Running, Cortisol and Tummy Fat

[JS]

Whilst chilling out back in the chalet after a bit of snowboarding I picked up a saturday supplment from an old paper about health and exercise. As i was reading it a personal trainer (i think) said that too much running wasn't good as it produced cortisol in the body that can lead to tummy fat. Now I am skinny but have a little buddha belly going on which I don't like and want to shift but reading comments like this makes me think WTF? I run in all types of exercise so it makes it sound like exercise is encouraging weight on my tummy. I would say I get stressed easy anyway and running isn't the cause of my tummy fat.

What are folks opinion on cortisol and tummy fat or is it just something to ignore?

[ultra_whippet]

The link between cortisol and fat around your belly button is well proven, there's no doubt about that. But I'd be more worried about the cortisol from everyday stress than that produced by running. You can always get your levels checked if it's a concern. It's a bit "trendy" in PT circles to bash running and aerobic exercise at the moment, I personally think the risks are somewhat overstated.

[runner]

sounds a bit strange to me.

At my trainer course the instructor (ex world champion bodybuilding, jose cano). told everyone that you should do running, or similair activity.

Personally I don't know many runners with this kind of problems. I do know loads of people who do office work with tummy fat.
There are some of them who run most of the time the once who train one time every two weeks.

[JS]

I guess the article said too much running but as ultra_whippet said it's a "trendy" issue at the moment with some PT's so I'll igonre and continue to run. Although I am an occasionally runner as I prefer to be chasing a ball as a form of exercise

Cheers for your comments guys.

[ha]

KEY point to remember is that at different times of the year, our body will be at different fat, fluid, muscle levels as our training and fitness varies over the year.

You think Lance has roadmap veins on his legs all year? Nope. I road with him last year and he was a different person 8 months later and still another person 6 months later. If we try and stay super, super ripped n fit all year round we will hit a big wall and just give up all together. As a personal trainer I see this all the time. Just as NO animal in nature stays the same weight all year round, neither do healthy humans.

My weight goes down to 60kg when Ive done a few 24hr solo xc races and is as high as 70kg in the off season when Im doing more boxing and weights and no 500km solo training rides or ultramarathons. Its a great way to live cos you got constant variety and your body gets heaps o recovery and you just keep a base level of fitness all year and peak at certain times for certain events.

Getting back on how all my elite runner mates have fat guts from running. Yep all the hardcore runners I know have fat guts!

Do some research on cortisols role in the human body.

"Traditionally considered a stress hormone, epinephrine (or adrenalin) is made in the adrenal gland and in certain cells in the central nervous system. Epinephrine also elevates blood glucose levels by making glucose available for the body during a time of stress. When this mechanism is not working properly, hypoglycemia can result. Other hormones also help in raising the level of blood glucose, like cortisol made by the adrenal gland and growth hormone made by the pituitary gland."

I guess the bottom line is make sure we eat enough carbs so that we aint running on empty glycogen tanks and forcing the adrenal glands to regulate blood sugar cos we are eating not enough carbs.

Im a fruit bat. You might be a potato grub, a rice weevil or an oat caterpillar. Either way, just make sure your eating enough of your fav carbs and read Dr McDougalls books some more on the benefits of a high carb, low fat vegan diet.