that Aerobic exercise has been proved to actually increase cortisol levels in the human body. Cortisol is our natural stress hormone. Cortisol production increases BODY FAT.
This exert comes from Charles Poloquin’s website:
A new study in Psychoneuroendocrinology showed evidence of long-term high cortisol levels in experienced aerobic endurance athletes. Researchers tested hair cortisol in 304 endurance athletes (long-distance runners, triathletes, cyclists), and compared their measurements with a control group of no- athletes. They used hair to test cortisol, it provides evidence of cumulative cortisol secretion over prolonged time.
Results showed that the aerobic athletes had significantly higher cortisol levels compared to controls, and there was a positive correlation between higher cortisol levels and greater training volume. The athletes had long-term elevation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which can have detrimental influence on mental and physical health. Researchers write, “These data suggest that repeated physical stress of intensive training and competitive races among endurance athletes is associated with elevated cortisol exposure over prolonged Periods of time.”
So as you can see, tests have proven it to be so.
However, contradicting this, Rob Robergs, Ph.D. and Len Kravitz, Ph.D. believe that the catabolic (muscle reducing) effects of aerobic training can actually be reduced or completely nullified by ingesting more carbohydrate. See the link attached as it goes in to more detail regarding it.
Yet, this goes against all our theories of weight and fat loss right?!
The way I look at it is like this. The more lean mass you have on your body, ie muscle as opposed to fat, the more calories you expend just by being. Studies argue that it is between 5-14 calories per pound of lean muscle added as opposed to 2 for a pound of body fat. Your resting metabolic rate is increased. You develop muscular ‘tone’.
When you look at the differences in Olympic athletes, who has the better physiques? The ones that perform explosive exercises or mixed discipline athletes such as Jessica Ennis, or a 100m runner such as Usain Bolt, or for an English example Greg Rutherford. Or, is it Mo Farah or someone like Paula Radcliffe? Your call. My opinion is the former.
What I believe you have to ask yourself, is what you would rather look like when you are coming to thinking about training. I know who I’d rather look like.
To sum up, I would advise anyone trying to lose weight and look great, to lift. Lift a weight, lift a log, your body, anything, repeatedly. Whether its heavy a few times to get strong, or light repeatedly to get fit and ripped.
It’s really as simple as that.
