nutrition and performance book

9. Rest, recovery and stress balance
To achieve the best results possible, we must make sure that we look at certain aspects of our daily
lives before we decide how many days we should spend training. For example;
How many days a week do you work?
What kind of job is it? Intensive labour or maybe a desk job etc.
Do you have children and families you need to support or spend time with etc.?
How stressful is your life? Do you have things happening in your life that need immediate
attention that may affect your stress levels?
Do you have any illnesses or injuries that leave you stressed?
Do you drink, smoke or take recreational drugs etc.?
The list goes on! So, it’s up to you to decide how many days a week you feel you should spend
training. There is no right or wrong. Just a sensible and achievable goal that you will be able to
manage.
Set achievable goals based on the time frame you have given yourself.
Maybe your life will need some organising before you venture into a new program.
This is where I can help with life coaching to help you achieve these goals with as little stress as
possible.
Why do I mention stress? What is stress?
When the body is under stress the adrenal glands that are attached to the kidneys will release a
stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol influences, regulates or modulates things such as blood sugar
levels, metabolises fats, proteins and carbs (gluconeogenesis), helps immune response, antiinflammatory
actions, regulates blood pressure, increases central nervous system activation etc.
During training the body will raise cortisol levels because you’re putting the body under stress
creating a fight or flight response. However, daily stress levels will also increase cortisol along with
poorly managed diets including things like caffeine and energy drinks for example. Increased cortisol
levels for prolonged periods can have damaging effects on the human body. Things such as impaired
cognitive performance, dampened thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances, sleep disruption,
decreased muscle mass and elevated blood pressure are to name a few.
So, over time heightened stress levels will lead to detrimental results on the human body.
The focus is to make sure that stress is kept at a reasonable level, allowing quality progress with the
results you want from the program.
Remember, the body does not build muscle in the gym. The body builds new muscle when it repairs
itself through proper rest and nutrition protocols. So, the less stress during this time, the better your
results. This also works with losing fat, getting lean and gaining muscle.
Take care in deciding how many days you wish to spend training. Be honest with yourself and set
yourself goals that are achievable and enjoyable.
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