ABsolutely Not …Over-exercising Chat
When I began my fitness journey in 2015, I was told that the first step is to set myself goals in the gym, so that is just what I did. My biggest and most daunting goal was to have "abs". I wanted that effortless, no flex, post meal, defined "6-pack" if you may call it. Little did I know, this goal would soon drive me crazy. I was not only focused heavily on superficial goals, but I was unaware of the detrimental effects of over-exercising…
I googled "how to get a 6-pack", "how to define your abs", "how to lose stomach fat" and so on. I was greeted with endless toxic articles and Youtube videos outlining how to "target" your mid-section, and the classic how abs were "made in the kitchen". I did insane amounts of cardio, ate lots of protein, had little to no carbs, filled up on fibre, and completely cut processed foods. It became an obsession of mine. I did not factor in my genetics, body type, health, and I completely ignored hunger. To me, hunger became weakness, and therefore, a lack of willpower.
As soon As I began to see that little bit of ab definition, I became obsessed. Although I never did achieve the "6-pack", I did successfully send myself into a downward spiral. What I was never told was that, in order to have ab definition, you almost have to have a low body fat percentage. Now a low body fat percentage was exactly what I had achieved. It is very unnatural for most women to have 6-pack abs while maintaining a healthy relationship with food and exercise.
This is because women generally need a body fat percentage of at least 20 percent in order to remain fertile and have regular menstrual cycles. This is in comparison to men, who can get to as low as 6 percent body fat and still remain in the "healthy" category.
Although this is not always the case and some women have a more muscular build or a naturally low body-fat level that allows for their abdominal muscles to be visible, it was the case for me.
Unfortunately, I began to experience intense fatigue and stopped getting my period.
Amenorrhoea is the absence of menstrual periods. Women who are elite athletes or who exercise excessively on a regular basis are at risk of developing athletic amenorrhoea. The causes include low levels of body fat and the effects of exercise-related hormones on the menstrual cycle.
The "fitspiration" trend plastered all over social media today allowed me to set myself a toxic goal. My goal of achieving ab definition did not care for capability, it was purely aesthetic. I wanted to look a certain way and be admired for it. Achieving visible abs as a woman is unfortunately seen as the "gold standard" of fitness.
“Hormones & over exercising 😬🩸😓
To recap mine and @lifewithimran ‘s talk yesterday here’s some info about how over exercising can impact our hormones.
😬When our body is in a chronic state of stress, cortisol (stress hormone) will increase.
😓With this increase in cortisol, progesterone levels (sex hormone) will dip down.
🩸When there’s a decrease in progesterone, females will get excess in estrogen. Too much estrogen in the body can cause estrogen dominance. Some of the side effects of estrogen dominance are:
+ Anxiety and unstable mood 😖
+ Amenorrhea (loss of period)🩸
+ Impaired metabolism 🍎
+Bloating
+ Weight gain or fluctuations ⚖️
+ Insomnia and restlessness 😴
If you missed it last night, head to @lifewithimran page and watch the IGTV of our chat last night!! As always the DMs are open if you have any questions or concerns about this topic! 🤗💘 ”
Thankfully, I am beginning to see more and more women and fitness gurus promoting body capability and strength. This is something I wish I had been subject to in the past. Luckily, I have since focused on strength and my relationship with food. I no longer have athletic amenorrhoea and have grown to love my body and food. With the support of my best friends, family, and loyal gym partners, I focus on being satisfied in the kitchen and strong in the gym. My focus is less on what I look like and more on what I feel like.
I want to be strong, full, nourished and capable.
This is all a product of being intuitive and listening to my body.
Your body truly is your temple.
Loyally,
Imran
