The Best and Worst Exercise for Belly Fat and Fatigue

If you’re battling belly fat and or fatigue, it’s even more frustrating if you’re feeling like you’re doing everything right! Some of the best intentions can put you two steps back, however. So here’s a reminder for how to deal with the two more common complaints from students and clients. Consider this your quick guide to the best and worst exercise for belly fat and fatigue.

Let’s start with the things you want to eliminate or reduce.

The WORST exercise for belly fat and fatigue

1. Long slow endurance exercises

Once you’re over 75 minutes you start to tip the cortisol in the wrong direction. Hours a week of exercise that result in no progress or simply more and more fatigue are a glaring sign that you’re increasing stress on your body. When your body is under stress a few things are going to happen. You’ll be tired more, rarely have “real” energy though you might be lucky enough to have a little exercise high, chances are that will start to dissipate and you’ll stop having a boost of energy after.

If you’re doing too long for you:

• You’ll feel more like taking a nap.
• You may want to eat more or crave sweets.
• You may have chronic injuries or you’re getting sick more.
• If you’re libido is also in the tank and a book or bath sounds better than a romp, that’s another sign.

2. Tons of anything

Doing any exercise so frequently that there’s no recovery days can sabotage your belly fat. You’re likely already struggling with what you’re feeling and the message to “move more.” You’ve been told that America is lazy and inactive. Unfortunately, the message probably wasn’t meant for YOU. You’re potentially always on the go, and always trying to make a workout of whatever you’re doing.

Rest and recovery are missing from your workout routine. If it feels compulsive, it probably is. If you’ve ever said, I have to exercise,and you find it hard to relax or unwind otherwise, it’s time to find some balance. It can be hard at first, but it’s better to struggle with it than to totally crash and burn.

There’s another reason you want to watch negative effects of exercise. There’s a sweet spot for exercise and aging. Too little or too much can both accelerate aging.

The BEST exercise for belly fat and fatigue

1. Lifting heavy weights

That is, to your tolerance. You’ve got to know your limits, your past and current injuries, and then do what you can. But lifting heavy weights for a short time is an easy way to boost testosterone and create lean muscle without sending cortisol the wrong way.

I’m not talking about hours of mirror-hogging body builder type workouts. This is as little as 10 minutes or 20 minutes well executed twice a week. More is not better. Quality is best.

2. Short Interval Training sessions

Do them for no longer than 20-30 minutes twice a week – including warm up and cool down! These little HIITS of exercise optimize your cortisol. So make your mantra “HIIT it and quit it.” The workout mavens will have you believing that doing intervals every day is good. Watch for signs you can’t get your heart rate elevated during workouts, or you’re starting to feel those cravings again, you’re more hungry more often. That’s a sign you’re taking a good thing and turning it bad by doing too much.

To change things around eliminate the worst exercises for belly fat and fatigue and focus on the good ones.

Then take it a step further with tons of fresh veggies, adequate protein, good fats, and the right carbs at the right time. So many women in their midlife are cutting carbs, and hating life, moody, and always tired because of it. You need them, especially in peri-menopause and menopause. You’ll likely shed weigh because you start eating them! No one moves optimally with out optimal nutrition.

Support the best exercise and nutrition choices with the best rest, ultimately that’s sleep. Prioritize it. That’s first. If you think it’s not related to you’re belly fat, your wrong! Long sleepers lose weight easier and find it easier to be at optimal weight in the first place.

If you’re really suffering from fatigue it may be time to step even further back and take a rest week. See how that goes and resume based on information above if you feel better. If you don’t, take another light week. You may be happily surprised to find doing less, much less, for a short time can help you get your energy, and your waistline, back.

Other similar posts and podcast:

1. https://www.flippingfifty.com/adrenal-fatigue-and-exercise/

2. https://www.flippingfifty.com/adrenal-fatigue-exercise-and-weight-loss-success-after-50/

3. https://www.flippingfifty.com/too-tired-to-exercise-is-it-adrenal-fatigue-special-edition/

4. https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-adrenalin-weight-gain-and-illness/

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