Walking: The Most Underrated Hormone Hack for Women 35+
Why you should care: You don’t need to crush yourself with HIIT to manage your weight. In fact, "gentle" might be exactly what your hormones are begging for.
It is late January, which means the gyms are packed. You might feel the pressure to sign up for the most intense boot camp or spin class you can find to "burn off" the holidays.
But as women over 35, sometimes, the harder you work out, the harder it is to see results. If you have been busting your tail with high-intensity cardio but feeling puffy, exhausted, and seeing the scale stuck, your workout might be working against your hormones.
The Cardio-Cortisol Connection
We often hear "eat less, move more," but this outdated advice can backfire. When you are already juggling a high-stress career, family, and mental load, your body is likely bathing in cortisol—the stress hormone.
While short bursts of cortisol are helpful, chronic elevation is not. High cortisol signals your body to store fat, particularly around the abdomen, and can even break down muscle tissue.
Here is the kicker: Intense, prolonged cardio can act as another major stressor on the body, spiking cortisol levels even further. If your adrenal system is already taxed, that 6:00 AM spin class might be pushing you into a state of "fight or flight" rather than fat burning.
Why Walking is Your Secret Weapon
This is where walking comes in. It is often dismissed as "not enough," but for hormonal health, it is magic.
1. It Lowers Cortisol
Unlike high-intensity training, gentle, rhythmic movement like walking helps lower cortisol levels. It allows you to move your body without triggering the alarm system. By activating your parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" mode), you tell your body it is safe to burn fat rather than hoard it.
2. It Supports Insulin Sensitivity
You don’t need a marathon to manage blood sugar. A short 10-15 minute walk after a meal helps your muscles use up glucose in your bloodstream, improving your insulin sensitivity and preventing those sugar crashes that leave you foggy.
3. It Preserves Muscle
If you only do cardio to lose weight, you risk losing precious muscle mass, which slows down your metabolism. Walking, combined with resistance training, helps you maintain the muscle you need for longevity and metabolic health.
The Strategy: Walk Your Way to Wellness
This month, I challenge you to swap one intense workout for a long, restorative walk in nature. Listen to a podcast, call a friend, or just breathe. Your adrenals, and your waistline, will thank you.
Is your exercise routine serving your hormones?
If you are confused about how to move your body in a way that supports your energy and metabolism, I am here to help. Let’s build a plan that works with your physiology, not against it.
Live.Love.Give with DALIA
