Last Updated on July 28, 2019
- Do you feel tired more than you do energized and alive?
- Do you need coffee or energy drinks to feel normal?
- Do you feel like you could take a nap in the afternoon, but get an energy surge in the evening?
- Do you leave the gym feeling tired instead of pumped up?
If so, you may be experiencing adrenal fatigue… and the post is for YOU. In it I explain what adrenal fatigue is, what causes it, the major symptoms of it, how it affects your weight and how to fix it. See me explain what adrenal fatigue is, how it happens, the main symptoms, and tips to fix it below.
What is Adrenal Fatigue?
Adrenal fatigue is happens when your adrenal glands cannot adequately meet the demands of stress. The adrenal glands are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones that keep your body functioning properly.
The adrenal glands mobilize your body’s responses to every kind of stress (whether it’s physical, emotional, biological or psychological). When you’re exposed to a stressors, the adrenals release hormones to get you back to normal again. If your hormone production is inadequate, you are likely to experience some degree of adrenal fatigue.
What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?
Basically, over-stimulation of your adrenals. This can be caused either by a very intense single stress, or by chronic or repeated stresses that have a cumulative effect. Adrenal fatigue is most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, mental, emotional, internal or situational.
Just about everyone experiences a mild case of adrenal fatigue during (or after) a cold or infection. Even feel run down when you were sick? That’s partially because your adrenals get burned out because they’re under extra stress caused by the bugs you’re fighting.
Whether you have an external event like an emotional crisis such as the death of a loved one, a physical crisis such as major surgery, exposure to a medication (stimulants like steroids or adderall) or any type of severe repeated or constant stress in your life (job, toxic relationship) and adrenal fatigue can occur.
But you may be causing adrenal fatigue making poor lifestyle choices. Poor diet, over exercising, substance abuse, too little sleep and rest, or too many pressures…
Every time you experience road rage or fight with your man or bff, eat something your body can’t metabolize or digest, or expose yourself to a stimulant like coffee, alcohol or drugs, you’re triggering an adrenal response.
You may even be exposing yourself to stressors and not even know it.
If you’re:
- Eating a food you’re allergic or intolerant to
- Over exercising
- Under eating
- Constantly worrying about things you can’t control…
If you are, you may be burning out your adrenals.
Do I have Adrenal Fatigue?
When your adrenal glands are burnt out and cant function properly, your hormones will become imbalanced and produce signs and symptoms.
The first most obvious symptom is fatigue that is not relieved by sleep… But a lot of people assume they’re just tired and have no idea they have diminished hormone production working against them.
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
- You feel tired for no reason.
- You have trouble getting up in the morning, even when you go to bed at a reasonable hour.
- You are feeling rundown or overwhelmed.
- You have difficulty bouncing back from stress or illness.
- You crave salty and sweet snacks.
- You feel more awake, alert and energetic after 6PM than you do all day.
- You’re gaining weight.
People experiencing adrenal fatigue often have to use coffee, colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day… Not realizing they’re actually making their adrenal fatigue worse.
How Does Adrenal Fatigue Affect the Body
Adrenal fatigue can dramatically affect your quality of life. There are different stages of fatigue, too. You may simply feel tired. In serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day. With each increment of reduction in adrenal function, every organ and system in your body is more profoundly affected.
Changes can occur in your weight, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system, and even sex drive. Many other alterations take place at the biochemical and cellular levels in response to and to compensate for the decrease in adrenal hormones that occurs with adrenal fatigue. Your body does its best to make up for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it does so at a price.
How Adrenal Fatigue Makes you Gain Weight
Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc in your body and significantly affect your quality of life. In the more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day…. It’s really hard to exercise when you chronically feel tired, isn’t it?
With chronic exposure to stressors adrenal function continues to descend affecting every organ and system in your body. Your body does its best to make up for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it does so at a price. Any time your body senses that hormone function is off, it senses danger and anytime your body senses ‘danger’ it stops prioritizing burning fat and slows the metabolism. You may experience changes in your carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, weight, fat distribution (concentrated belly fat versus gain it all over). Stress + stubborn fat means hormones have snowballed and have started to affect other hormones which can turn you into a fat storing machine.
How to Fix Adrenal Fatigue?
It took me about 2 years to figure out how… I needed to… Nobody else could ‘fix me’ and I was suffering, I have a pituitary disorder that had my adrenals so over exhausted I could function. I was doing everything ‘right’ but continued to gain weight. I was a hormonally imbalanced, weight gaining nightmare… even though I was already a nutritionist and personal trainer(!!) If you’re struggling like I was, I think know my Reset Cleanse will help you get noticeable results in days… not weeks. And it’s 100% natural… no pills, potions or powders needed. I can’t easily tell you how to balance your 5 factors, without personally asking you a bunch of questions to determine your body type. I’d also have to know what you’re eating, to see if you’re eating things that could be dead wrong for your 5 factors….
Which is why I created my free metabolic profile. In this I explain if you have toxic buildup, hormone imbalances or metabolic dysfunction happening… then I’ll explain the exact steps you need to take to fix it. But, if you already suspect that you do, I’d strongly recommend trying my Reset Cleanse… I created it specifically to fix myself – and all of my off-line clients – as quickly as humanly possible and get their hormones and 5 factors back on track in 7 days flat. IT WORKS, IF YOU WORK IT. PERIOD.
In the meantime here are some general tips you can try to start feeling better asap. There are options for you. First and foremost you have to balance the 5 factors. Which factor is affecting you most – and need the most immediate attention depends on you.
They are: Sleep, stress, water, exercise, and nutrition.
General Tips to Fix the 5 Factors
- Balance the 5 Factors… you can learn more about how the 5 factors affect weight in this video. You can learn more about how the 5 factors affect other hormones affect (and your weight) here.
- If you need to work on food, you need to follow the Right Meal Plan for your unique body type.
- If you need to work on exercise, you need to avoid overexercising and follow a complete cardio and weight training program that won’t stress out your body… but will still get you the stress relief and results you want. I recommend following the Reshape Exercise Program that’s best for your goal look.
- Find Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress – This post will teach you healthy (easy) way to cope with stress.
- Think Happy Thoughts – My Happy Thoughts Challenge will help you stay positive when your mood altering hormones rebalance.
- Stop over-exercising and under-eating
- End toxic relationships
If anything, I hope this post helps you understand what’s going on with you if you’re struggling to lose weight. There is hope and it can be fixed. As always these tips only work if you work it. So please work it! YOU are so worth it!!
xxoo
Your Coach and Biggest Cheerleader
