Endorphins vs. Cortisol…an Epic Battle

I read about Cortisol and its role in belly fat all the time. Stress supposedly releases the Cortisol hormones and they wreak havoc with your ability to lose weight, sleep well,  etc. There is rampant advertising for cortisol solutions in pill form, advice to change your diet, and meditate, but I have found that exercise and the creation of endorphin release is the finest solution around.

So, I’m riding my bike home from my Bar Method class, and I see this older woman, white hair, very heavy, swollen ankles spilling over the edges of her athletic shoes…and she is hosing off her front walk to remove the leaves. I though to myself, “she would do herself and the environment a world of good by using a broom.” Then I thought about how I felt a year ago. Using the broom wasn’t a big deal, but riding my bike to a class, taking a class, and then riding back home would have been out of the question. I turned off my inner critic immediately. I don’t know this woman, I don’t know her journey, and it is not fair to mentally criticize her choices.

Then I thought a little more about my personal journey. If I had known 10 weeks ago that I would feel 100% stronger, more energized, happier, and less stressed from taking this class and riding my bike would I have done it sooner? The honest answer is, probably not. I wasn’t ready. If I had known my belly fat would be reducing? Still no. Wasn’t ready. One day I woke up and I was ready…and there was a social media deal…and it was for the type of exercise I might enjoy…and it was close by.  Seemed like the universe was conspiring to make it easy for me to change. I just had to say yes. So I did. Yes to The Bar Method.

The Bar Method is a phenomenal workout. One hour of prescribed exercises – targeted and, for such tiny movements, incredibly challenging! I have been going to class 3-5 times per week for 10 weeks. Each class is a little more difficult than the last because in each successive class I have better form. I thought I might get bored with it and use that as my excuse to bail.  But no. I find that I am determined to find proper form, determined to do one more rep, encouraged by my teachers to add a challenge. Today a simple “you can do it” nod from Helen made me perform an exercise I thought would be about 10 more weeks away.

My biggest challenge – by far – it the giant blob that has become my abdomen. I never thought I would have a fat belly, but here it is. Now that I am exercising regularly I have become impatient with it and striving for its demise. However, as I am equally determined to shut off my inner critic today, I will list the Top Ten positive changes that have occurred in the past 10 weeks:

• I want to ride my bike more often than drive.
• My triceps have dents in them because I can do pushups (on the bar)!
• I want to do pushups!
• Subtle changes I think only I can notice in my body are being noticed by my family without me asking.
• My clothes fit better because I am smaller and tighter.
• My waistline is making a reappearance.
• My body only hurts where I have exercised…no more stupid pain.
• My jaw line is re-emerging. I couldn’t figure out why my bike helmet was sliding around and I suddenly realized my extra chin was gone!
• Today my arms looked as straight as they felt when I was warming up.
• I am happier, stronger, and hopeful.

I don’t know if barre exercise is the right choice for everyone, but it is for me. But my thought is that there is usually a better choice than doing nothing. There is always room to improve. If you start today who knows where YOU will be in 10 weeks! Do it. Do it. Do it.