If you are trying to have the best hormone levels possible, pay attention to 2 things.
First, don’t over exercise! Calorie restriction combined with heavy exercise causes huge drops in hormone levels. The right balance of hormones is critical for normal cycle, normal fertile ground for the baby, and normal egg release. If you think you might be exercising too much but you are not sure, consider a blood test to evaluate your levels. You must be absolutely certain that the person reading the results knows HOW to interpret hormone levels with respect to optimal health. If the doctor can’t tell you what a good estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, FSH, and LH level is, find someone who can.
Second, don’t overdo the abdominal! We want really good blood flow to the pelvic organs. Studies show that overdoing the abdominal workouts actually restrict blood flow to the pelvic organs. When you are trying to get pregnant, focus on whole body activity.
When your hormone levels are important to you, avoid the very trendy extreme exercise routines. They will make it much harder to have a baby. The CDC recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of ‘moderate intensity’ activity per day at least 5 days per week. Strength training should also be included two days per week. These are reasonable recommendations that should give you an idea of whether you are doing too much or not enough.
Interested in receiving my information on fertility in a series of emails? It’s free, and organized for your convenience. Contact my assistant at DrJohson@aspirehealthkc.com and ask to receive the optimizing fertility series. This includes the blogs on the website and a few extra tips.