Adrenal Fatigue Coach Assignment – Become physically active

 

Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress and increase energy, but it can also be a stressor, particularly if you push yourself harder than what feels good during long winded workouts.

 

Working out can be difficult and frustrating if you have Adrenal Fatigue, because you simply may not feel that you have the energy. But ironically moderate exercise can play a major part in recovering from Adrenal Fatigue. Moderate exercise has a lot of benefits, it strengthens weakened adrenal glands, helps to normalize many of the body’s functions, it helps eliminate toxins, it increases the circulation of nutrients, it increases your energy, it helps to stimulate serotonin levels in the brain, it eases stress and improves overall mood.

 

Lack of any physical activity is a risk factor for Adrenal Fatigue and other health conditions. Regular, moderate exercise is very important to gradually rebuild strength and endurance. While moderate exercise can speed up your recovery process, excessive exercise on the other hand, such as long winded or high intensity workouts is counterproductive and will weaken your adrenal glands further exacerbating Adrenal Fatigue. Often times addiction to exercise can actually also be one of the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue because of the stimulus it provides.

 

When you suffer from Adrenal Fatigue, the best exercises to stick to are the more gentle forms.

Activities such as:

 

• walking
• swimming
• yoga
• cycling
• pilates
• tai chi
• qi gong
• meditation
• stretching and relaxation

 

Don’t stop at the exercises mentioned above you can also get some exercise just from your normal daily activities.

 

You can:

 

• take the stairs, don’t use the lift or escalator
• get off the bus or train a stop or two earlier to walk home or to work
• spend more time enjoying active interests like gardening
• leave the car at home more often
• wash your car by hand
• play with (your) children
• vacuum clean the house
• use less email and instead walk to talk to people in your office

 

All these activities are very regenerative for your adrenal glands because they have a similar impact as exercise, while they can also work as a stress reliever. As you can see it’s easy to boost your physical activity without making huge changes to your lifestyle.

 

Below are some exercise guidelines for those with Adrenal Fatigue. For more case specific recommendations, it’s best to work with a certified personal trainer who has experience with Adrenal Fatigue or burnout. Always talk to your doctor or healthcare professional before you start doing any form of exercise.

 

• Listen to your body, if you don’t have the energy to begin an exercise routine focus on sleep, nutrition and lifestyle. Make sure to incorporate some light-intensity physical activity in your daily routine and gradually increase your activity level. When you do exercise, make sure to closely monitor your reaction to your workouts and adjust them if needed.
• Recovery based activity gentle exercises such as walking, swimming, cycling and yoga are very important as they help to heal your adrenal glands.
• If you do have the energy for exercise, limit cardio to less than 30 minutes and no more than twice a week.
• Resistance training should be light in the beginning with increased rest times between sets. You can gradually increase weights and intensity as you start to heal.

 

Assignment

 

Pick one of three exercises below:

  

1. Go for a walk

 

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. You can do this up to 20 minutes each for about three or four days per week, as your tolerance allows. If you find yourself too exhausted for an outside stroll, simply walking around the house several times through the day is a viable alternative.

 

 

2. Legs up the wall pose:

 

The “Legs Up the Wall Pose” is an easy way to begin combatting the adrenal fatigue syndrome. Performing the pose is simple and can be done in the privacy of your home.

 

1. To begin lie on your back so that yout sitting bones are as close to the wall as comfortable.
2. Then “walk” your feet up the wall until your legs are fully extended, so that the back of your legs is resting fully against the wall.
3. If this position is uncomfortable for you, you could try to place the soles of your feet against the wall instead.
4. Finally once you are in a comfortable position hold it from 2 minutes to 15 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Weight training:

 

If you feel like it, and you are experienced at working out in the gym you can ofcourse also do weight training or body weight resistance training. As long as you don’t over exert yourself.

 

A final word of advice on exercise:

 

The key to exercising with Adrenal Fatigue is to listen to your body. When you feel your body struggling to keep up, simply stop exercising. But then get right back at it the next day or the day after should you need a rest day. Make sure you get plenty of rest, always sleep when your body is telling you that you need it. Also make sure that you stay well hydrated, especially during your workouts. All of the gentle exercises listed above are very gentle and safe so that even someone with Adrenal Fatigue should be able to do them. So even if you have an exercise addiction you can keep to it by engaging in gentle activities such as walking, swimming and yoga in order to give your adrenal glands the support to repair themselves.

 

Share your experiences with me in the comment section below: How physically active are you? Which of the above exercises did you choose? How did it make you feel afterwards? Will you do it more often?