Fight or Flight

Hi Vickie,

As you know, I've been doing some serious weight training this year and as an "older" person, I really have to pay more attention to what my body is telling me. Since I overtrain once every couple of months, I'm becoming keenly aware of some of the unpleasant effects of excess Cortisol accumulation.

I've been studying the effects of the hormone Cortisol on the body, which is the "fight or flight" hormone. It is released by the Adrenal Gland when the body experiences stress and it can have a cumulative effect, which in essence is system fatigue and lack of muscle gains associated with overtraining. Overtraining also consists of nervous system fatigue but from what I understand, Central Nervous System fatigue isn't directly associated with Cortisol.

Cortisol is a catabolic hormone which breaks down muscle in order to supply the system with essential Amino Acids during stress. It can also contribute to fat storage, poor sleep patterns, and immune system inhibition among other undesirable effects. Since the Adrenal Gland doesn't care what the source of the stress is; it can be work stress, financial stress, physical stress, commuter stress, you name it... In today's day and age, we are all probably overdosed on Cortisol.

I'm trying to get a handle on how to manage the daily Cortisol cycles along with my training and it dawned on me that Golfers, especially Tournament Golfers, deal with it's effects on a regular basis without even knowing it. It's not just the Adrenaline surge that Athletes have to deal with, its also the stress induced Cortisol accumulation that can effect those makeable 5 foot putts or wide fairway shots.

I'd like to explore how we can manage our hormonal responses to stress. There is no doubt in my mind that peak performance is assisted through a balanced and managed hormonal system.

This in essence is a "stress management" thread.

Thanks,

Bagger, I'll start with the answer and share some concept after because this is such a great thread subject and effects everyone.

The straight clear answer is nutrition. If your body has an adequate amount of blood glucose to provide the fuel for the activity level at hand then there is no need for a catabolic, muscle breakdown, response. So when we go too long between meals and during this time have even normal daily stressful situations (deadlines, traffic, worry, or even a wonderfully hectic social life) the body responds appropriately and mobilizes to keep your body in high function mode.

In terms of your workouts, even without overtraining, you are demanding a lot of energy. This is one time when you consciously choose to put stress into your life. You are choosing to put stress on the muscles in the form of overloading the muscular system and/or the cardiopulmonary system to perform at a higher level than customary. For those that don't know, this causes a breakdown of muscle tissue that then repairs itself at a higher level thereby increasing your fitness. I refer to this as raising your threshhold. But all this work really taxes your glucose levels because the muscles burn so many calories, primarily glucose. That's why people that train regularly or play sports are typically leaner than the general population.

Training: Be sure to have a protein snack with some carbohydrates 30 minutes before your workout. Don't eat any closer or your body will have to fight between digestion and your workout. Then, within 30 minutes of your workout have another snack of protein with some carbohydrates. If you train as hard as you are suggesting you may benefit from a carbohydrate beverage during your workouts. The proportions of your snacks and meals are specific to your training level, your body type, your body composition, and your objectives.

There is a reason that natural body builders use heavy weights and high calories during their building, bulking, phase and then use lighter weights and a stricter diets in preparation for a show. No matter what people think of this population they are the most knowledgeable about getting the most from their workouts and about building their bodies; we are talking about natural bodybuilding. Infact, the general population could take a lesson from this model. You should cycle your training program throughout the year and even throughout your weekly schedule. Alternate heavy work with lighter weights, high intensity with lower intensity to contribute to your bodies ability to recouperate from the stress.

For Daily Life: Well balanced meals throughout the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks between) of high quality food in an amount that supplies the energy for that part of the day and culminates into the amount of calories and nutrients you need by the end of the day; that's the ticket. This means that you can't over eat at any meal. It takes a few days or weeks to get your formula right and it requires some preparation but it makes everything simple once it becomes familiar.

Frequent meals accomplish the following:

1. Smaller single intakes of calories so all of the calories and nutrients are used thereby eliminating the excess that is stored as fat.
2. Since the body can only assimilate a specific amount of macro-nutrients (carbs, fat, and protein) and micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) at one time you are insuring that you have provided everything your body needs to be healthy. Even with our largely obese society we have a high level of malnutrition because we eat poorly and infrequently with excessive calories. So at the end of the day all of the nutrients were available but the body was unable to use, assimilate, them . . . but it sure got to have a fat storing party.
3. Small meals mean easy digestion which reduces the stress on the digestive system.
4. You would stabilize your energy and loose the slumps that are usually inconvenient.
5. Mental aquity would be at a premium.
6. You wouldn't store as much fat and your body would release some of your storage because it would no longer have periods of need that it interprets as starvation.
7. You would never have to go on a diet again.


So finally, how do you interrupt the negative effects of Cortisol (and remember there are positives that I'll talk about in another post):

1. Eat high quality, balanced, small meals frequently throughout the day.
2. Reduce your intake of caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and processed sugar.
3. Get adequate, restful sleep daily. I believe in short power naps; 30 minutes max.
4. Organize your daily schedule to reduce rushing between your many appointments.
5. Exercise daily with respect to your energy, your health and your objectives.
6. Schedule regular enjoyable, invigorating, and easily accessible activities. Two week vacations once a year are great but not sufficient for the whole year.
7. Play lots of golf.
8. Reduce your stress. Well duh. I'll address this when my fingers rest.

Vik

Great subject and reply Vickie. One (very slight) criticism though. We cannot 'reduce stress' we can only manage it better.

Originally Posted by GPStyles

Great subject and reply Vickie. One (very slight) criticism though. We cannot 'reduce stress' we can only manage it better.

GPStyles,

I agree with your point but there is a stress reduction aspect when you manage things better. A wise man (my Dad) told me that the key to planning (stress management?) is to ALWAYS build in margins. He added things like 15 minutes early is on time etc. A key I have found to managing stress, especially here in the U.S. is "learning" how to wait! I always carry my back pack around with me contents of which: energy bar, water and a certain yella book! It is a little weird but when I am delayed... say at the dentist office I do not blow a gasket! This is not the case when playing behind club wielding tree sloths! I think everybody has what I call a "silly button", you know something "small" that produces a psycho reaction. For me it is slow play on the golf course!

Vicki,

I appreciate your willingness to share your expertise. Eating smaller more frequent meals literally changed my life. I was prone to "crash" mid morning and mid afternoon (i.e. in between large meals) I felt as weak as a welp etc. In fact,

1. 6 meals per day, taken every three hours
2. The become progressively smaller as the day goes on
3. I seldom eat simple sugars after 2pm
4. I eat quality protein, every mea l but try not to eat more than 4oz of
meat per meal
5. I try to eat raw vegatables eg. salad, broccoli w/hummus
6. NO foods are forbidden! I make the distinction between for "fuel food" and for "feelings food." For feelings is for taste alone, for fuel is for taste and nutrition.

I am working hard to teach my kiddos "how to eat!" I am appalled at the high incidences of child obesity these days.

Thanks Vickie, to be fair its not my observation but one I have acknowledged as 'true'. I read it originally via Carey Mumford.

I don't think I suggested that stress (by most peoples interpretation) can necessarily be eliminated. In fact, the demands on our life typically exist because we want so much. We want rich relationships, we want financial success, we want to see the world, we want exceptional health, we want all of the myriad of delights our great world has to offer. Hans Selye is often referred to as the godfather of understanding stress. In his book, from the early 70's and read by 'moi' at that time) I remember that he said, "stress is the bodies response to the demands placed upon it". So the demands always exist but it is, as gystyles stated, our response that determines how we feel about it, positive or negative, and often how our physiology responds as a consequence of our mental state. So okie, said it well, planning for the demands of your chosen lifestyle often minimize your mental and physical drain and thereby your stress response.

Nutrition was and is the first order of managing the response patterns and the effects of stress related incidents. A popular diet Dr. said food is your drug and as much as I resisted the statement, in the beginning, he is exactly right. The food we eat provides the resources to maintain maximal performance of our many chemical systems that manage our body functions. I still have to finish a full report but let me say here that the cortisol response is not only prolific in our present time because of our 'stressful' schedules but is very often an imbalanced response due to adrenal fatigue. If the adrenal gland is overworked it becomes inefficient at accurately interpreting the level of stress it is addressing and will over compensate with the stress hormones. I will post on the detail of this phenomenon later. I will also address some of the complementary organ functions that excite our production of these hormones. It is important to understand that cortisol is not the enemy but our management of our physiology (which includes mental function) and it can be managed. Heck, learning to say NO to some of the requests in our lives can add as much stress as it takes away. Nobody said it would be easy.

Ok Bagger, I would say you've busted me but you actually caught me in a stress management protocol that works beautifully for me and causes most people to raise their brow in question. I have always been a great sleeper and really believe in the importance of restorative rest. I never believed in the popular saying,"I'll sleep when I'm dead". But in my midlife as a woman I found myself a participant in another hormonal flux, not experienced by our male readers; subtle enough? Suddenly I was awake at 3:00 every morning and watching the clock, tossing and turning, 'trying to go back to sleep' and being enormously anxious as I watched the time move closer and closer to the alarm clock bell. I had for some time had another stressful life experience. I write almost daily but never feel fresh or energetic after a long day of work and since I get up at 5:30 for my day I couldn't imagine getting up early to try to write. Add to it that I do best if 'my mind' knows that I will have atleast two hours without interruption. I always write best in the morning but that is when my clients most want to have their appointments. So . . .I realized that all I had to do was go to bed earlier than any other adult I know, I don't have children in my home anylonger, and I could wake up naturally and get my writing done. In fact, I have had some of my best experiences because there is no interruption, nobody wants to see me at 3:00 a.m. (I had a doctor that saw me at 4:00 for a while), there is no one to call, the world is quiet and I love it. This is where the self management came in. We humans are quick to find all of the problems. Who goes to bed at 7:00. We'll I have about three hours at home after my work day and found that I really could go to sleep quite easily, especially after a few days of staying up after my early morning writing experience. It's is definitely different than most people but so are a lot of my life choices.

So break out of the mold, plan for your life ( am in traffic daily and I only schedule clients around easy traffic flow so a frazzled trainer is not trying to tout health), fuel your body in a way that serves your health and your pleasure. I love a life full of variety and it's a challenge but it is only as stressful as I decide it will be. Oh yea, if you're in traffic, try a book on tape and skip some of the onslot of news that will be available many more times during the day. It is a type of meditation so make sure you like the story.

Vik

Originally Posted by Vickie Lake

8. Reduce your stress. Well duh. I'll address this when my fingers rest. Vik

Great response as always Vicky and we'll keep this topic going because I think its really important for Tournament Golf among other things, like a healthy balanced lifestyle.

Speaking of which...
Girl, you made edits to your post at 3:00AM this morning...
Better cut back on those power naps, or maybe you know something you ain't share'in about rest management.

By the way - Its 4:20AM and I'm editing this post