Things That Destroy A Woman's Body

This time last year, I was going to the gym four times a week. I would fast till noon and exercise on an empty stomach. I would then drink a low-carb protein smoothie to "reduce weight and fuel recovery," as the gurus advised.

I have never felt so fatigued, worried, bloated, and sluggish.

Every time I walked on the scale, I saw that I was heavier. My partner, on the other hand, was doing exactly the same thing—and he felt and looked amazing.

I finally understand why.

Most health research are carried out on the male physique.

Researchers have been studying males since the birth of science, trying to figure out how they might sleep better, eat healthier, and exercise more effectively. while evaluating drugs, they used cells with XY chromosomes, and while conducting trials, they used male rats (since female rats' hormones interfered with their results).

Scientists would then publish their results and propose that everyone follow their counsel — but ladies are not little guys.

We each have our unique hormones, cycles, biochemistry, metabolism, and aging processes, which all influence how our bodies respond to this guidance. Spoiler alert: not well. Based on research, publications, and interviews, I have prepared a list of the most common health hacks that are damaging women's bodies.

1. Intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting (also known as time-restricted feeding) is cycling between times of eating and fasting, frequently skipping breakfast and restricting food intake to an 8-hour, 4-hour, or 1-hour window. In theory, it allows the body to rest from digesting and burn stored fat.

Why does not it work for women?

While intermittent fasting has been shown in studies to benefit males and certain sedentary women with metabolic diseases, it can be severely harmful to active women. (Last year, I unintentionally harmed my thyroid by doing fasted exercises).

Fasting not only interferes with your period but also inhibits the synthesis of kisspeptin, a neuropeptide that regulates sex hormones, glucose levels, and body composition.

Fasting also adds stress to the body, and because women already have greater cortisol levels than males, fasting may exacerbate anxiety and promote weight gain - the exact reverse of what we are attempting to achieve.

Try this instead:

Dr. Sims recommends that women nourish their bodies shortly after waking up, particularly before doing out. She recommends protein coffee to folks who do not have an appetite in the morning.

2. Cold plunges.

According to research (on males), immersing your body in cold water decreases inflammation, enhances your stress response, and improves post-workout recovery. It is now popular to take cold showers, fill your bathtub with ice, and swim in icy lakes and oceans.

Why does not it work for women?

Women are far more vulnerable to cold exposure because they have greater body fat, which causes vasodilation to control their core temperatures.

As a result, temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit elicit a greater stress reaction in women than males. Cold water, in particular, causes women to enter a sympathetic, shut-down state (essentially, fight or flight) without providing any metabolic advantages.

Try this instead:

Expose your body to chilly (but not frigid) water. Temperatures around 55 degrees Fahrenheit will produce the same benefits as males get at lower temperatures.

3. Hours of cardio.

For decades, fitness professionals have advised males to lift weights while ladies should sweat it out for hours on the elliptical or in a Jazzercise session.

Cardiovascular exercise is defined as any activity that increases your heart rate and respiration, and women are often taught that it is the key to remaining healthy and slender. If we insisted on lifting weights, trainers gave us a set of 2-pound pink dumbbells to prevent us from "bulking up."

Why does not it work for women?

When we only exercise cardio, our muscles retain adipose tissue, and our bones degenerate to the consistency of chalk. Long cardio sessions can also increase stress levels, which are already high for the majority of us.

Building muscle is critical for women, especially as we age. According to studies, strong muscles reduce body fat, limit bone loss, strengthen joints, improve mood and energy levels, cut the risk of some malignancies, and may even lessen the chance of dementia.

Try this instead:

Begin strength training. Incorporate heavier weights during your workouts to gain muscle through repetitions, sets, and recuperation.

Reps: Short for repetition; one completion of an exercise. For example, one bicep curl equals one rep.

Sets are a collection of repetitions done one after the other without resting in between. For instance, eight bicep curls may be considered a single set.

Recovery time: The amount of time you take to relax between sets.

Dr. Sims suggests beginning with three sets of eight to fifteen reps, resting for two minutes in between. (Women require less recuperation time than males, so we rest for two minutes rather than three.) Work your way up to five sets of five reps with weights that are heavy enough to make the last rep difficult.

Sprint training involves performing a high-intensity exercise — sprinting, cycling, kettlebell swings, etc. — for 30 seconds or fewer, as hard as you can. Rest for two minutes in between, then repeat two or three times. That is it.

Finally, a quick stroll is an excellent low-stress technique to get your circulation flowing.

4. Counting calories.

Calories are units of energy, and dieting is intended to be a straightforward calculation: If you expend more calories than you eat in a day, you should be able to lose weight, right?

Why does not it work for women?

The calories in/calories out paradigm is very simplistic, especially when considering women's hormones, body fat percentage, and metabolic changes.

According to Dr. Sims, women have a larger amount of body fat, which means we need more energy to deal with stress. When we eliminate calories without replacing them with better, cleaner foods, our thyroids become dysregulated and we enter famine mode, resulting in increased body fat storage.

According to research, the mental strain of monitoring calories leads to stress, exhaustion, and binge eating.

Try this instead:

Food quality is more essential than the amount of calories. No matter how you cut or slice it, your body does not digest 200 calories of broccoli in the same manner that it processes 200 calories of ice cream.

Make sure you are getting enough fuel in the form of fresh, nutritious meals. Eat early thing in the morning, focusing on protein, fiber, and whole carbohydrates to keep you full and energized throughout the day.

5. Ignoring protein.

For years, dietitians were concerned with carbohydrates, fats, sugars, vitamins, and minerals. Protein was mostly overlooked. Recommended protein guidelines have continuously declined, causing many individuals (particularly women) to feel that protein is unnecessary unless you are a bodybuilder.

Currently, public health standards recommend that women consume 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. Women are also warned that too much protein might harm their kidneys or be stored as fat.

Why does not it work for women?

Protein consumption is equally, if not more, vital for women than for males.

Why? Women's hormone changes routinely place us in a catabolic condition, which means that at particular stages of our menstrual and maturation cycles, our bodies aggressively break down muscle mass.

Eating adequate protein allows our bodies to repair those muscles, especially when we exercise consistently. It is also essential for bone health, nerve transmission, and cognitive function.

Try this instead:

Dr. Sims suggests that active women consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily (more than double the widely recommended quantity). Begin early in the morning and divide your protein equally throughout the day, eating every three to four hours.

If you are perimenopausal, menopausal, or in the luteal phase of your cycle, you may want to increase your protein consumption even further.

6. Eliminating carbohydrates

After demonizing lipids, the health industry targeted carbs.

Low-carb diets are being marketed as a quick and easy approach to increase energy while losing weight. over 17% of Americans attempt to reduce carbs, while over 13 million Americans adhere to the Keto diet, which eliminates carbohydrates nearly altogether.

Why does not it work for women?

While highly processed carbohydrates are unhealthy for everyone, eliminating all carbohydrates (including nutritious grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits) has a negative impact on women's performance and health.

Carbohydrates provide a rapid source of energy for the body, and low energy availability (LEA) is highly frequent among active women.

When women avoid carbs, we are unable to control blood sugar levels, regulate mood, or fight illnesses. Carbohydrates also cooperate with protein to create muscle, and they communicate with the hypothalamus to say, "We have enough food coming in; do not disturb endocrine function."

Try this instead:

Fuel your body according to the work at hand. Dr. Sims suggests receiving roughly 40% of your daily energy from whole-food carbs, particularly if you are undertaking intensive activities.

Carbohydrates are not the enemy. Protein, weight lifting, appropriate rest, and eating enough to fuel our bodies are all ineffective.