Exercise, One Step Forward Two Steps Back!

jayUK9779

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Feb 23, 2013
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I used to be a long distance runner and was cut short when I was diagnosed with CFS back in 2003. I have never agreed withe CFS diagnosis and I came across Ray Peat in 2011 and I have had soo may improvements! I am not sure if I have accepted I may never run long distances again. I have been training training 3 times a week on an exercise bike with interesting results.

Week 1 avarage 15 mins until exhausted
Week 2 average 20 mins until exhausted
Week 3 avarage 40 mins!!! aint done that for about 8 years since I fell ill
Week 4 only 5 mins until my legs become weak and I felt faint ???

Week 4 I did not have any OJ/gelatine or much food before the exercise so I'm hoping that's the cause. However, should I quit trying to become the runner I once was? That 40 min bike ride brought back so many lovely memories :( I know Ray Peat is against Aerobic exercise but it was such a big part of my life :(. Any thoughts?
 

4peatssake

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Ray Peat said:
Prolonged endurance exercise will usually slow the pulse because of adaptive inhibition of the thyroid. I have seen some people with the dark circles, fatigue, and other symptoms that stopped as soon as they stopped their daily running.
There are tons of other references where Peat indicates running is one of the worst stresses on a human body.
I think your "experiment" was very telling.
 
J

j.

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From the email repository:

Anon said:
Dr. Peat,

You have mentioned that exercise could bring about hypothyroidism. I
imagine long distance running is included. I wonder though, if they
become hypothyroid due to release of PUFAs to the bloodstream induced
by exercise. Do you think a person who doesn't eat PUFAs and runs long
distance is less likely, or a lot less likely, to become hypothyroid?

Ray Peat said:
Yes, a person relatively free of PUFA will be likely to recover very
quickly from prolonged stress.
 
J

j.

Guest
You need to watch your thyroid. Last year I think someone posted an article about a doctor who treats athletes and helps them to supplement with thyroid.
 
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Jayuk9779.

Do you like the cycling / running?

Yes?

Then do it. What's the point of being healthy, if you can't do what you like?
 

4peatssake

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What's the point of running if it's going to greatly damage your health?

My husband loved to run and ran daily for many years, until he couldn't because his body couldn't take the pounding any more and he sustained injuries and a wrecked metabolism. He was in his 30s and he tried many times to run again but just couldn't do it. He will tell you he still misses running every day.

To each his own but be warned of the risks. j is correct to recommend watching your thyroid.
 
J

j.

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4peatssake said:
What's the point of running if it's going to greatly damage your health?

The assumption that is going to damage your health I think is wrong. It depends on many things, see the quote above about PUFAs, for example.

I think not forcing yourself too much is important.
 
J

j.

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I think exercising is natural and good when you have good health. Broda Barnes mentioned that when he fixed his patients' thyroid, most felt like they wanted to exercise on their own and started doing it. Barnes didn't even have to suggest it.
 

4peatssake

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j. said:
The assumption that is going to damage your health I think is wrong.
Ray Peat said:
Intense exercise damages cells in ways that cumulatively impair metabolism.
 
J

j.

Guest
4peatssake said:
j. said:
The assumption that is going to damage your health I think is wrong.
Ray Peat said:
Intense exercise damages cells in ways that cumulatively impair metabolism.

Some people need big letters.

Anon said:
Dr. Peat,

You have mentioned that exercise could bring about hypothyroidism. I
imagine long distance running is included. I wonder though, if they
become hypothyroid due to release of PUFAs to the bloodstream induced
by exercise. Do you think a person who doesn't eat PUFAs and runs long
distance is less likely, or a lot less likely, to become hypothyroid?

Ray Peat said:
Yes, a person relatively free of PUFA will be likely to recover very
quickly from prolonged stress.
 
OP
J

jayUK9779

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Feb 23, 2013
Messages
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Thank you for the replies! Everyone is so helpful on this forum and I thank you all for your wisdom. I have battled with this problem for nearly 10 years I have cried at night many times at the fact I cant do something I love. I have had to find passion from other things but its just not the same! Over the past month I have felt great thanks to all the help from people on here and of course Ray Peat!
4peatssake said:
My husband loved to run and ran daily for many years, until he couldn't because his body couldn't take the pounding any more and he sustained injuries and a wrecked metabolism. He was in his 30s and he tried many times to run again but just couldn't do it. He will tell you he still misses running every day.

I can relate to your husbands dilemma :(. My wife says to me I should be grateful I am still here as she thought I was going to die before I found Ray Peat and thats how I am going to view things from now on. I guess it is time to let go :( .
 

emerald

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Oct 17, 2013
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Your problem isn't exercising, it's HOW you're exercising. You should not be cycling to exhaustion. Ray Peat's perspective on exercise seems similar to Buteyko, or Maffetone, etc., who believe that low intensity movement is a good way to improve health.

Ray says:

"Even keeping the heart rate in the normal range, if the exercise is intense enough to decrease the blood sugar and increase blood lactate, it activates stress hormones and lowers T3, but usually when you can keep breathing just through your nose the lactic acid hasn't risen much. Walking at a moderate speed, for example, is good."
 

jb4566

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I agree with emerald, I think either really low intensity (like walking), or high intensity short durance (like strength training) is pretty safe.
 

charlie

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Walking is great! Strength training with a barbell, kills my metabolism. However, body weight exercises seem to be OK long as I don't get all crazy and exhaust myself. Each individual is different of course. Just gotta find out what your body can handle by watching your temps and pulse.

I do not think long distance running is ever going to be good. :2cents
 
J

j.

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Charlie said:
I do not think long distance running is ever going to be good. :2cents

When I was a lot younger and had great metabolism, I enjoyed long distance running, or at least I call it that, considering I did it up to an hour. My energy and health got better as time went by. But I didn't push myself hard for a marathon or anything like that. It was very enjoyable, the running, the feeling after doing it, and how I felt the whole day. My metabolism did decline after I forced myself to train for competitions way too hard and while having other intense stresses unrelated to exercise.

I think one needs to look at the entire context of a person. If a person literally enjoys exercising, and his metabolism can handle the exertion and recovery to the point that he feels great the whole time, the exercise, whatever it is, would be beneficial.

If a person can't imagine running being enjoyable, I think that person probably never tried it or never had the metabolism that can make running a harmless activity.
 

Mittir

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Charlie said:
Walking is great! Strength training with a barbell, kills my metabolism. However, body weight exercises seem to be OK long as I don't get all crazy and exhaust myself.

Were you able to do only the concentric part of exercise with barbell?
Meditation is a form of anti-exercise. Several studies showed
reduction of stress hormones, especially cortisol after meditation.
Here is one non-TM study on meditation and cortisol
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1801007
I lost about 5 lbs in 3 weeks of daily meditation twice a day ,20 min sessions.
My focus was lowering stress hormones, did not even think about weight.
It does make complete sense. Sitting cross legged with erect spine
increase blood circulation to brain and meditation lowers breathing,
this will increase carbon dioxide and increase oxygen supply to brain cells.
I think sitting cross legged gives most of the benefits.
Brain is also a major source of several stress hormones.
A well oxygenated brain is less likely to produce stress hormones.
Cortisol is directly connected to fat gain and thyroid function.
I will see how much more weight i can loose by doing " nothing".

@jayUK9779 I used to do hours of meditation daily and it gives a "after exercise" kind of high.
You might enjoy this feeling. But it is difficult to do meditation without feeling
comfortable physically.
 

tomisonbottom

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Wow, losing weight with meditation; that's fascinating!
I've gained about 5 pounds myself over the last month or two.
Did you do anything else to lose it or just the meditation?
 

Mastemah

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Jul 23, 2012
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You can try walking, sprinting w complete recovery in between sets, old school bodybuilding concentric no lactic acid training, Olympic lifting and throwing. Games like catch and frisbee count as well. If you are lifting and it messes you up you are using the wrong protocol :)
 

Mittir

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@tomisonbottom
I started Niacinamide 100 mg ( GNC, relatively free of bad excipients.only Dicalcium Phosphate
worries me a bit.It is at least better than silica or Titanium Dioxide.
I am curious what Dan Wich thinks about safety of Dicalcium Phosphate)
once or twice a day about one and a half month ago with a major
improvement in health. May be this is the reason that lead me to
meditation. I do not sit for meditation if i do not feel really good physically.
I have normal BMI, so loosing weight was not a concern for me.
I am very sure it was due to meditation.
I have lost at least 1 inch in waist and that is connected to cortisol.
All day long i feel extra calm, things do not bother me much.
 

tomisonbottom

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Mittir said:
@tomisonbottom
I started Niacinamide 100 mg ( GNC, relatively free of bad excipients.only Dicalcium Phosphate
worries me a bit.It is at least better than silica or Titanium Dioxide.
I am curious what Dan Wich thinks about safety of Dicalcium Phosphate)
once or twice a day about one and a half month ago with a major
improvement in health. May be this is the reason that lead me to
meditation. I do not sit for meditation if i do not feel really good physically.
I have normal BMI, so loosing weight was not a concern for me.
I am very sure it was due to meditation.
I have lost at least 1 inch in waist and that is connected to cortisol.
All day long i feel extra calm, things do not bother me much.

It's funny you say that, because I just bought Niacinamide too (based on Cliff's rec that is was good to take before and after exercise). I found it on Amazon from Jarrow formulas and the only other ingredients are cellulose and magnesium stearate; so other than a pure bulk powder it's the cleanest thing I could find. Ray Peat says most people don't have an allergic reaction to magnesium stearate so I'm not so worried about it.
 
EMF Mitigation - Flush Niacin - Big 5 Minerals

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