According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, roughly 35% of U.S. adults are obese,1 and more than 34% are overweight.2
While obesity gets most of the attention, being underweight poses another potential biomarker for early on health problems. Muscle wasting and the inability to gain healthy mass can indicate chronic stress, liver impairment, malnutrition, and poor digestion. In worse cases, muscle wasting and catabolism of the muscle tissue is often associated with diabetes and even cancer.
While statistically, only 2% of people are “underweight”, I would imagine there are equally as many people trying to put on healthy weight as there are those trying to lose weight. So, for those of you looking to put on some healthy weight, this article is for you.
The Benefits of Muscle Mass
Whether you are carrying too much body fat, or not enough, there are many plus sides to putting on muscle mass.
First and foremost, there is the aesthetic benefit; a muscular physique is often more proportioned and therefore easier on the eyes. Additionally, muscle mass acts as a buffer toward stress by being source of adaptive hormone production like testosterone and HGH. Lastly, muscle can naturally secrete fat from the body and people with more muscle mass burn more calories.
So, whatever your reasoning for putting on muscle might be, know that it is not a very easy feat. If you’ve been trying to put on muscle mass with no avail, this article will help you assess what you may potentially be doing wrong, so that way you can make the appropriate changes and achieve your goals.
Why Can’t I Put On Muscle?
Most people consider any and all exercise as something healthy to do. However, a common “no pain, no gain” mentality regularly interferes with reaping any of the health benefits exercise might provide. Too often, people wake up early, skimp on sleep and go to the gym fatigued, undernourished and proceed to workout vigorously. This compound stress results in hypo-metabolism, an inability to recover, digestive problems (chronic bloat), difficulty building muscle mass and many other stress related problems.
Focusing only on weight loss alone can lead one to overlook their overall health. As a result, many new health problems are created along the path of most people “weight loss journeys.” Many people fail to realize that exercise is a stress, certain types more than others (as you will learn later). And unfortunately, most people of our modern society are already incredibly stressed out; sleep deprived, financially stressed, bombarded by environmental toxins, poor quality food, and more – forced gym sessions that further push their bodies beyond their limits just adds to the stress equation, making their weight loss goals that much more difficult to reach.
So what is happening here? A whole lot of stress.
While stress comes in many different forms and our personal resilience to it is based on personal experience, will and ability; when it comes to most exercise (especially when combined with an already overburdened body), it is physical stress that is highly catabolic.
Now, under normal biological circumstances, efficient cellular respiration enables the body to handle stress. Unfortunately, given our highly demanding social structure and generally toxic environment, most people’s stress load is high, while metabolic rate and cellular respiration, low.
Hypometabolism, Stress & Exercise
A sluggish or slow metabolism is what physiologists or biologists call a hypometabolic state. In this state, the body is unable to adequately utilize cellular glucose and store glycogen in the liver, which causes many problems. The fist problem we run into is that the liver becomes energy deprived. Without its major source of energy (glycogen), the liver cannot properly convert T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) into T3 (active thyroid).
Because the thyroid gland is essential for mitigating the effects of stress (thyroid hormone is an adaptive hormone that inhibits the overproduction of cortisol), when it is not functioning properly (hypothyroid), the body becomes chronically stress. As this vicious cycle of chronic and mismanaged stress begins, the body switches to back up energy production systems through a process called gluconeogenesis.
Gluconeogenesis is the conversion of non-carbohydrates substances (protein/fat) into glucose.
Now, this is a normal biological process, but ideally serves only to handle acute, short-term stress. However, as discussed, these days most people are chronically stressed, and gluconeogeneis has become the primary system of energy production over normal cellular respiration under glycolysis (cellular utilization of glucose). This otherwise, chronic energy deficiency is accompanied by chronically evaluated levels of cortisol, adrenaline, prolactin, estrogen and other highly catabolic hormones, which leads to chronic inflammation and the rapid degradation of muscle tissue, organs, and cells.
How does this fit into exercise and muscle gain?
Well, intense, aerobic exercise (cardio) or any work outs that have you gasping for breath greatly perpetuates the vicious cycle by adding to the production of stress hormones. During this sort of exercise your cells and metabolism act a lot differently than normal.
During normal metabolic conditions, your body produces CO2, oxygen and ATP. However, during intense cardio exercise, it is common for your body to shift from normal glycolysis to aerobic glycolysis, which is the process of converting glucose to lactic acid even in the presence of oxygen. Or, when your body really starts to be stressed, and your gasping for air, your body will enter anaerobic glycolysis, which is the increased conversion of glucose to lactic acid when the supply of oxygen isn’t sufficient.
The problem here is that lactate increases blood viscosity, mimics stress, causes inflammation, and contributes to shock. Where CO2 (the byproduct of normal metabolism), promotes immunity, healing and regeneration.
Needless to say, intense cardio or any exercise that leaves you winded and interferes with normal respiration, also leaves your cells deprived of oxygen and stressed. This sort of exercise, and the chronic production of cortisol, and things like lactate does weakens your body, mostly by down-regulating the metabolism and immune system, while increasing the deficiencies created by chronic stress.
The problems do not stop here either, there other negative side effects that are generated by chronic stress, and overexercising:
- Low biological energy production; fatigue & weakness
- Impaired digestion
- Weak immunity
- Poor detoxification
- Elevated glucocorticoids (when chronically elevated suppress HPA-axis)
- Suppression of the thyroid (from glucocorticoids and stress hormones)
- Impairs the cellular utilization of glucose
- Inhibits liver’s ability to store and use glycogen
- Decreased CO2 production (one of the major biomarkers of youthfulness is high levels of CO2)
- Suppressed steroid hormones synthesis
- Muscle wasting
- AGEs (cross-linking of proteins that leads to joint deterioration and wrinkles)
How can I exercise in a healthy way then?
At this point, it’s possible you are confused, “I thought exercise was healthy? now you’re saying it’s not?!”. Yes, exercise can be a beneficial way to improve your health, eliminate excess stress hormones, promote digestion, build muscle and increase your metabolic rate, but only in the right amount and way.
Remember, all I’ve really said up to this point is that exercise is a stress, and like anything else, it must be moderated. In other words, too much of even a good thing can be harmful, especially if you’re already pushing your body’s limits.
That being said, the best way to reap the benefits of exercise without hitting the point of diminishing returns is by monitoring your basal body temperature and pulse rate. This is perhaps the simplest way to communicate with your body, identify hormonal patterns and determine exactly how your metabolic health is being effect by your choices.
Tip: Upon rising, before eating, take your body temperature and pulse rate. If you notice you are consistently running below 97.8 in body temperature and have a pulse between 50-70bpm, this might strongly indicate hypothyroid and a hypo-metabolic state. If this is the case, you are going to want to address dietary and lifestyle changes to improve your thyroid function. I talk all about that in my Healthy Weight Loss course. But specific to exercise, you may want to reconsider your workouts, everything from the types of exercises, intensity, frequency, recovery time, length, etc. Though it might seem counter-productive, if you are overweight and struggling to lose that weight, it is likely you have a sluggish thyroid and metabolism, and therefore, I would strongly advise avoiding intense exercise, cardio, and strenuous exercise. Instead, opt for exercises that decrease stress, such as a simple walk, yoga or qi gong. These light exercises, especially when done outdoors in nature, are known to decrease stress hormone and inflammation. 3 4
To be honest, this is exactly the route I took. After 10 + years of football practice to the point of throwing up, starving myself wrestling and bodybuilding, once my thyroid shut down, I gave up “working out”. For a few years, all I did was walk, through my neighborhood and through trails in the woods. Then, I got into yoga and Qi Gong to improve my flexibility and regain some of my lost muscle mass. Just about anyone can walk regularly, but if you like me, love to exercise, but know your body needs. rest, I suggest getting into some gentle yoga. If you are interested you are new to yoga but are interested in getting started, I highly recommend taking an online course (like this one) or visiting some of your local studios for guidance.
STRESS HORMONES & EXERCISE
In a hypometabolic state, the body is unable to store adequate glycogen in the liver. This energy deficiency inhibits the conversion of inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into active (T3), further exaggerating the energy deficiency. When this condition on going; from dietary stress (low carb, nutrient deficiencies, poor digestion), psychological and other physiological stress, the body activates its back up energy production systems through a process called gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis is the conversion of non-carbohydrates substances (protein/fat) into glucose, such as ketosis or lipolysis (using fat for fuel).
This is a normal, survival process but becomes a problem when favored over normal cellular respiration and glycolysis. The problems that arise are the liberation of free fatty acids into the blood, which raise cortisol and estrogen. These two stress hormones have a feedback loop, trigger the production one another in a vicious cycle. In short, both of these adaptive stress hormones aRe catabolic, which atrophy the organs and tissues to create glucose (energy). This catabolic process leads to the breaking down of tissue and inflammation, among other problems such as the influx of calcium.
Add exercise onto this metabolic stress; i.e. fasted cardio or fasted workouts, or working on in a state of lipolysis or energy deficiency, and the matter gets worse. Working out in this state perpetuates the vicious cycle, by further increasing the production of cortisol, estrogen and prolactin, which temporarily weaken the immunity/resilience of the body while exacerbating the energy deficiencies generated by stress.
In conclusion, depleting liver glycogen is a metabolic stress, exercise is a stress and combining these two on top of a likely already previous psychological stress load = catabolism and dis-ease.
PRO-METABOLIC TIPS FOR GAINING MUSCLE
Avoid Fasting: Since fat has a very low rate of metabolism, people who lose muscle by fasting are going to have increasing difficulty in losing weight, since they will have less active tissue to consume fat. Building up muscle and lymph tissue for optimal health – even if it initially causes a slight weight gain – will make reducing easier by increasing mass of metabolically active tissue.
Support Your Thyroid: Besides fasting, or chronic protein deficiency, the common causes of hypothyroidism are excessive stress or “aerobic” (i.e. anaerobic) exercise, and diets containing beans, lentils, nuts, unsaturated fats (including carotene), and undercooked broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and mustard greens. Many health conscious people become hypothyroid with a synergistic program of undercooked vegetables, legumes instead of animal proteins, oils instead of butter, carotene instead of vitamin A, and breathless exercise instead of stimulating life. For more tips on supporting optimal thyroid health, check out my Healthy Weight Loss Course.
Pre-Workout Nutrition: Support the body with the appropriate energy (nutrients) before your workouts. Fresh oj, gelatin, saturated fats and salt are very effective for regulating hormones. These nutrients help to down regulate adrenaline, while supporting anabolic hormones like testosterone.
Post-Workout Nutrition: Replenish energy stores (nitrogen and glycogen) with an appropriate post workout meal. A protein shake with a base of organic, grass-fed milk, whey protein, collagen protein, frozen berries and raw honey will provide both essential protein for nitrogen balance and carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment.
Exercise Smart: Exercise, along with aging, obesity, and diabetes, increases the levels of circulating free fatty acids and lactate in the blood. This stimulates a nasty vicious cycle, chronically stimulating the production of stress hormone cortisol and estrogen, leading to the degeneration of the body.
Exercises that have been realized as destructive to the mitochondria and cellular respiration (oxidative energy production) are things like chronic cardio and other high-intensity forms of training that lead to hyperventilation and fatigue. On the other hand, normal, daily activities like walking, cleaning, gardening, dancing, cooking, grocery shopping, etc. activates the metabolic system in an stress-free and organized way, that increases carbon dioxide production, ATP, and circulation.
Additionally, “concentric” strength training exercise is restorative to the mitochondria. This refers to exercise where you have a weighted contraction (load) followed by a period of relaxation without a load. Your heart and breath will follow suit, contracting with you and resting with you. So in conclusion, avoid wasting your time with tiresome, breathless exercise, which further increases the bodies demand for glucose and oxygen, and stress the body.
Regular Nutrition: This subject requires a post in of itself, so for more information be sure to check out earlier blog posts, reference my Instagram and ideally, enroll in my Healthy Weight Loss course. In short, regular nutrition would involve frequently balanced meals of quality, non-inflammatory and digestible animal proteins (meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc), well-cooked starches (potatoes, white rice) and ripe fruits.
Regulate Blood Sugar: As I discuss in greater detail in my Healthy Weight Loss course, glucose and cortisol have a strong relationship. After workouts, cortisol (stress hormone) is high, which suppresses blood sugar. This is the importance of having healthy sugars after a workout, to avoid a sugar crash and to bring down stress hormone. Also, sugars are more effective then protein in the prevention of protein tissue catabolism (gluconeogenesis). If your nutrition is good throughout the day (keeping blood sugar regular), then you don’t necessarily need a post-workout protein shake, because you are already down regulating the catabolic effects on muscle tissue by keeping blood sugar normal and cortisol low. For more on proper nutrition for blood sugar balance and weight loss, be sure to check out my online course, Healthy Weight Loss.
Avoid Polyunsaturated Fats: These fats are highly anti-metabolic and can lead to catabolism, muscle wasting and metabolic stress. They are best avoided; however, you can learn more about those in my online course or by reading this blog post.
Don’t Fast (or do fasted workouts): In a fasted state, you are in gluconeogenesis, using non-carbohydrate sources for energy, like fat. However, fat has a low rate of metabolism, so people who lose weight by fasting generally have weaker metabolisms considering they are in gluconeogenesis and using fat for energy. Also, it is common for people who chronically fast to also burn muscle for energy. These people are going to have a much more difficult time losing weight due to less active muscle tissue, which would normally burn up fat. Building up muscle and lymph tissue for optimal health, even if it initially causes a slight weight gain will make reducing easier by increasing the mass of metabolically active tissue. In resting states the muscles consume mainly fat, so maintaining relatively large muscle mass is important for preventing the accumulation of fats.