Love
Those Endorphins, Don't You
by
Phil Campbell -
Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness for Time
Crunched Adults
I love endorphins. Hey, I
confess. If you gotta be addicted to something, why not something good for you,
right?
Endorphins are the body's
natural pain medication hormones. Endorphins (en-dor-fins), when they're
released, make us feel better, improve our mood, increase pleasure, and
minimize pain. There are some good ways, and bad ways, to increase endorphins.
Low endorphin levels make us
crave fat
Nan Allison in her
excellent book Full & Fulfilled describes the relationship between
endorphins, food, and exercise. By permission, Nan Allison, M.S., RD
writes:
High concentrations of
endorphins in the brain produce a sense of euphoria, enhance pleasure, and
suppress pain, both emotionally and physically. When endorphins are low, people
feel anxious; they are also more aware of pain. They have an appetite for fat
and fatty foods, such as fries, cheese, creamy sauces, margarine, butter, fried
chicken, potato chips, and chocolate, to name some of the most popular
examples. Upon eating some fat, they will notice a change in mood, feeling more
pleasure. This feeling is related to a higher concentration of endorphin.
Exercise, by releasing fat from within the body, raises endorphins and
causes the same mood changes.
When we have cravings for
potato chips and chocolate, it may mean that we need a endorphin pill rather
than all the empty calories from chips. Well, there's a problem. We don't have
an endorphin pill. But we have something even better; knowledge of how to deal
with these specific types of cravings.
Low serotonin levels make us
crave sugar
Similarly, another
hormone, serotonin makes us feel calm, poised, confident, and relaxed. When our
serotonin levels are low, we feel nervous, irritable and stressed. We don't
crave fat, now we crave sugar.
Have cravings for sugar?
Nan Allison advises that trying some crackers, frozen yogurt or popcorn may
help by raising serotonin levels with far less calories.
Low dopamine make us feel
foggy
Mentally "foggy" at
times? This just may be caused by low dopamine levels. When we don't get
adequate protein, dopamine levels drop and this makes us mentally sluggish.
The best way to raise
dopamine levels, get plenty of lean protein in you diet, with moderate fat and
carbs, advises Nan Allison.
You need carbs before you
exercise
It's a
mistake to think that exercising without adequate carbs in your system will
help you lose body fat. Nan Allison explains:
Many
people mistakenly believe that if they limit their carbohydrate intake, and
then exercise, their body fat will be broken down. What happens, in fact, is
that they are lowering their capacity to burn fat, and will lower their
metabolism. The reason for this is that the body will break down muscle to form
carbohydrate. In addition, the muscle breakdown raises stress hormone levels
and causes carbohydrate cravings.
High-intensity
exercise performs best
Researchers have shown
for years that high-intensity exercise increases these hormones
significantly.
"Post-exercise
beta-endorphin levels correlated with the peak speed attained during the
sprint and the subjects peak power to weight ratio. These results suggest
that the increases in plasma adrenaline are related to those factors that
reflect the stress of the exercise and the contribution of anaerobic
metabolism." ( Exercise intensity-related responses of beta-endorphin and
catecholamines, 1987, McMurray).
The Take
Home
When we experience strong
cravings for sugar and high fat foods, it's probably due to a low hormone level
that can be resolved with a sensible food choice.
When it comes to diet,
the research is clear, the best diet is a balanced diet / in
moderation.
Remember to get some
high-quality carbs before workouts. This will help fuel the intensity of the
workout, and increase, not lower your metabolism.
Have a
great day!
Phil
Campbell, M.S., M.A., FACHE
Author Ready, Set, GO! Synergy
Fitness
If you would like more
information on Nan Allison's book,
click
here.
Full and Fulfilled: The Science of Eating to Your Soul's
Satisfaction
NOTE: The purpose of this article is to expand thinking about
fitness as an informational source for readers, and is not medical advice.
Before attempting the Synergy Fitness program, the Sprint 8 Workout, or any
high-intensity exercise program, consult your physician. This is not just a
liability warning; it's wise to have a baseline medical exam before beginning a
fitness program. Make your physician a partner in your fitness improvement
plan. |
