Listening to your body…How cravings or increased appetite after exercise are big clues about your metabolism
I have many clients who tell me that their appetite increases when they exercise and they don’t get the benefit of the activity because they overeat. Some even gain weight despite exercising!
On the surface, the reason for this may seem mysterious, but really it’s not that complicated. Too many of us are walking around unable to burn calories we consume because our metabolism is too low. So the body’s set point for burning calories is low already and then we stress the body with more activity when it can’t burn the calories to handle it.
This is especially true with cardio. The body has to mobilize energy to endure the activity and guess what? It doesn’t have it!
So when the body doesn’t have enough energy for something…it asks for it!! And these are your cravings.
Most people believe that forcing the body to “burn” calories will eventually get them to lose weight. And that’s true on the surface, but what they don’t realize is that they’re setting themselves up for more weight gain! When the body scrambles for “energy” it gets it wherever it can…even if it has to break down muscle to get it. It’s good to remember that it’s easier for your body to break down your muscle than it is for your body to break down your fat for energy. Your body has to pay only 4 calories to use your muscle for energy, but it has to use up 9 calories to get to your fat.
So your body’s first choice when it runs out of energy is to break down your muscles!! And it turns on those cravings to get it back! Have you ever noticed it’s almost impossible to ignore a craving? It’s your body’s survival mechanism so it won’t let up until you give it what it wants.
So what’s the solution? Before getting into the solution, let’s go over what’s not the solution: Quick energy drinks or diet pills-these just get you running on adrenaline and make you pay later. It’s like borrowing money at 50% interest! Guess what your body does in response to you “borrowing too much energy”? You guessed it-the body lowers your metabolism long term. And around and around you go on the yo yo diet mill. Now you have to eat even fewer calories to maintain your weight or do more cardio, and around and around it goes with no solution in sight.
The true solution is finding out why your metabolism is low and fixing it from the root cause so you are permanently freed from the yo yo diet mill!
RAISE YOUR METABOLISM with proven, natural strategies. Human metabolism is complicated but boils down to two core systems-your adrenals and your thyroid. These are the roots of your metabolism. The other systems in your body are critical as well, but if your adrenals and thyroid aren’t in good shape, all the other systems are in trouble and won’t work optimally.
Stay tuned in future blogs where I’ll share tips on getting these systems in tip top shape. If you’re ready to experience life long fitness and get off the yo yo diet mill for good, get a Comprehensive Integrative Medical Evaluation today!
Blessings,
Dr Riobe
