[quote]ProjectX wrote:
[quote]t.bruce wrote:
@ProjectX: High levels of cortisol can be related to a number of things. You have to ask yourself a few questions:
(1) Do I have a consistent time I got to bed and get up in the morning? (Side Note: not being able to fall asleep at night and/or not being able to get up in the morning are both related to cortisol, more specifically adrenal stress) If so, address this issue first and foremost. Your bedroom should be pitch black like a cave and free of significant amounts of electromagnetic fields (that means the TV, cell phone, laptop have to go). I know it sounds funny but I sleep with a mask and ear plugs and wake up feeling way better than if I don’t. Magnesium supplementation is a must and I have also found that moderate doses of Melatonin (3-5 mcg) work wonders as a last resort.
if u eat the same foods every day u will raise yoour cortisol get on a five day food rotation. buy the poliquiin podcast on his web site for 5 or 10 bucks on fatloss and lean muscle mass. over 60 minuets of high quality information. they greatly prepared me for my courses with him
(2) Am I consuming foods that I am intolerant to? Typical intolerances include wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts and eggs. This causes your immune system to be under constant stress. I find I can drop a couple % body fat (especially in the abdomen) when I eliminate grains and dairy from my diet.
(3) Is it possible that I am over-training? This is very, very unlikely—it takes a lot to over-train. Still a possibility. If you train 7 days/week, dread going to the gym, feel chronically fatigued, are losing strength and look like a zombie… then this may apply to you.
(4) Do I drink too much? Frequent alcholic binging can really take its toll. But I think everyone here is aware of that…
(5) Do I spend too much time on T-Nation worrying if my workout/nutrition program is PERFECT? (I used to be guilty of this). Find something that fits your goals and stick to it—or better yet: hire someone else to tell you what to do. Rid yourself of TMI (too much information) and focus on training, eating, sleeping and spending quality time with family, friends and doing things you enjoy. This actually will have a much greater impact than you think!
Hopefully that helps! I would try to optimize any of these before you go looking for supplements to help out.[/quote]
thanks man!
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i go to bed at 3am and wake up at noon pretty consistently. hard time getting out of bed. my room has been converted to a pitch black cave for years (poliquin suggestion from way back i think). i’m under the belief that sleeping from 10 pm to 6 am would be better though.
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hmm, i avoided wheat and dairy for a looong time and still had the pudgy cortisol gut. maybe it’s the nuts n’ eggs i eat.
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definitely not over training.
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never drank in my life.
thanks for the help!
EDIT: oh and i do take magnesium and melatonin every night before bed.[/quote]
