We are going to talk about how to support your hormones and improve your metabolism with strength training in this blog post. We often get asked what our favorite form of exercise for healthy hormones is and why. In this newsletter, we’ll be providing more insight on why strength training trumps cardio or HIIT in regards to metabolic health.

First off, what do we mean when we say strength training? I had Strength Coach and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Adina Rubin on the are you menstrual? podcast and Adina’s definition is a balance of stress and recovery that leads to improvement in strength and overall vitality. There are a number of reasons to prioritize strength training for health, but the ones we’re going to focus on have to do with muscle and its impact on the metabolism and hormones.

Strength training builds muscle, putting the body in an anabolic state of growth and replenishment. This is the opposite of a catabolic state, which burns through resources and breaks down muscle tissue for energy. An example of low intensity exercise that doesn’t require a lot of cortisol is walking and stretching. High intensity exercise that causes higher levels of cortisol are things like HIIT and intense cardio. Strength training is somewhere right in the middle—supporting the metabolism by requiring just enough cortisol that the body can recognize it, but then allow it recover. The recovery aspect is key here.

For those of us who struggle with metabolic issues, encouraging that anabolic process is what we want to support our body’s stress response and prevent further exhaustion. When we are coming from a depleted place of high cortisol, sluggish metabolism, under-functioning thyroid, and imbalanced hormones, we don’t have a ton of energy to spend on fitness. Strength training is going to give us the biggest bang for our buck, so to speak, because of that muscle-building aspect. Take the postpartum period, for example. Even though you’re likely running on empty, you still have to be able to carry a baby or lift a carseat. For those sorts of functional movements, we need to build muscle in order to make your day-to-day easier while avoiding injury.

Building muscle improves our metabolic rate, for one, but here are some other benefits of building muscle through strength training that you may not be aware of:

• Muscle is an endocrine (hormone) organ, which means it helps regulate our hormones.
• Contracting our muscles can help reduce inflammation.
• Muscle has thyroid receptors, and improves thyroid function in the body.
• Muscle helps make us more sensitive to insulin by taking up more glucose from the blood and using it for energy.

The best part is, you can grow muscle with short workouts that don’t increase your threat (or stress) bucket. This is the biggest difference between something like HIIT or intense cardio. If you find that you can’t seem to give up your intense workouts, you may be addicted to cortisol and adrenaline. With true strength training, the stress response is lowered and the body’s resilience to stress is increased.

What Makes Up A Good Strength Training Program

While all movement can be beneficial for our bodies, there is a difference between everyday movement, exercise, and actual training. For example, movement includes doing things around the house, cleaning, folding laundry, yard work, etc. Exercise is random or one-off classes or workouts that are not built into a program. Both movement and exercise are great additions to a formal strength training program, but alone they might not give you the results you desire. Training, on the other hand, is following a program that is designed to have you see progress over time. This is the main difference, and what we’re talking about when we refer to a strength training program.

There are so many different programs out there that it can be hard to discern which is best for your overall health. Here’s what Adina recommends looking for when considering which program to join:

• Generally 2-3 days a week (or what your body tolerates).
• Full body workouts each time (so that even if you only have one day to train that week, it’s still worth doing).
• Low reps with intention—really showing up for each rep and not doing them mindlessly.
• Weight increases each workout or each week—using bodyweight alone can only get you to a certain point; adding load is required for building strength over time. I love kettlebells, but a small backpack filled with books will work just as well.
• Long rest periods in between for optimal recovery (more than 30 seconds).
• Utilizes and encourages proper breathing technique to get into a parasympathetic state and support basic physiology. How we breathe while working out impacts everything, but especially core stability!
• Minimum effective dose—what is the least amount of stress we can put on the body to move the needle in strength?
• Includes all of the major movement patterns that your body is used to doing—like squat, push, pull, hinge, lunge, and carry.

Quick word of advice: If someone advertises that their “program” has a hundred different exercises so that you’ll never get bored, RUN in the opposite direction. This will not give you the results you seek!

Tips For Those With Limited Time To Workout

Look, I totally get it: You lead you a very full life and don’t have an hour to spend on exercise every day. That’s more than okay! Here are some tips for those of you with minimal time who want to incorporate strength training into your lives.

1. Break up your workouts throughout the day. Got some time before work? How about during lunch? Several “mini” workouts is just as beneficial as doing one 45-minute workout session.

2. You don’t have to go to the gym to get in a good workout. Working out at home, even with minimal equipment, is still effective! Use hand weights, kettlebells, or even water bottles for extra weight.

3. I used to be one of those women who thought I needed to work out at least 5-6 days a week in order to see progress. But when it comes to strength training, we need WAY less than you’d think to see progress. As long as you’re focusing on progression, intention, and those foundational movement patterns mentioned above, you will increase your strength with only 1-3 training sessions a week. Quality over quantity!

The bottom line: When searching for a strength training program, you want something that’s going to be sustainable for each phase of life—whether you’ve just had a baby or are approaching your 70s. That’s why we love Adina’s programs, because they’re approachable and realistic for all. Remember, you don’t need to feel taxed after a workout to tell if it’s working. If you notice that your metabolic markers are improving, you’re sleeping well, finding ease in everyday tasks, and feeling better… You’re definitely on the right track.

Want more on strength training with Adina Rubin? You can listen to the podcast episode I did with her here! 

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