Gaining Weight? Your Workout May Be Your Problem

January 22, 2024 Adrien Cotton

How long do you think you need to workout to feel fit, or let’s face it, just to feel good in your clothes? If I took a poll of women between 35-55, I would guess most would say at least one hour every day.

But, guess what? Society has once again done a number on you!

If you are 35-55, you were probably raised with the rule that one hour of intense cardio – along with restricting your calories – is required to reach your “goal” weight. Either you read it, heard it, or watched and listened as your mom went to Weight Watchers or aerobics class and talked about it.

Our moms did the best they could. Yet, we now know that their belief systems transferred to you-know-who – US! If they thought they needed to do cardio or go on a diet, you did, too (to fit into your clothes in the right size, of course).

You see, back in the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s research dictated that to be “fit” we needed to run and to cut calories. All you need to do is look at how the fitness industry took off at that time. Gyms and studios hosted 60-minute sweat sessions in a variety of styles. Even today’s personal training sessions are one hour. Because it was the first time someone had talked about this idea, Dr. Cooper’s concept stuck, and now this notion that the most effective workout is a long, sweaty one has been ingrained in our mindset.

Unfortunately, this causes two big problems:

Problem #1: You believe the magic is in the full hour (and end up not working out because you can’t find the time.)

Problem #2: Your workout always has to include intense cardio (heart rate elevating and sweaty) exercise.

Our bodies respond to what we put them through every minute of the day. They are truly a miracle. When we STRESS our bodies, even during exercise, our brain senses danger and our stress hormone, cortisol, elevates.

Often, these intense, lengthy workouts leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

And, yes, discouraged if we discover we are still gaining weight.

I love stress-induced cortisol workouts. Yet, if that is all I choose when my life is intense and frenetic, then my body is generating too much cortisol. And THAT leads to holding onto fat.

You can be feeling like you are doing everything right, but it doesn’t matter if your workout is a large part of the problem. Pushing ourselves to the limit with long, intense workouts can be counterproductive to midlife fitness goals. More often than not, this method becomes a barrier to consistent exercise and the wellness we want to achieve.

Here’s the solution:

Set aside 15 minutes to do SOMETHING.

To optimize your workout strategy, I have one piece of advice – quality over quantity. Keep it short!

You can choose a brisk walk with a stretch at the end. You can get out a foam roller and roll your back. Just 5-10 minutes for warm-up and another 10-15 for training is the secret to a more sustainable and effective fitness routine.

Try this micro-workout:

Two rounds of warm-up exercises:

30 seconds of knee-to-elbow crunches
5 push-ups
10 glute bridges
Roll out your wrists
30 seconds crawling with knees hovered above the ground
15 body-weight squats

Then set a timer for ten minutes and practice this sequence until the timer goes off:

10 crawls forward and back with knees hovered above the ground

10 slow-motion burpees
10 pick up and put down weight (gallon jug of milk works too!)
10 bird-dogs each side
And don’t forget to end with a few moments of stillness.

If you’re ready to uplevel your workouts and feel better in your body, join a community of women who will support you on your wellness journey. Set up your FREE consultation for my Small Group Concierge Wellness program! This group of fabulous women is releasing old patterns and choosing to live life in a renewed and inspired way–just like you.