Did you know that when you double up on SoulCycle classes or spend excessive hours on the treadmill, you can actually lower your metabolism and slow down weight loss?
When you engage in excessive cardio, you can trigger a response in the body called adaptive thermogenesis. It’s a protective mechanism that allows your metabolic rate to adjust based on new conditions. For a woman trying to drop a few pounds, this response often does not have the desired effect.
When your cardio level increases significantly, the brain sends a signal telling your body that its energy stores may deplete faster, and that your metabolism needs to slow down to conserve energy.
Your body uses this survival tactic to ensure you have enough energy to function properly. You may have heard of “starvation mode” in the context of unhealthy diets, but you can also activate the same response with extreme workouts. When combining high levels of cardio with a calorie cut diet, it increases the risk of slowing your metabolism.
According to Sports Medicine, “a large quantity of aerobic exercise with a low calorie diet may actually accelerate the decline of your resting metabolic rate.”
So if you’re slashing calories while amping up your cardio to lose weight, you may want to slow down! While in rest mode, it will accidentally slow down your metabolism and weaken your ability to burn calories.
If intensive cardio is a key component of your exercise routine, avoid slashing calories. Keep in mind that high levels of aerobic exercise expends more calories than moderate activities; for this reason, your caloric intake should reflect the rigor of your workouts. However, if your goal is to lose weight by sticking to a healthy diet with limited aerobic exercise, your overall calorie intake should be lower than than the average person.
You can avoid triggering adaptive thermogenesis by properly fueling your body before and after workouts. Since everyone’s fitness goals are different, if you’re looking to cut calories during your training program without reducing your metabolism, focus on a moderate weight lifting program with minimal cardio. And be sure to fuel your body with plenty of protein.
