Cortisol, also known as the “belly fat hormone”, typically gets a bad rap…
However, controlling it can be very beneficial because it helps you regulate other key hormones, such as testosterone, estrogen, and your thyroid.
Cortisol’s job is to protect us. It’s produced by the adrenal glands whenever our bodies experience too much mental or physical stress, also known as the “fight or flight” response.
If you’re constantly stressed out or exercise too much the adrenal glands can release excessive amounts of cortisol, which can lead to more belly fat, fatigue, insomnia, and a host of other problems. However, if you learn how to control cortisol you can prevent this from happening.
The natural cycle of your cortisol levels should be high in the morning until it tapers off throughout the day when it’s time for bed.
Maintaining this cycle will lead to higher energy levels, healthier hormone balance, more efficient fat loss, and better sleep patterns. Here are 3 ways to control your belly fat hormone…
3 Ways To Control Your Belly Fat Hormone
1) Carb Back-loading
In a 2014 clinical trial, subjects with cortisol disruption were able to “reset” their natural cortisol cycle simply by eating a low carb diet in the morning and afternoon, while eating higher amounts of healthy carbs in the evening.
Of course eating the wrong carbs at night will have the opposite effect so make sure you’re eating the right types of carbs such as root vegetables, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, Ezekiel™ bread, or steel cut oats.
I know this goes completely against conventional wisdom, but here is why it works so well…
Carbs elevate blood sugar forcing the pancreas to make more insulin to manage the blood sugar spike. When insulin is elevated cortisol levels automatically decrease.
So as insulin goes UP… cortisol goes DOWN, helping correct any cortisol imbalance you may have.
2) Control Your Sleep Hormone
Going from eight hours of sleep to six hours of sleep has been shown to cause a huge disruption in your cortisol cycle in less than two weeks.
Cortisol works in tandem with melatonin, your sleep hormone. If your cortisol drops in the evening, like it’s supposed to, melatonin can take over helping you fall into a deep sleep.
If cortisol levels are elevated while you sleep, your body can’t recover or rebuild and you’ll wake up feeling fatigued. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep every night by avoiding electronics and stressful activities an hour or two before bed.
3) Strategic Exercise Bursts
When cortisol levels are chronically elevated it can put you at risk for heart disease, cancer and excess visceral belly fat (the most DEADLY kind of body fat).
This is especially true for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s because of the hormonal shift that takes place.
Thankfully there is a newly discovered 12 minute metabolic trick below for people over 40 years old that can REVERSE this entire process.
You can learn all about it on the Next Page….
In addition to these 3 tips, avoiding caffeine later in the day, staying hydrated, and using techniques like meditation have also been shown to help
you control your body’s natural cortisol cycle.
Just make sure you’re using these tips in combination with this 12 minute metabolic trick.
Stay fit and keep learning new things.
Your friend and coach,
Shaun
References:
- (Skoluda, N., Dettenborn, L., et al. Elevated Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Endurance Athletes. Psychoneuroendocrinology. September 2011.)
- (Eur J Appl Physiol. 2003 Jan;[masked]):480-4.)
- (Sonneville, K.R., et al. (2008) International Journal of Obesity. 32, S19-S27.)
- (Cakir-Atabek, H., Demir, S., Pinarbassili, R., Bunduz, N. Effects of Different Resistance Training Intensity on Indices of Oxidative Stress. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. September 2010. 24(9), 2491-2498.)
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